King-Drew’s Thompson collapses after Gardena game

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King-Drew senior forward Timothy Thompson collapsed in the Gardena High visiting locker room Monday night moments after his team’s 80-76 overtime loss to Gardena.

Paramedics were summoned and treated Thompson at the scene. He was transported to Gardena Memorial for further treatment. Word spread through the Gardena gymnasium that Thompson had suffered a seizure, but that was not confirmed by the medical personnel present.

King-Drew Coach Khary Hervey -- who said Thompson ‘appeared to be OK’ and was responding to questions -- said he was addressing the team after the game when Thompson slumped over and was caught by a teammate.

‘It was one of those freak situations.... He fell over, a kid caught him before he hit the floor, and [Thompson] didn’t respond,’ said Hervey, who added that Thompson had no history of seizures as far as he knew.

Thompson scored 17 points against Gardena, but he missed a layup with three seconds left in regulation that could have won the game for King-Drew.

‘It’s unfortunate that play at the end of regulation had to happen,’ Hervey said. ‘He takes losses very hard. For him to be involved in that play.... It was weighing on him. I have a suspicion that’s what caused [the reaction].’

Hervey said he had to wait until the girls’ varsity game between King-Drew and Gardena to be completed so he could return to campus with the boys’ and girls’ varsity and junior varsity teams. But he planned to go by the hospital later tonight/Monday to check on Thompson.

‘You always hear about something like this. But you never think it will happen to you,’ Hervey said.

-- Mike Terry

Image from www.lausd.k12.ca.us