High school player dies after hitting winning shot

[KFDM COOP]

FENNVILLE, Mich. -- A Michigan high school's star basketball player collapsed on the court Thursday and later died after making a game-winning layup in overtime to cap his team's perfect season.

Wes Leonard of Fennville High died Thursday night, Holland Hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson said. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Paramedics performed CPR on the 16-year-old before he was pronounced dead at the hospital, Patterson said.

"It's tough to take in," his teammate, Shane Bale, told The Holland Sentinel. "It's like somebody from your family, you know?"

Leonard, a junior who also excelled as the quarterback of the Blackhawks football team, was "by far the best player on that basketball team -- outstanding athlete," said coach Mike Miller, whose Bridgman team lost 57-55 in overtime to Fennville Thursday night.

"All of Bridgman's thoughts and prayers are going toward Fennville right now," Miller told The Associated Press Friday morning.

Chad VanHuis, a 21-year-old Fennville High graduate who once umpired Leonard's middle school baseball games and was his camp counselor, heard before heading into work that Leonard had collapsed.

During his break at about 1:30 a.m. ET, VanHuis, an assembly line worker at an auto glass factory in nearby Holland, logged on to Facebook and learned of his friend's passing.

"I couldn't believe it," said VanHuis, who remembered opposing baseball coaches asking to see his birth certificate, not believing a 12-year-old could be so big and skilled.

"He was very courteous. He was the nicest kid. You'd think with his star potential, because he's so gifted, he'd be cocky, but he never really was that way."

On Thursday, Leonard -- who earlier this season eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his high school career -- scored with less than 30 seconds remaining. Bridgman wasn't able to score during the ensuing trip down the court, giving Fennville a 20-0 regular season. Leonard fell to the ground after teammates and fans rushed the court.

"We are all hurting now," coach Rocky Johnson, whose Bangor High team faced Fennville three times this season, told the Grand Rapids Press.

"My son and Wes played AAU in different programs, but we saw each other all summer, all spring, and he's the kind of kid that I would make sure to say hi to him and he would go out of his way to say hi to me," Johnson said. "He always had something good to say, all positives."

Leonard is the second Fennville athlete to die in 14 months. Wrestler Nathaniel Hernandez, 14, died in January 2010 after suffering a seizure at home following his participation in a high school wrestling match.

In an interview with the Sentinel at Tuesday's practice, Fennville coach Ryan Klingler talked about how Leonard had a great drive to succeed and that he saw the "bigger picture."

"That's what makes him a little different. He takes care of his body better than probably anybody I've ever coached," Klingler said. "Spends a lot of time on his own in the weight room. He's a special kid."

Fennville, about 200 miles west of Detroit, is scheduled to begin district play in the state playoffs Monday.

[OldSkool97]

Heard this on ESPN this morning...sad news.

[underarmor]

investigation coming on this one, you can bet suspected steroids.......heads up "always in the weight room and wanting to see birth certificate........what a tragedy I hope this is just congenital problem and not steroid linked......this is just plain sad no matter what way it falls.....

[WOSgrad]

Initial report: enlarged heart

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/04/national/main20039395.shtml

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

wow

[j_dog]

Not again!!

[WOSgrad]

[quote name="j_dog" post="978084" timestamp="1299301502"]
Not again!!
[/quote]

Every since September, I get chills when I hear a story like this.

[mammagotjuice]

[quote name="InStitches" post="977537" timestamp="1299267566"]
investigation coming on this one, you can bet suspected steroids.......heads up "always in the weight room and wanting to see birth certificate........what a tragedy I hope this is just congenital problem and not steroid linked......this is just plain sad no matter what way it falls.....
[/quote]Dont be so quick to judge...Every athlete needs an EKG! My son just had one and guess what?...I get to take a trip to the Cardiologist tomorrow! So not every incident is steroid related...people can be SO quick to judge!

[dav-joel]

[quote name="mammagotjuice" post="979556" timestamp="1299617482"]
[quote author=InStitches link=topic=81241.msg977537#msg977537 date=1299267566]
investigation coming on this one, you can bet suspected steroids.......heads up "always in the weight room and wanting to see birth certificate........what a tragedy I hope this is just congenital problem and not steroid linked......this is just plain sad no matter what way it falls.....
[/quote][b]Dont be so quick to judge[/b]...Every athlete needs an EKG! My son just had one and guess what?...I get to take a trip to the Cardiologist tomorrow! So not every incident is steroid related...people can be SO quick to judge!
[/quote]

Amen.

[5 on 5]

[quote name="mammagotjuice" post="979556" timestamp="1299617482"]
[quote author=InStitches link=topic=81241.msg977537#msg977537 date=1299267566]
investigation coming on this one, you can bet suspected steroids.......heads up "always in the weight room and wanting to see birth certificate........what a tragedy I hope this is just congenital problem and not steroid linked......this is just plain sad no matter what way it falls.....
[/quote]Dont be so quick to judge...Every athlete needs an EKG! My son just had one and guess what?...I get to take a trip to the Cardiologist tomorrow! So not every incident is steroid related...people can be SO quick to judge!
[/quote]

We all seem to be hearing about this type of incident more and more. I also am a parent of a middleschool athlete and it certainly makes you think. Should we as parents be more proactive and request our Dr. Perform an EKG or other test??  Was your son's EKG a "routine" checkup or did something prompt you to have it checked out??

[baddog]

My son, Matt Robinson, collapsed and died at home plate at NHS High school diamond. I will take to task anyone who would even question the integrity of this young man. Matt was as good a person as you would ever want to meet, just as I'm sure is the case for this young man. Matt died from arrythmia. To even suggest either was on drugs of any kind without knowing anything about them is totally cruel and insensitive.

My prayers go out to the parents, family, and friends of this young man.