A Layup We Will Remember Forever

A layup usually doesn’t merit a second glance in a basketball game. Unless it is a game-winner or a record-breaker, not much is written about a simple left handed layup.

But myself & thousands of others will be writing about a layup that was anything but simple.

Earlier today, Mount St. Joseph’s took on Hiram College in a Division III women’s basketball game. Mount St. Joseph won the tip and ran a play for freshman Lauren Hill. Hill received a pass, cut to the basket and hit a left-handed layup just 17 seconds into the contest.

If you didn’t know better you would think that was just a normal basketball play. So why did the announcer describe it as a layup we will “remember forever?”

Two months after her 18th birthday (the same day she committed to Mount St. Joseph to play basketball) Lauren was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer called DIPG. DIPG is an extremely rare and vicious disease. Last month, an MRI revealed that her tumor had grown and that Lauren only had a few months to live.

Lauren wanted to do something before her time on Earth was done. Check that. She wanted to do two things: play in a college basketball game & make a difference.

Her school petitioned the NCAA to move their opening game up two weeks in the hope Hill would be healthy enough to play. The NCAA obliged and the game was moved to Xavier University to hold the thousands of fans that wanted to see Lauren in action.

Here is what they saw…

Lauren’s dream of playing college basketball came true with a layup. As for her desire to make a difference, that was a slam dunk.

At halftime, Lauren received the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award, and representatives from the Indiana Pacers and Fever presented a $5,000 check to The Cure Starts Now. An announcement was made at the end of game that $40,000 had been raised for TCSN, which raises money to fund research for DIPG.

During the game Lauren sat down for this must watch interview where she talks about her never give up attitude and she says, “let’s not call it my last game. This is my first collegiate game.”