Tucson HS basketball player paralyzed

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Tucson basketball player was tackled by fans

TUCSON, Ariz. -- A Tucson High School basketball player has been left partially paralyzed after being tackled by fans celebrating his game-ending dunk Friday night.

 

The Arizona Republic reported on the story in Tuesday's editions.

 

Joe Kay, a senior and starting forward, capped Tucson's 62-54 victory over Tucson Salpointe Catholic with an exclamation slam. A group of fans overtook him after flooding the court, coaches who reviewed film of the game told the Republic. Kay suffered a fractured jaw and a torn carotid artery -- the carotid supplies blood to the brain -- and subsequently suffered a stroke, according to the newspaper's report.

 

Kay, a 4.0 student who has a full volleyball scholarship to Stanford, remained in intensive care Monday, listed in serious condition at the University Medical Center in Tucson. There were signs of improvement: Kay ate breakfast and said a few words, Tucson coach Gary Lewis told the Republic.

 

Lewis recalled in his interview with the newspaper the moments after which Kay got up and walked over to his coach with assistance.

 

"I got on one side and we walked him over," Lewis said. "Just before we got to the locker room, he couldn't walk at all, and we had to drag him in.

 

"We knew something was serious. Joe is a great communicator and he wasn't speaking at all. He wouldn't respond to us anymore."

 

Tucson students on Tuesday were told of Kay's injuries over the public address system, the Republic reported. Counselors were available on campus.

 

Kay turned 18 on Saturday. Tucson has a game Tuesday night, and Arizona's Class 5A playoffs begin in a week.

 

"When I left him [Monday], he gave me the thumbs up, as if to push everybody through this," Lewis told the Republic.

 

Dick McConnell, who coaches Tucson Sahuaro and coached Lewis in high school, consoled Lewis at his home Sunday. McConnell also watched film of Tucson's postgame.

 

"To think that could happen ... ," McConnell said. "When they said what happened, I had chills." McConnell had surgery in the previous week to remove plaque building on his carotid artery.

Linked.

 

 

God, I am getting so sick of stupid things like this after basketball games. So much stuff CAN go wrong, and normally does. Poor kid.

[Damaramu 0]

That just fucking sucks.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'm just waiting for the moment that the NCAA finally smartens up and bans shit like this from happening. Sooner or later something like this would happen and if they want to celebrate, let 'em celebrate after the game at the dorms or whatever rather then mobbing the court and putting the players & coaches in dangerous situations.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Some school needs to have the balls to arrest and detain all the students and people that charge the court. I mean this shit doesn't happen in the proffesionals and it sure as hell shouldn't happen in High School or College. Its trespassing and more often than not destruction of private property too.

[lomasmoney 0]

schools aren't really private property are they?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Depends on if it's a public university or not...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm just waiting for the moment that the NCAA finally smartens up and bans shit like this from happening. Sooner or later something like this would happen and if they want to celebrate, let 'em celebrate after the game at the dorms or whatever rather then mobbing the court and putting the players & coaches in dangerous situations.

 

To clarify, this is high school, not college.

 

Given the circumstances, it sounds like a freak occurance, and no more likely than an auto accident or some disaster befalling a player. It doesn't mean it can not be prevented, however.

[2GOLD 0]

This is why I have disliked this stupidity and the pulling down the goal post. When the rushing the court and goal post was something that happened MAYBE once a year, it wasn't a big deal.

 

But now EVERY school across the land, high school and college is doing this stupid stuff for the most average of wins and this isn't the first kid to be injured because of it. One of the high schools I saw once had a kid have his arm broken because of this celebration stuff.

 

When it was hardly ever, it was fine. But now, it's becoming something that happens more and more which means the chance of injury to players/fans is increasing.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

hell.. put a fence around the courtside area, that'll make it harder to get onto the court from the stands

[Vern Gagne 0]

You're not on the team why the need to rush the court? Just enjoy the teams win from the stands.

[Damaramu 0]

If I was that kid I'd be sueing everyone that rushed that court.

I mean for the love of god the kid had a promising future. He was going to fucking Stanford! I'd kill to get an education from Stanford!

And now he can't walk and can barely talk!? Fuck that.

[Guest Smues]

I'm not usually a supporter of massive lawsuits, but this kid needs to fucking sue everyone he can. This is just absolutely disgusting, and I feel terrible for this guy.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I have to say that the title of the article mislead me. I had originally thought that a bunch of fans were angry over the fact that he was celebrating and had tackled him because they were pissed off, sort of like the incident with the man tackling the ref. If that's not the case, then this is nothing more than a sad story really, and not much can really be said.

[Damaramu 0]

I'm pretty sure he can also sue the school for this. Man I'd be rich after all of this...but it's not like he'll be able to enjoy it. Hopefully he retains his mental facilities.