WNBA
ESPN.com news services 9y

Lauren Hill's memory honored by Fever prior to game against Sky

WNBA, Chicago Sky, Indiana Fever

The Indiana Fever honored Lauren Hill, who died from brain cancer on April 10 at the age of 19, before their game against the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

Hill had an inspirational several months in which she lived her dream of playing college basketball for Mount St. Joseph, a Division III school.

Hill grew up about 100 miles southeast of Indianapolis and became friends with Fever coach Stephanie White and players Tamika Catchings and Shavonte Zellous during a visit to the city last October. Her mother Lisa Hill said all three stayed in touched throughout her daughter's ordeal.

She had an impact on White, a former All-American at Purdue who also grew up in Indiana.

"What she did was completely selfless," White said after the Fever's 98-72 loss to the Sky. "It was courageous. For a lot of us, who are so involved in our own lives, to see a teenager embrace that and try to make something positive out of it, I just really felt connected to it."

Zellous and Catchings attended the Mount St. Joseph's game that Hill played in last November to offer their support.

"From the moment we met here, she really touched us in a way I don't think anyone ever has by how strong she was and how much will she had to not give up," Zellous said.

At the time of her death, Hill's work had raised $1.4 million for pediatric cancer research, according to the non-profit group The Cure Starts Now. The Fever donated $300 to the charity for each layup made by both teams during Sunday's game -- a total of $9,600, a Fever spokesman said.

Hill scored the first points of her college basketball career with a game-opening layup on Nov. 2.

An Indiana jersey with Hill's name and the number 22 -- her number at Mount St. Joseph -- was laid over a chair on the Fever bench during the game.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

^ Back to Top ^