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Matt Stamey / AP FILE
Florida forward Keyontae Johnson (11) collapsed after a timeout against rival Florida State and needed emergency medical attention.
Florida college basketball coach Mike White declined to do media interviews after the game. He wanted to get to the hospital to be close to Keyontae Johnson’s side as quickly as possible.
No one could blame him.
Johnson, the Southeastern Conference preseason player of the year, collapsed after a timeout against rival Florida State and needed emergency medical attention on Saturday. Johnson was lifted off the floor on a stretcher and taken to the Tallahassee Memorial for evaluation. The team said he was in critical but stable condition and later said he would remain in the hospital overnight.
Johnson’s parents were flying in from Virginia to be with their son.
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“I know you are fighting brother” his partner Tre Mann tweeted after the game ended. “God got you.”
Johnson had just submerged in transition before hitting the ground when the team broke their group. Several crocodiles were crying and a couple buried their faces in towels as White gathered them in prayer.
Officials gave the teams time to regroup and play continued a few minutes later. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said administrators gave the Gators the option to stop or continue play twice, at that point and again at halftime, and said they ultimately decided to play. White let his players decide.
Florida wasn’t the same afterward, being outscored 80-60 after Johnson’s sudden and disconcerting exit. The ranked 20th Seminoles won 83-71, extending their series winning streak to seven and their home winning streak to 26.
“Please keep praying for @Keyontae and his family.” White posted on Twitter. “We all love him.”
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl gathered his team after practice, told them about Johnson’s situation, and asked them to join an assistant in prayer. The team posted a video on social media.
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 from Norfolk, Virginia, averaged 14 points, the team’s best, last season, along with 7.1 rebounds. He also led the Gators with 38 steals.
He scored five points in four minutes on Saturday.
Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton told assistants and administrators Florida could decide whether to continue after prominent forward Keyontae Johnson collapsed.
“Those kinds of things can affect him in some adverse way,” Hamilton said. “We are all hopeful and praying that he is well. If it affected our players in an emotional way, I can imagine what the situation was with his teammates.”
Like many of his Florida teammates, Johnson tested positive for Covid-19 over the summer. Although the cause of Johnson’s disease was not immediately known, the coronavirus can lead to myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle. In its most severe form, myocarditis can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and has been a documented cause of death for young, otherwise healthy athletes.
The Southeastern Conference requires strict protocols, including rigorous cardiac testing, before players can be allowed to play again after testing positive for Covid-19.
“Anything that they thought is the best for their team, then I would accept it,” Hamilton said. “My administration asked me and I told them that we would agree with what they decided. I understood that they wanted to play.”
Johnson, a junior from Norfolk, Virginia, had just plunged into transition a couple of minutes before hitting the ground when the team broke their group. The Gators were emotional wrecks as they watched the situation unfold, and a couple of them buried their faces in towels as White gathered his team together in prayer.
Several Seminoles were crying as well and knelt to do the same.
“Those kinds of things can affect him in some adverse way,” Hamilton said. “We are all hopeful and praying that he is well. If it affected our players in an emotional way, I can imagine what the situation was with his teammates.”
Officials gave both teams extra time to regroup before restarting. The gators weren’t the same again afterwards.
Florida (3-1) led 11-3 after Johnson’s dunk. The Seminoles (3-0) scored the next seven points and walked away from there. They outscored the Gators 42-24 in the first half after Johnson was affected.
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