CWRU senior guard John Link had an advantage when it came to basketball. He had inside help.

Link's father was a basketball coach at several schools in the Cleveland area, so a basketball was placed in Link's crib at birth and has never left his side since.

"From an offensive perspective he taught me pretty much everything I know," Link said. "He taught me the right mechanics from day one, and I credit my shot to him."

Link has started 74 of 77 games for the Spartans over the past three seasons, only missing one start his freshman year and two games his sophomore year due to injuries. He has racked up 1,208 points (16.3 avg.) during that time, placing him sixth on the school's all-time list-but only 248 points away from being the school's points leader. Considering he scored 341 his freshman year, 401 his sophomore season and 376 a year ago, it's reachable goal.

"I have been the leading scorer on every team since my junior year in high school," Link said. "I don't want to say I don't care about it, but it's not necessarily that big of a deal for me. Winning is so much more important. It makes the season so much better. I'd score five points a game if I knew we were going to go 18-3."

Link is a three-time, second-team All-University Athletic Association selection, multiple Athlete of the Week selection and two-time All-UAA Academic honoree.

Link's father, Tom, began his career at Lumen Cordium High School in 1978 as the head women's basketball coach. The elder Link then moved on to St. Edward High School in 1979. There he was the head baseball and assistant men's basketball coach until he left to start the girl's basketball program at Padua High School in 1985. Link's father would remain at Padua for 10 years before taking the head girl's job at Lakewood High School in 1995.

"Growing up from the time I was five until 15 or 16, I was always around the game," the younger Link said. "Who knows how much I picked up here and there, but just being around that type of atmosphere gave me an advantage. He was the reason I had such a drive and such a love for the game."

Link will graduate from CWRU with a financing degree and a minor in accounting this spring. He eventually would like to get an MBA in either sports management or marketing.

"I'm not too worried about the future," he said. "I have been successful in pretty much everything I have done, whether it's been the people around me or just my drive and ambition to do well and be successful."