Brick Basketball Players Shooting Free Throws To Help Student With Heart Condition

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township High School's boys and girls basketball teams will be shooting free throws on Friday. Lots of them

But the players won't be worrying about improving their free-throw shooting; they'll be raising money during the fourth annual Free Throws for a Cure, to help a student who has a heart ailment.

Jacob Basilotto, 16, a sophomore at Brick Township High School, was was born with a congenital heart defect known as hypo-plastic left heart syndrome, also known as HLHS, Brick boys basketball coach Michael Gawronski said.

Jacob was on the heart transplant list but was recently moved to inactive status due to a change in his condition. Jacob was recently admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to help him get healthier so he can be put back onto the list, he said.

On Friday, Jan. 20, all of the members of the Brick High School boys and girls basketball teams will shoot 50 free throws each. They are seeking sponsorships from family and friends in the form of per-shot or one-time donations to raise money to help Jacob's family with the medical expenses, Gawronski said. The event will be held during the school day, he said.

The event, which is being held for the fourth year, has raised more than $10,000 to help Brick Township families in need, he said.

If you would like to make a donation, contact Gawronski at mgawronski@brickschools.org.

Image via Morguefile