Before Eastern head coach Rick Samuels ended his post-game radio interview with Mike Bradd Saturday, he wanted to emphasize one thing.

It wasn’t the fact Eastern needs to beat a very good Austin Peay team on Thursday or they have little room for error if they want to pass Murray State for the final spot to gain a first-round home tournament game.

Samuels wanted to remind everyone of Henry Domercant’s final regular season game at Lantz Arena, which could also be the last of his career.

“I would hope that we would have a great crowd to give Henry a nice hand, as he is playing his official last home game,” Samuels said.

The senior guard is one of five seniors that will be recognized when the Panthers face the Governors at Lantz Thursday. If there are basketball lovers out there that still have not gotten the opportunity to see Domercant play, then they should take time out of their schedules to see him in his final home game.

I promise he will not disappoint. In his last three games against the Governors, Domercant has combined for 105 points including a 38-point performance Jan. 23 at the Dunn Center.

He has also been shooting the ball better of late by shooting above 50 percent from the field in five of his last six games. So, it is safe to say Domercant will not send people home unhappy.

Since Domercant can’t pull a Michael Jordan and return for multiple final tours in OVC Arenas, it will be now or never for Eastern basketball fans.

Also, don’t count on seeing the Panthers at home for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. If they sneak their way into the fourth spot it won’t be because of anything they do.

Eastern will need help from either Murray State or Tennessee Tech, currently both sit a half game ahead of the Panthers in the standings and both own the tie-breakers.

Both teams have a considerably difficult schedule, but so does Eastern, who plays the No. 2 Governors and has to go to Cookeville to face Tech.

Among the others waving goodbye to Lantz are guards J.R. Reynolds, Craig Lewis and Ramon Taylor and center Jan Thompson. All have contributed in some way to making the Panthers a respectable program over the past four years.

Who knows what could happen if people fill the stands in Lantz Thursday? Maybe Eastern can pull off an upset win over Austin Peay like they did against No. 1 Morehead State Feb. 8 and then go on to win their remaining games and ‘Oh Henry’ can make his final home game March 4.

But why risk it? I go along with Samuels when he urges people to come out and see Domercant and friends Thursday night.