Gathers’ Death Offers a Reason to Worry : Basketball: South Carolina forward Joe Rhett has a heart problem similar to that of Loyola Marymount star. ‘It’s real scary,’ he said.

The death of Loyola Marymount basketball star Hank Gathers shocked the sports world, but no one was probably more stunned than South Carolina forward Joe Rhett, who also has a heart problem.

“At first I didn’t believe it. It shocked me,” Rhett said of Gathers’ collapse during a game Sunday night and his death two hours later. “It hurt me inside; I was almost in tears.

“From what they told me, his (condition) was similar to the situation I had,” Rhett said Monday. “It was scary. It’s still scary.”

An autopsy and toxicological tests are being performed to determine Gathers’ cause of death. Doctors found that he had been suffering a heart arrhythmia, or irregular beat, after he fainted during a game in December. The 6-foot-7 All-American was taking the heart medication Inderol at the time of his death.

Rhett, who underwent surgery Feb. 23 to implant a pacemaker, also had an irregular heartbeat.

If not for that diagnosis, said Rhett’s cardiologist, Dr. Robert Schulze, he might have been in danger of suffering the same type of seizure that preceded Gathers’ death.

Schulze said the death probably could not have been prevented.

“Even if (doctors) did the same tests--and I’m sure they put him through the same tests we put Joe through--they could’ve been normal,” he said.

“We happened to catch one pause (in Rhett’s heartbeat); if we hadn’t, we’d probably have cleared Joe to go back and play.”

Gathers’ condition was diagnosed as an accelerated heartbeat, while Rhett’s heartbeat was found to be slower than normal. Schulze said, however, the symptoms found in the two players may have been different phases of the same disorder.

“It’s very common for young people, ages 16 to 25, to have episodes of rapid heartbeat or PAT (paroxysmal atrial tachycardia) syndrome,” Schulze said. “That’s benign in otherwise healthy people, and I suspect that’s what they diagnosed in Gathers.”

Rhett was scheduled for a post-operative examination today. With his pacemaker, the 6-foot-8 forward is in no danger of a life-threatening seizure, Schulze said.

“I’m sure Joe’s going to be a basket case over this,” the doctor said. “But the likelihood of this happening to him is nil.”

But Rhett said he is still worried.

“After surgery and before what happened to Hank, I felt real confident I’d be back,” he said. “But now it’s real scary. For me, it’s a tough situation.”