CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With his storybook college basketball career officially over, Derrick Low has much to look back on but still also has much to look forward to.

Low, a 2004 'Iolani School graduate from Honolulu, ended his brilliant four-year career at Washington State with last night's 68-47 loss to No. 1-ranked North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 East Regional semifinals.

But by all accounts, his days as a basketball player are far from being over.

"They're definitely going to have a future (in basketball)," said Washington State coach Tony Bennett, referring to Low and fellow senior guard Kyle Weaver. "I hope they get great looks at the NBA level, but they have a perspective. I think they'll be OK, I really do, whether it's high-level Europe or a chance in the NBA. They can play and they've done a lot and a lot has been asked of them, it certainly has and they have certainly responded."

One professional agent already approached Low's father, Ken, after last night's game in Bobcats Arena and set up a lunch appointment for today.

"It's not really my decision," Ken Low said, about choosing an agent. "It's Derrick's, but we should get Tony (Bennett) involved, too."

Bennett played three seasons for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and also played professionally overseas.

Low said he is scheduled to play in the 56th Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tourney in Virginia and another pre-draft tournament in Portland, Ore., later this spring.

"I've got a lot of stuff to do," Low said. "I'll definitely be training, in case I gotta do any tryouts or whatever, but I'm definitely going to go for it (a pro career). I'll be ready."

He also has been invited to participate in college basketball's 20th Annual Three-Point Shootout next week in conjunction with the Final Four in San Antonio. The contest will take place at St. Mary's University on Thursday and will be televised on ESPN at 3 p.m. Hawai'i time.

Then, there is Washington State's commencement ceremony in May, where Low will receive his bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in sports management.

"That'll be pretty cool," said Low, who will be the first in his family to graduate from college.

Low finished his Cougars career with 1,288 points (11.6 per game), 256 assists and 145 steals. He extended his Washington State single-season 3-pointers record with two last night, giving him 92 for the season and 220 for his career (fourth in Cougars history).

As in Denver last week, Low also had a group of about 15 family and friends attending last night's game, with some arriving from Hawai'i yesterday morning despite travel delays caused by canceled flights.

"The effort they made to come all the way across the country just to watch possibly one game — that just shows the kind of support that they have and the good people that they are," Low said. "I just give thanks to all of them, because if it wasn't for any of them, I wouldn't be over here, doing what I'm doing."

Low's uncle, Pat Costa, brought ti leaves and a poster board sign plus fortune cookies that were passed out to some fans in the Washington State cheering section of about 1,500.

The message in the fortune cookie — alongside a cartoon of a surfer riding a wave — read, "From Hawai'i to the Sweet Sixteen. Aloha & Mahalo.

"Derrick Low #2."

Read Wes' blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com