Raymond teen dies after collapsing during summer league basketball

Mike Hackworth

(Updated: Thursday, July 09, 2009, 6:20 PM)

Cody Minter, an incoming freshman at Yosemite High School collapsed and died late Thursday afternoon. He was 14.

Minter collapsed around 6:30 p.m. during an AAU basketball game at Fresno Christian High School and was taken to Saint Agnes Medical Center emergency room. He died at about 7 p.m.

YYBA coach Mark Siverly said he had called a first half timeout when Minter came over to the bench and leaned over and put his head on another players shoulder.

"He (Minter) suddenly stiffened up and appeared to have a seizure, at which point we laid him down on the floor and his father Mike came over to the bench from his seat in the bleachers."

Several people called 911 and while waiting for paramedics to arrive, Minter stopped breathing and had no heartbeat.

"We (Siverly and Mike Minter) started CPR until the paramedics arrived," Siverly said. "He started to breathe shallowly on his own as the paramedics worked over him."

"He was going to play on the varsity team," said teammate Detri Dunn. "He was strong and playing great. He scored nine of the team's 15 points in the game. When he collapsed it was really a shock."

Grief counseling is on-going and being provided at different levels for the team members by local clergy.

Minter had graduated from Raymond-Knowles Elementary School last month and was looking forward to his freshman year at Yosemite High School.

Minter, an accomplished baseball player, nearly skipped the summer basketball program for his love of baseball.

"Coach Siverly told Cody that he should consider playing basketball over the summer," Mike Minter said. "It would help him focus on his game if he played basketball."

The Yosemite AAU Boys summer basketball team was playing in the second of two games Thursday afternoon as part of the Liberty/Fresno Christian Summer League schedule.

"He loved playing basketball," Siverly said. "When we started the summer schedule I thought that he would be a good fit for the JV team. He played his way to the varsity level and that was where I had him for the season."

An autopsy by the Fresno County Coroner indicated that the cause of death was heart related, but more tests are necessary to determine the exact cause.

Cody was remembered by his friends in a candlelight service last night at the Raymond Community Church. Funeral services are to be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Yosemite Lakes Park Community Church.

The Raymond-Knowles Elementary School is offering transportation to the funeral at 2 p.m. Thursday. Transportation from the church back to the elementary school will also be provided.