AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) – The recipient of the game ball was an easy choice: Colorado State junior Emmanuel Omogbo after scoring one point in 10 heavy-hearted minutes.
Omogbo gave the Rams an emotional lift in an 83-79 win over Air Force on Wednesday night, a day after losing his parents and two young relatives in a house fire.
After the game, the team huddled together in the locker room and broke down.
“Most gallant effort I ever saw,” Colorado State coach Larry Eustachy said, wiping away tears. “We really wanted to win that game so we could give him a winning ball.”
Fire officials in Maryland said Caroline and Samson Omogbo died at the scene in a blaze early Tuesday in Chillum. His sister’s 2-year-old twins were taken to a hospital, where they died.