The Long Beach State women’s basketball team will be hosting UC Davis for its annual Breast Cancer Awareness game Thursday at 7 p.m.
Head coach Jody Wynn and junior co-captain Alex Sanchez know this disease all to well, as they’ve seen first hand the toll breast cancer took on their mothers.
“The game is special to me because my mom battled breast cancer, but luckily it’s in remission,” Wynn said. “This is more than a game. It’s an opportunity across the country to raise awareness. It’s not just to wear pink, it’s for a very important cause.”
This annual ‘Pink Game’ is hosted by Play 4Kay and is an opportunity for teams across the country to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
Sanchez lost her mother to the disease in 2001 when Sanchez was just nine years old. Unfortunately for her and her teammates, the junior guard has been forced to sit out since Jan. 18 against Cal Poly and won’t be able to take the court against UC Davis.
“I lost my mom from breast cancer when I was nine, and she’s the reason why I play basketball,” Sanchez said. “She’s the one that put me into basketball, and right off the bat I loved it.”
Sanchez credited her family and strong Christian faith for getting through the tough time. She recalled the daily routine of watching her mother Sara fight the cancer that lasted nine years after Sara was diagnosed when Sanchez was just one year old.
“I saw her in and out of the hospital; I saw her lose her hair; I saw her go through chemo, and she never once complained,” Sanchez said. “I play every game like it’s my last. I always believe that everything happens for a reason. Losing a mother, I’m always thinking that things could be worse. Playing basketball is what kept me together and made me who I am.”
The last time LBSU faced UC Davis, the Aggies came out on top after a 63-60 game that went down to the final possession.
With just under a minute to go, Sanchez tied it up 60-60, leaving 33.1 seconds on the clock. But junior guard Kelsey Harris, a transfer out of Iowa State, hit a 3-pointer that gave the Aggies a 63-60 that they would hold until the final buzzer despite attempts to tie the game in the final seconds from junior Lauren Spargo and freshman Raven Benton.
Although the final score was close, poor play by the 49ers on offense made the rest of the game an uphill climb that the 49ers couldn’t overcome, as they shot 35.6 percent from the field compared to the Aggies’ 44.2 percent.
“It’s important that we get going early in any game,” Wynn said. “We put ourselves in a huge hole against Santa Barbara last week and found ourselves climbing back as time ran out. Against Cal Poly, we started off playing well right out of the gates.”
The Beach shot the ball well and kept the turnovers to a minimum, allowing the 49ers to upset the reigning Big West champions, who were in first place before LBSU beat them on the road last Saturday.
Sydnee Fipps leads UC Davis in scoring with 17.9 points per game, which puts her at third-best in the Big West. The 49ers will also have to worry about Aggie anchor Alyson Doherty who is averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 boards a contest.
Wynn said that even with Sanchez sitting out with injury, the co-captain would be on everyone’s mind as the team takes the court.
“Alex [Sanchez] is not able to play in this game, but this game is played with Alex [Sanchez] in mind and with heavy heart,” Wynn said. “One thing that I promise you that you’ll see is a lot of heart out on the court. Not only would she be playing in honor of her mom–which she does on a regular basis–we’re playing in honor of Alex too [Sanchez].”