An Ohio University-Chillicothe basketball player collapsed and died during practice on Monday.
Sophomore Jonathan Mason Davis, 20, originally from Hampton, Va., was participating in a team four-on-four drill when he collapsed at 6:30 p.m., about 30 minutes into the team's practice in the Shoemaker Center. Davis was taken to the Adena Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
It's so unfortunate and tragic
OU-C coach Eric Snyder said. He was a great teammate a loyal friend and an even better person.
Davis' body was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner's office for an autopsy yesterday.
OU-C Athletic Director Dennis Bothel said Davis was one of his advisees, and he had no medical concerns.
He always had a smile on his face Bothel said. I have a daughter and I wouldn't mind him dating her
and that's the highest praise I can give him.
Davis moved to Ohio two years ago to spend time with his father and his extended family. He was a business major and started taking classes at the OU-Chillicothe branch campus last fall. He joined the basketball team last season and has been a defensive specialist, coming off the bench for the Hilltoppers the past two seasons.
Bothel said that Davis was trying to adjust to first-year head coach Snyder's coaching style. The learning curve for everyone on the team was very intense
Bothel said. He started excelling over the last three months. Like all student-athletes in the Ohio Regional Campus Conference, Davis was a nonscholarship athlete. To pay for school, Davis worked the night shift at Wal-Mart. (Davis) worked hard at everything he did
Snyder said. Not only does this affect his teammates and the staff
but it also affects the community members.
Snyder said that the team's game tonight against Ohio University-Lancaster has been canceled. A memorial service is pending. Bothel, Snyder and the team will meet tonight to discuss whether or not the team will play out the rest of the season
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