Indiana Fever donates $9,600 in honor of Lauren Hill

The Indiana Fever paid tribute to Lauren Hill on Sunday, honoring the 19-year-old college basketball player who died in an April following an inspiring fight against an inoperable brain tumor.

The Fever played a video tribute to Hill before their game against the Chicago Sky in Indianapolis and gave her family a framed Fever jersey with Lauren’s name and No. 22 printed on it during an on-court presentation.

In addition, the Fever donated $300 for every layup the team made in the game to the nonprofit Hill cofounded, the Cure Starts Now Foundation. The Fever made 32 layups in the 98-72 loss for a $9,600 donation.

“We didn’t set out to raise a superhero or anything,” Lisa Hill, Lauren’s mother, told reporters. “We were just normal parents.”

Hill grew up in Greendale, Ind., and played college ball at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati. She was diagnosed with the tumor during her senior year in high school and was told she had less than two years to live. Despite physical limitations caused by the tumor, Hill scored five layups for Mount St. Joseph in game appearances last year aimed at raising cancer awareness.

Before her death, Hill raised roughly $1.5 million for cancer research through her nonprofit.

“She left us this mission and we’re now her voice,” Lisa Hill said. “Lauren would be so honored.”