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Fennville (Mich.) High School boys basketball player collapsed and later died Thursday night after hitting a game-winning shot for his undefeated team.
According to the Holland Sentinel,
Wes Leonard, 16, died at Holland Hospital at 10:40 p.m. local time. A few hours earlier, he was hoisted into the air and carried around the school's gym after making the decisive basket in a 57-55 overtime victory over Bridgman to complete a 20-0 season.
After a final team huddle, according to reports, he fell to the floor and immediately rushed to the hospital. Cause of death is pending, but he arrived to the hospital in cardiac arrest.
Leonard was the team's star player and recently surpassed the 1,000-point career mark. He scored 21 points on Thursday and brought his team back from a 15-point deficit. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior was also the team's starting quarterback on the football team - a highly-recruited standout who threw for 2,144 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for 455 more with six scores.
His impeccable conditioning - Fennville coach Ryan Klinger had earlier in the week told the Holland Sentinel "He takes care of his body better than probably anybody I've ever coached," - makes Leonard's death all the more shocking.
Hospital spokesman Tim Breed told the newspaper: "All
efforts were made after he arrived to help restart his heart, but
unfortunately those efforts were not successful."
Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer called Leonard "an outstanding young man. He has obviously been a leader
for our athletic teams, and he is just an absolutely great kid."
Leonard is the second Fennville athlete to die in 14 months, according to the newspaper. Nathaniel Hernandez, a 14-year-old wrestler, passed away in January of 2010 following a
seizure at home.
