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The battle for first place in the West Bay Athletic League between the Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo boys’ basketball teams will have to wait for another day.
What was intended to be a passionate, rivalry game was instead marred by tragedy Tuesday night in the Knights’ gym when referee Pat Boand collapsed early in the first quarter, forcing in the game to be cancelled.
With Sacred Heart leading 6-4, Boand fell to the floor as he went to hand the ball to Menlo’s Trevor Williams. Spectators first believed Boand had tripped, but when he failed to move it became obvious something was very wrong.
Menlo trainer Jon Cohen rushed to Boand’s side and paramedics were quickly called. At one point, Cohen rushed to get a defibrilator when it appeared Boand had stopped breathing. CPR also was performed to help resuscitate Boand. At one point, the full house of spectators went completely silent as medical personnel worked to keep Boand alive.
Menlo Athletic Director Craig Schoof and Sacred Heart Prep AD Frank Rodriguez quickly cancelled the game and had the spectators ushered out of the gym. Many of the students appeared quite upset and shaken as they walked quietly away from the scene.
Soon after, medical personnel from the Menlo Park Fire Department arrived and began working on Boand, who regained consciousness and was breathing. Once stabilized, Boand was put on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital.
Rodriguez praised Menlo’s medical staff, Cohen in particular, saying to Schoof: “Your medical staff saved that man’s life.”
The pace of the game was feverish from the start, with both teams racing up and down the court. Sacred Heart Prep came in atop the WBAL standings at 6-0 (11-5) and riding an 11-game winning streak. Menlo was 5-1 (12-3) and needed a victory to force a possible three-way tie (with Harker) for the league lead. No date has yet been set to replay the game.
Jon Cohen is the MAN!! Good work Jon.