From Fennville, Michigan, a celebration on the court after a high school basketball team completes their regular season with a perfect record takes an unbelievably tragic twist:
UPDATE: Cause of death was cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart. [ABC News]
UPDATE 3/7/11: Fennville will play Monday's game as scheduled. The opposing team, Lawrence High, has agreed to give up home court and play at neutral site closer to Fennville to allow more of their fans to attend the game.
UPDATE 3/8/11: Fennville beats Lawrence 65-54, advances to next round [Yahoo! Sports]
UPDATE 3/10/11: Fennville beats Bangor 79-50, advances to district final against Covert.
Fennville basketball star Wes Leonard dies after hitting game-winning shot [Grand Rapids Press]
Player collapsed on court after layup [ESPN]
Holland Hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson said 16-year-old Fennville High School junior Wes Leonard died Thursday night. A cause of death has not yet been determined.
According to Patterson, paramedics were performing CPR on Leonard at the time of his arrival at the hospital. He was pronounced dead nearly 90 minutes later.
Leonard had scored the game-winning layup in a 57-55 win over Bridgman in overtime to cap Fennville's 20-0 season. Leonard fell to the ground after teammates and fans rushed the court.
Leonard scored more than 1,000 points in his three seasons at Fenville, which is about 200 miles west of Detroit. According to the Grand Rapids Press, Leonard also was the quarterback of the school's football team and led the Blackhawks to the second of the state playoffs. In October, he threw seven touchdown passes in a game.Fennville is scheduled to begin the state tournament on Monday in Lawrence, Michigan, although what will happen next from a basketball standpoint would seem to be rather insignificant given the circumstances.
UPDATE: Cause of death was cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart. [ABC News]
UPDATE 3/7/11: Fennville will play Monday's game as scheduled. The opposing team, Lawrence High, has agreed to give up home court and play at neutral site closer to Fennville to allow more of their fans to attend the game.
UPDATE 3/8/11: Fennville beats Lawrence 65-54, advances to next round [Yahoo! Sports]
UPDATE 3/10/11: Fennville beats Bangor 79-50, advances to district final against Covert.
Fennville basketball star Wes Leonard dies after hitting game-winning shot [Grand Rapids Press]
Player collapsed on court after layup [ESPN]
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
