Northridge Loses, but Flowers Wins Big

It wasn’t exactly a surprise party, but it had some of the same elements.

Anthony Peeler and Tony Smith of the Lakers dropped by the Cal State Northridge gymnasium. So did KCBS sportscaster Jim Hill, who carried a surprise from Magic Johnson.

A college basketball game was played, but few people seemed to care much that Northridge, the host of former Matador recruit John Flowers, lost to St. Mary’s, 69-61, Tuesday night.

Flowers and 11-year-old Joshua Hay stole the show.

A halftime benefit organized by Hay and his father, Jacques, raised slightly less than $10,000, which will help Flowers attend college and defray his family’s medical expenses from an Aug. 10 car accident in Kansas City that resulted in the loss of both of his legs above the knee.

By game’s end, the total had surpassed $15,000 and was rising. During a timeout with less than five minutes to play, Hill announced that Johnson had donated $2,500 and was inviting Flowers to be his guest at a Laker game.

The idea for the event was born when Hay, a Northridge ballboy, met Flowers.

Flowers, a former Phoenix (Ariz.) College standout, was guest of Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy for the Matadors’ home opener, Dec. 19 against Cal State Fullerton.

Later that night, Hay approached his father with the idea of raising money for Flowers, who wants to attend Northridge to study physical therapy.

Hay’s goal of $10,000 was surpassed. “I was hoping it would get this big, and it did,” said Hay, a fifth-grader at West Valley Hebrew Academy. “I feel really good helping him out.”

Hay was among 23 shooters who gathered pledges in the weeks before Tuesday’s game, then attempted five free throws apiece at halftime. Hay, who had $912 riding on each shot, made his first, then missed three in a row.

Then Flowers wheeled to the line, replacing Hay for the last attempt. Flowers missed, hitting the front of the rim. He missed 10 more before connecting, much to the delight of a crowd of 1,502 fans.

“I usually perform well under pressure,” Flowers said. “I don’t know what happened to me. A little rusty, I guess.”

The halftime shooters made 59 of 115 shots, or 59%. Had they been as successful as St. Mary’s, more money would have been raised.

The Gaels made 21 of 27 from the line, including 12 of 14 in the game’s last 1:13 to pull away from Northridge, which led, 52-50, with less than five minutes left. “The only thing bad about the evening was the final score,” Cassidy said.

Flowers seemed overwhelmed.

“They did what few people would have done,” he said of the Hays. “They’re the greatest.”