* This story has been updated
SURREY — The Surrey teen who collapsed during a basketball game last week is “holding steady” in hospital.
“Some encouraging signs, but he remains in critical condition” following the cardiac arrest, Surrey school district spokesperson Doug Strachan told the Now-Leader on Monday afternoon (Dec. 4).
Grade 12 student Raphael Alcoreza, a six-foot-one guard with Panorama Ridge Thunder, told coaches he felt dizzy and lightheaded while at the bench during a game on Nov. 28 at Holy Cross Regional High School.
On Tuesday (Dec. 5), a page on gofundme.com called “Support Raphael Alcoreza’s Family” was posted by Alumni Basketball, and raised nearly $14,000 in 20 hours.
“Reaching our goal for the Alcoreza family within hours shows the power our community has,” posted the unidentified administrator of the page. “We are astounded at the amount of love and support that’s being given to Raphael right now.”
The medical emergency happened during an early-season exhibition game between Alcoreza’s Thunder squad and Holy Cross Crusaders, at the latter team’s gym on 88th Avenue.
The young athlete said he needed some fresh air, Holy Cross coach Matt LeChasseur told the Now-Leader.
“Just going by what the (Panorama Ridge) coaches told me, he went outside, a coach kept an eye on him and went out there to be with him, the assistant coach, and he collapsed when he was out there,” LeChasseur said last Wednesday (Nov. 29).
“They had to do CPR and called the paramedics, the ambulance got there and tried to resuscitate him, rushed him to the hospital, and the last thing we heard while this was all happening is that they did get him breathing intermittently, but he kept going in and out, so they kept administering CPR.”
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On the bcboysbasketball.com website, Alcoreza is listed as wearing jersey No. 22 for the Thunder.
The game was postponed after the incident.
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“Holy Cross 26 Panorama Ridge 13 after 1Q,” spectator Mark Henry tweeted from his @JesusShuttles12 account. “Game called due to a medical emergency, thoughts and prayers out.”
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LeChasseur said the incident was unnerving for all involved. The game was played in front a large crowd of spectators, he added.
“We called the game, with ambulances there, and obviously the teams weren’t in the right state of mind to continue playing. The game wasn’t important at that point,” LeChasseur said.
“It just put everything in perspective, and basketball took a back seat last night, that’s for sure,” he added.
“We’re really pulling for (Alcoreza), hoping he’s going to be alright. We’ve been praying for him.”
