STEUBENVILLE — Basketball camps are summertime fixtures. Most are associated with a specific school and used as a program fundraiser.

Such is not the case with the inaugural Cynthia Basketball Camp. This one is steeped in love and born out of tragedy.

Cynthia Phillipson was a promising hoopster for Steubenville Catholic Central. As fate would have it, the 15-year-old died Nov. 2, 2014 after she collapsed during basketball practice at Central in her freshman season.

The Crusader Nation went numb. More than two years later the pain and remorse still resonate within the Catholic Central community.

Cynthia’s parents — Todd and Carol Phillipson — are turning heartbreak into something positive. The Cynthia Basketball Camp will benefit two worthwhile causes.

One is the Cynthia Rose Phillipson Charitable Foundation. It provides funds for scholarships and educational purposes. The foundation also assists Mary’s Meals which offers nutritious daily meals to more than one million children across four continents.

Cynthia participated in raising funds for the organization while in grade school. After her passing, the school named a kitchen in her memory at St. Dominic School in Liberia.

“We really appreciate the school doing that in her memory. The school raises money for Mary’s Meals each year which maintains the funding to support Cynthia’s kitchen,” Carol Phillipson said. “The camp is meant to be a tribute to Cynthia and her love of basketball.

“The foundation is meant to live out one of the quotes she loved which she tweeted a few months before she died. “‘We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will,'” she added. “We hope the work of the foundation will create something that will live on.”

The Cynthia’s Basketball Camp is for girls in grades four through eight and will be held on June 14, June 15 and June 17 at Catholic Central High School. On June 14 and 15, the camp will run from 5-8 p.m. It will resume on June 17, operating from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $50 and each camper will receive a t-shirt.

The Phillipsons have received an outpouring of support in their undertaking.

The camp is being led by Steubenville Central head girls’ hoop coach Jess Looman and her father Ed. They are being assisted by several local coaches as well as Steubenville Central players.

“We hope to teach basketball skills to the girls and help them to develop as basketball players. We hope to instill love and enthusiasm for the game to the participants just like Cynthia had for the game,” Carol Phillipson said. “We hope to make it a success that can grow and serve the girls in the area for years. The camp is meant to be a tribute to her and her love of basketball.”

Cynthia began playing basketball at Upwards in Wintersville when she was 9-years-old before participating in the Indian Creek League. She played for her school in fifth through eighth grade. Cynthia also competed in a Sunday league at Steubenville Big Red the fall before her freshman year. She had just begun practicing with Steubenville Central at the time of her passing.

“Basketball was her favorite sport,” Phillipson said. “She was also passionate about art, dance, and writing stories for books.”

Anyone wishing to register for camp or donate to a worthwhile cause should respond by email to crpcf5599@gmail.com

BUBBA’S BITS

ALEXIS MONTES saw her collegiate track career come to a close this past week. The John Marshall High product finished 33rd in the NCAA East Preliminary Championships in the javelin. She had a best effort of 140-7. Montes began her track career at West Liberty University, gaining NCAA Division II All-American status in two national meets. She placed seventh at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2015 (158-10) and was seventh again in 2016 (167-7).

ANDREW KOWALO recently concluded a fine senior season at Liberty University. The senior infielder started all 55 games for the 32-23 Flames. The former Wheeling Park High standout batted .268 with seven home runs and 38 RBI this spring. He also scored 34 runs.

TWO MARTINS Ferry High wrestlers turned in stellar efforts over the Memorial Day weekend in a tournament at Virginia Beach.

Dalton Hoover, a two-time state placer, went 8-0 in the prestigious event. He defeated the Maryland state champion and national runnerup by an 8-5 count.

Teammate Hunter Bodkin also excelled, recording a 7-0 mark during the tourney.

THE OHIO Dominican Football’s Ohio Valley Friday Night Lights Camp is set for June 30 at 6 p.m. at the Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry beginning at 6 p.m., rain or shine. The camp includes combine teaching/testing, individual position teaching/work and 1 on 1 competitions. The camp will be directed by ODU head coach Kelly Cummings and his staff, which includes former Purple Rider and Mount Union star quarterback Zac Bruney. He is ODU’s offensive coordinator. Local D-II and D-III coaches will be invited to attend and evaluate. Cost is $35 for pre-registration and $45 for walk-up. For more information, go to http://ohiodominicanpanthers.com/information/camps.

DOM DAVOLIO authored a great career as a hurdler at Shadyside High and the University of Cincinnati. He is now excelling as head track coach at Ursuline Academy in Cincinnati. Davolio, who won multiple state medals during his prep days, was named the 2017 Girls Greater Catholic League Coach of the Year after leading his Lions to the league championship. Davolio began coaching at Ursuline in 2011 and was appointed head coach in the 2014-15 school year. While at Cincinnati, he was named to the Big East All-Academic Team all four years and was the 2009 All-Ohio indoor 60-meter high hurdle champion.

SPENCER BADIA was a superb quarterback and baseball player at Bellaire High. He has continued to excel on the collegiate diamond as well in the classroom at Baldwin Wallace. The All-Ohio Athletic Conference third baseman has been named an Academic All-American. Badia is a pre-physical therapy major with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He also received an Academic Excellence Award for the having the highest grade average for all junior male student-athletes. Badia batted .323 this spring, scoring 30 runs with an on-base percentage of .405 and a slugging percentage of .534. He also hit a career-high six home runs, 27 RBI and stole 10 bases in 10 attempts. BW finished 22-17 overall. In his three-year career, Badia has a .304 batting average with 11 home runs and 63 RBI.