Many basketball players say it: ball is life.

"It's what I love, it's a passion. I get up every day and think about it. It's my life,” said Quinn Lee Yaw, of Daemen College.

But Lee Yaw has the receipts to prove he lives it, spending five years with three teams chasing his collegiate basketball dream.

"It was really a learning process from Edinboro, to Bonaventure, to calling coach Mac and getting over here,” said Lee Yaw.

The senior forward has taken a circuitous route from leading Jamestown to the 2014 state title game to injuries at Edinboro University, walking on at St. Bonaventure, and now finally finding a home at Daemen.

"It felt amazing. It put a smile on my face when I finally realized I could sign the papers to come here. It's a family environment,” said Lee Yaw.

Quinn finally found a basketball family and the 10th ranked Wildcats discovered their glue guy: Lee Yaw has owned his role as a 6th man, scoring 8.5 points with 4.5 assists per game, but more importantly, it's what he does that can't be measured.

"He is contagious and that is the best way to describe him. Whether it is on the bench and he is cheering for his teammates or on the court, he has an incredible zest for life and zest for the game and that carries over for this team,” said Daemen head coach Mike MacDonald.

If you still needed more proof of Quinn's worth to the Wildcats, get this, despite being ineligible to play all of last season, he was still voted a captain in his one and only year at Daemen.

"He is just always bringing each other up when we are down. He doesn't like seeing us with our heads down. I love having him as a teammate, he is one of my favorite teammates,” said Deion Hamilton, Daemen senior guard.

Those that have known Quinn the longest knew he'd eventually excel on the court.

"I'm not surprised he's having success in college. He does so many little things, it's not just the scoring or the defense, but it is the little things that you look for as a coach. The toughness things that help you win games and Quinn has always been a guy that provided that,” said Ben Drake, Jamestown head coach.

Lee Yaw and Daemen have their sights set on the program's first-ever East Coast Conference championship when the tournament starts March 6.