Pike County players mourn loss of teammate

TROY — Overtime. Four minutes.

Four extra minutes of screaming and jumping and shooting and rebounding and cheering. God, isn’t sports wonderful? 

Four extra minutes before you go back to mourning your classmate, your teammate, your friend, your neighbor’s son.

Jarred Snell, a member of the team, died at his home late Wednesday night. His mother found him at the table with his homework in front of him. The cause of death is unknown, but foul play is not suspected.

The shock shook Brundidge, which seemed to come together at Troy University’s Trojan Arena for Pike County’s game against Central-Hayneville. Central won in overtime 68-56.

Pike County wasn’t forced to play basketball Thursday. But the Bulldogs knew they had to. For their teammate and their community.

“I left it up to the guys, but it was pretty clear they were going to play,” Pike County principal Mike Hall said Thursday afternoon before the 4:30 p.m. game.

“There wasn’t a choice,” PCHS assistant principal Willie Wright said. “This brings everybody together — plus it gives the community something to get their
minds off it for a little while.”

There was a 31-second moment of silence before the game. Pike County coach Doug Holland put Snell’s No. 31 jersey in a chair on the bench.

In the stands, Pike County students held signs honoring Snell. At crucial times, they chanted Snell’s nickname, “Bubba, Bubba, Bubba.”

At halftime, classmate Shayla Terry talked about her friend.

“Nobody had a bad thing to say about him. He just made everybody smile,” said Terry, like Snell a junior at Pike County. “Today was awful. Everybody was crying. They had all the counselors there. All of my classmates and I got together and held each other and cried and cried and talked about all the good times with Bubba. He was talking about this game. He was like, ‘We’re going to Troy,’ and we’re like, ‘You better win.’ He was just a great person.”

Obviously, the team was devastated.

“It was more shocking than anything,” Holland said. “We had left practice (Wednesday night) about 6:30. We were getting pizza and drinks with some fans and we all talked. Late last night about 11 o’clock, 11:30, 12 o’clock, someone called me. I’m thinking I’m dreaming. …

“It was an emotional toll on us. It was hard for me just to get up and coach today. I just felt like one of the guys who deserved to be here was gone. I know it took an emotional toll on me. I know the players felt it.

“The school did a great job making sure we had counselors there, pastors. It was a lot of support. We want to thank a lot of people. A lot of coaches called from around the state, congratulating us for being here today. A lot of people called today. I really thank them.”

Pike County standout Tevin Andrews was close with his teammate on and off the court.

“He was one of those guys who strived to do his best,” Andrews said in an emotional postgame press conference. “And he never once bothered anyone. He was just a great guy.”

Andrews, as did nearly everyone in the community, learned of his death Wednesday night.

“My mom went to the hospital,” he said. “I was asleep. She came home and stayed in her room crying. I woke up. I just …”

He couldn’t finish. Overtime was over.