RALEIGH, N.C. — After their teammate collapsed on the court in a terrifying scene, South Carolina State’s players wanted to honor him by resuming the game.
Tyvoris Solomon was taken to a hospital after collapsing during the first half of the Bulldogs’ 103-71 loss at North Carolina State on Saturday. A Rex Hospital spokesman said Solomon was in fair condition.
Emergency medical personnel administered chest compressions to Solomon before he was removed from the court on a stretcher. The game resumed after a 40-minute delay.
South Carolina State said Saturday night that Solomon was awake and responsive and would remain in the hospital for tests and observation. “They said they would do what Ty would do, and Ty would tell us to go out there and play,” S.C. State assistant coach Rio Pitt said. “That was the response the guys gave us. We let them decide.”
Solomon collapsed near the bench at the 13:08 mark. The arena went silent. Cries rang out from people around the Bulldogs’ bench as staff members fanned Solomon with a jacket.
Solomon, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, started the game and checked out at 16:02.
Pitt declined to provide any details about the moments leading to Solomon’s collapse, and S.C. State players were unavailable for comment. Bulldogs Coach Murray Garvin, who accompanied Solomon to the hospital, thanked people for their “support and prayers.”
“It puts everything else in perspective,” N.C. State Coach Kevin Keatts said. “At that moment, basketball is not important.”