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| GONE TOO SOON — Glen Oaks' Shannon Veal (25) holds on to the ball as Vandebilt Catholic's Sumar Leslie (10) takes a swipe at it during last year's Class 4A state semifinal game. Veal collapsed and died Monday night during her team's playoff game against Helen Cox. |
(Some reporting by the Associated Press)
The sudden death of Glen Oaks basketball star Shannon Veal Monday night was a shock to one current coach who watched her play against his team while turning a recruiting trip of a former area coach into an ordeal she will never forget.
Former Loranger head coach, and current Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College head coach, Chanda Rigby was in the stands at the north Baton Rouge school as the 17-year-old Veal collapsed and died during Monday night's Class 4A regional playoff game against Helen Cox.
"It was so traumatic," Rigby said in an e-mail to
The Daily Star. "Both teams watched the whole ordeal. I'm so sad about that."
Veal was trying to lead her Lady Panthers back to Hammond for a third-straight 4A state championship. The 5-foot-8 junior earned District 6-4A MVP honors, averaging 14 points, 5.5 assists and two steals a game.
Ponchatoula opened its last two regular seasons against the two-time defending 4A state champions. Head coach Justin Adams said he learned of Veal's death shortly after his team defeated New Iberia, and the news caught him off-guard.
"It's just a horrible tragedy for anyone," Adams said. "I knew her personally from coaching against her. She was a great kid, not just a great ballplayer. It's a shame that something like that happened. Our sympathy is with her family and with her team."
According to the Associated Press, Veal signaled to be taken out of the game after making a pair of free throws. Lady Panthers head coach Harold Boudreax, who took over for former Southeastern player and Albany native Janice Charles, said she was guarding a player and "just keeled over."
Paramedics arrived minutes later and began CPR and used a defibrillator as the crowd of about 200 watched — including her father, Gilbert, who was recording the playoff game.
‘‘Nothing can prepare you for this,’’ Boudreaux said. ‘‘The only comfort is that she was doing what she loved. She wasn’t interested in playing basketball; she was in love with playing basketball. She was a real basketball player.’’
The cause of death was not known Tuesday. Veal was diabetic, but according to Dr. Kim Edward LeBlanc, chairman of the department of family medicine at the LSU Medical Center and a specialist in sports medicine, said that should not have prevented her from playing.
‘‘Generally, if you have well controlled diabetes there should be no problems, especially at that age,’’ LeBlanc said. ‘‘In fact, we encourage diabetics to exercise.’’
Rigby said she received a text message from a Glen Oaks player informing her the teams were finishing the game Tuesday night. The game was called with 1:34 left in the first half with the Lady Panthers leading 31-17. Veal had scored 11 points.
She was surprised at how quickly news of Veal's death spread, Rigby said. Recruits from Scotlandville, located minutes north of Glen Oaks in Baton Rouge, and at Houma-based Ellender who contacted her were affected by the news.
"I have not missed a Sweet 16 in over 17 years (as a coach, recruiter, etc.)," Rigby said. "I don't know how all of this will play down to Sweet 16, but I think we are perhaps in for an emotional 4A championship run from Glen Oaks. These kids are certainly in my prayers."
Adams said Veal's death makes a person take a step back and come to the realization that competition is great, but the games are something the players do for fun.
"It makes you think a lot more that any given day, anything can happen, and you have to make every opportunity God gives you count," he said.
Lindsey Guster wrote on Mar 23, 2009 8:12 AM: