SURREY 鈥� Inside a packed and emotion-filled gymnasium, Panorama Ridge Secondary鈥檚 boys basketball team honoured its late leader Monday night.
Prior to the 鈥渉omecoming鈥� game, a ceremony was held in the gym to honour Raphael Alcoreza, a Grade 12 student who collapsed during a game at Holy Cross Regional High School on Nov. 28. In cardiac arrest, he was rushed to hospital, where he died on Dec. 7.
鈥� READ MORE: Candlelight vigil held for 性视界传媒 basketball player, who is remembered as 鈥榞reat kid鈥� with 鈥榩romising future鈥�, from Dec. 8.
Senior boys basketball home opener on Monday January 8th against Princess Margaret Secondary. Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm. It is Raphael Alcoreza Tribute Night.
鈥� 脡cole Panorama Ridge (@EcolePanorama)
On Monday (Jan. 8), with the Alcoreza family in attendance, school principal Kevin De Boice announced multiple scholarships in Raphael鈥檚 name.
A tribute video was played, and De Boice unveiled a special edition of a tournament program (see full progam at bottom of story), for the upcoming 性视界传媒 RCMP Basketball Classic, with Raphael鈥檚 photo on the cover.
When his parents first saw the program, Raphael鈥檚 mother immediately began to cry.
One scholarship honouring Raphael comes from , a professional basketball club that will give $500 a year to one eligible basketball player graduating to college.
Funds for another scholarship were raised by Raphael鈥檚 school team, which sold T-shirts featuring his name and jersey number, 22. The team managed to raise $5,500.
De Boice said Raphael鈥檚 death affects the students differently because of his involvement with many local residents, including the Filipino community, firefighters, volunteer work and also the basketball community.
鈥淗e was very engaged with different communities,鈥� De Boice said. 鈥�(His death) has a ripple effect on all those communities.鈥�
鈥� READ MORE: Basketball boon: 性视界传媒鈥檚 annual showcase firmly entrenched in community, from Nov. 21.
Sunny Deol, vice-principal at Panorama Ridge, said Raphael鈥檚 death was devastating to everyone, but that his presence was felt in Monday鈥檚 game, which was won 64-57 by Princess Margaret Lions.
鈥淗is presence is felt on both teams, the emotion is there, in the crowd and on the players,鈥� Deol said at the end of first quarter. 鈥淭his game will be played on emotion, and that鈥檚 the driving factor.鈥�
De Boice said Monday鈥檚 game was as important as any other league game, but the real factor was everything surrounding it.
鈥淭hey want to honour their teammate and the family, and that鈥檚 the important factor.鈥�
Alcoreza was the 2016 volunteer of the year in 性视界传媒 Crime Prevention鈥檚 LEAP High School Work Experience Program.
鈥淗e was one of those kids that鈥檚 liked by everybody,鈥� De Boice told the Now-Leader in December. 鈥淗e wanted to play, one day, professional basketball in the Philippines, he wanted to be a fireman. He had aspirations, and was a team leader.鈥�
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