Heartbreak and shock hit a Michigan high-school basketball court Thursday when, before hundreds of spectators, star player Wes Leonard collapsed and later died after making a game-winning shot in overtime to close his team's perfect season.
Leonard, 16, of Fennville High went into cardiac arrest and became unresponsive after the game, say news reports. He was rushed to Holland Hospital at around 9:15 p.m. and pronounced dead 85 minutes later, according to hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson. Cause of death has yet to be determined.
Leonard, an "outstanding athlete" (according to the other team's coach) who scored more than 1,000 career points in his brief life, had just shot the winning layup in a 57-55 game over Bridgman High, to conclude Fennville's 20-0 season.
"It's tough to take in," teammate Shane Bale told the local paper, the Holland Sentinel, which also reports that just before his collapse, Leonard was hoisted into the air by his teammates as an act of jubilation.
"Obviously, in the midst of celebration, I think shocking is exactly the word," Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer said when the ambulance arrived. "And certainly our deepest prayers are with Wes and his family."
Leonard, 16, of Fennville High went into cardiac arrest and became unresponsive after the game, say news reports. He was rushed to Holland Hospital at around 9:15 p.m. and pronounced dead 85 minutes later, according to hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson. Cause of death has yet to be determined.
Leonard, an "outstanding athlete" (according to the other team's coach) who scored more than 1,000 career points in his brief life, had just shot the winning layup in a 57-55 game over Bridgman High, to conclude Fennville's 20-0 season.
"It's tough to take in," teammate Shane Bale told the local paper, the Holland Sentinel, which also reports that just before his collapse, Leonard was hoisted into the air by his teammates as an act of jubilation.
"Obviously, in the midst of celebration, I think shocking is exactly the word," Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer said when the ambulance arrived. "And certainly our deepest prayers are with Wes and his family."
GOBLES—Fennville junior Wes Leonard wasn’t overly impressed with his performance during the title game of the inaugural Southwestern Athletic Conference boys’ basketball tournament against Bangor Saturday, Feb. 26.
“I’d give it about a five,” Leonard said, who has been battling the flu, when asked to rate his level of play on a 1-10 scale. “Sickness has gotten to us a little bit. I stayed home all day (Friday), but I felt a little better today.”
As it turned out, the Blackhawks didn’t need Leonard at his best to get the best of the Vikings.
A strong second quarter helped lift Fennville—ranked sixth in Class C—to the 52-43 win, thereby securing the overall SAC championship and remaining unbeaten at 19-0
This is the third time in three meetings this season that Fennville has upended Bangor, although it was the closest of the three. The Blackhawks won the first game by 30 points and the second by 24 points.
“I don’t know if we played our best tonight, but I think Bangor had something to do with that,” Fennville coach Ryan Klingler said. “When you play a team a third time. you get to know each other pretty well. I don’t know if they did anything different than they did before, but they did make it a little tougher on us defensively.
“I’d give it about a five,” Leonard said, who has been battling the flu, when asked to rate his level of play on a 1-10 scale. “Sickness has gotten to us a little bit. I stayed home all day (Friday), but I felt a little better today.”
As it turned out, the Blackhawks didn’t need Leonard at his best to get the best of the Vikings.
A strong second quarter helped lift Fennville—ranked sixth in Class C—to the 52-43 win, thereby securing the overall SAC championship and remaining unbeaten at 19-0
This is the third time in three meetings this season that Fennville has upended Bangor, although it was the closest of the three. The Blackhawks won the first game by 30 points and the second by 24 points.
“I don’t know if we played our best tonight, but I think Bangor had something to do with that,” Fennville coach Ryan Klingler said. “When you play a team a third time. you get to know each other pretty well. I don’t know if they did anything different than they did before, but they did make it a little tougher on us defensively.
“The bottom line is that even though I don’t think we looked our best tonight, we still found a way to win. So even if we’re not necessarily happy with the way we played, we are the first SAC tournament champions, and we’re happy with that.”
Leonard, who entered the game averaging nearly 20 points per game, tied with sophomore Pete Alfaro for team-high honors with 14 points. Adam Siegel added 10 points in addition to pulling down a game-best nine rebounds.
“There were times we looked a little tired, and this wasn’t one of Wes’ best games,” Klingler said. “He’s been recovering from the flu for a few days, and I probably rode him a little harder than I should have, and that’s on me.”
Fennville looked particularly lethargic to start the game, digging itself an 8-2 hole midway through the opening quarter before scoring six of the frame’s final eight points to trail 10-8 at quarter’s end.
“We just didn’t play very well to start the game,” Leonard said. “I think part of it was playing late on a Saturday night, which felt kind of weird. Still, we have to come out stronger than that.”
The first three minutes of the second stanza saw the teams go back and fourth, with a pair of ties and a pair of lead changes. Then, with 4:45 remaining in the half, Leonard scored to give Fennville a 16-15 lead and start a 12-0 run that culminated with a 3-pointer from Reid Sexton in the opening minute of the third quarter.
Leonard, who entered the game averaging nearly 20 points per game, tied with sophomore Pete Alfaro for team-high honors with 14 points. Adam Siegel added 10 points in addition to pulling down a game-best nine rebounds.
“There were times we looked a little tired, and this wasn’t one of Wes’ best games,” Klingler said. “He’s been recovering from the flu for a few days, and I probably rode him a little harder than I should have, and that’s on me.”
Fennville looked particularly lethargic to start the game, digging itself an 8-2 hole midway through the opening quarter before scoring six of the frame’s final eight points to trail 10-8 at quarter’s end.
“We just didn’t play very well to start the game,” Leonard said. “I think part of it was playing late on a Saturday night, which felt kind of weird. Still, we have to come out stronger than that.”
The first three minutes of the second stanza saw the teams go back and fourth, with a pair of ties and a pair of lead changes. Then, with 4:45 remaining in the half, Leonard scored to give Fennville a 16-15 lead and start a 12-0 run that culminated with a 3-pointer from Reid Sexton in the opening minute of the third quarter.
That gave the Blackhawks a 26-15 lead, and with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter Fennville increased its edge to 39-23 following a pair of free throws from Siegel.
“We just came out kind of flat in the second quarter,” Bangor coach Rocky Johnson said. “When you’re playing a team that’s as good as Fennville, you can’t have those kinds of lapses. We’re 13-6 now, and half our losses have been to Fennville.”
The teams could meet for a fourth time in district play.
“Hopefully we get another crack at them,” Johnson said.
Andrew Johnson paced Bangor with 17 points, followed by Jimal Valentine with 11 and Charles Cox with 10.
“We just came out kind of flat in the second quarter,” Bangor coach Rocky Johnson said. “When you’re playing a team that’s as good as Fennville, you can’t have those kinds of lapses. We’re 13-6 now, and half our losses have been to Fennville.”
The teams could meet for a fourth time in district play.
“Hopefully we get another crack at them,” Johnson said.
Andrew Johnson paced Bangor with 17 points, followed by Jimal Valentine with 11 and Charles Cox with 10.
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