Killum’s Second Stroke ‘More Severe’ Than First

Oregon State basketball player Earnest Killum remained in fair condition Saturday at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood after suffering a stroke on Friday at the team’s hotel, team physician Richard Cronk said.

“There really isn’t a lot new (to report),” Cronk said at Pauley Pavilion, where the Beavers extended second-ranked UCLA before losing in overtime, 87-81. “He had a definite stroke, and the stroke was more severe than the one he had in July (during a pickup game in Watts).

“He’s had a very significant stroke. We’re hoping for complete recovery, or as much recovery as we can possibly get.”

Cronk said that Killum was partially paralyzed on his right side and that the 20-year-old sophomore from Lynwood High would remain in Los Angeles for ongoing evaluation for an indefinite period of time. Killum remained in a semi-conscious state, Cronk said, but was able to respond to commands.

Killum was given a magnetic resonance imaging exam Saturday.

“We’re just waiting for all the tests and all the treatment they’re trying to give him at this point so that we can figure out totally what has happened,” Oregon State Coach Jim Anderson said Saturday before the Beavers’ game with UCLA. “We’re all human and we all dearly love Earnest Killum. He’s a very fine young man. This is very disconcerting, but what we’re trying to do right now is . . . just concentrate on the job we have to do.”

Oregon State trainer Mike (Sandy) Sandago discovered Killum semiconscious with one leg in a hot tub at the team’s hotel Friday afternoon. He had gone to the hot tub to warm up his legs prior to practice. Sandago became concerned about Killum after he failed to board the team bus for the noon practice.

On Thursday night, Killum scored 13 points in the Beavers’ 90-73 loss to USC.

Saturday at Pauley Pavilion, the crowd observed a moment of silence for Killum.

Killum, whose high school jersey was retired Wednesday night in a ceremony at Lynwood High, suffered his first stroke July 19 and had surgery to remove a blood clot from an artery in his upper right arm. Further tests revealed several more clots, and he has been on medication to thin his blood and control clotting.