Former Xavier Basketball Standout Killed in Romania

Chauncey Hardy, 23, former guard for Xavier High School and Sacred Heart University, died from injuries in a post-game attack in Romania on Saturday. Hardy was playing for CSS Giurgiu, a professional basketball team in Romania.

According to local police, Hardy sustained severe head injuries in a bar attack in Giurgiu, a southern Romanian city, after winning a game on Saturday against Dinamo Bucharest. He died Sunday, shortly after undergoing surgery in a Bucharest hospital, a Romanian Basketball Federation spokesperson reported.

"This is a terrible tragedy and we are saddened as a university and as a basketball program," Sacred Heart Head Men's Basketball Coach Dave Bike said in a press release. "This is not just about a basketball player, but the person as well. It transcends what happens on a basketball court. We feel tremendous sadness and loss for Chauncey's family and those who were close to him."

Hardy played for the Sacred Heart men's basketball team from 2006 through 2010, averaging 12.5 points in his last season there. He appeared in 114 games, helping to lead the team to the Northeast Conference Championship game in both 2007 and 2008.

At Xavier, Hardy earned a berth on three All-State teams and was named most valuable player in the Southern Connecticut Conference Tournament in 2005. His Xavier basketball career was cut short halfway through his senior year when he was dismissed from the team because of an incident on the Wesleyan campus.

Authorities have a suspect in custody, according to Romanian prosecutors. Ionut Adrian Tanasoaia reportedly surrendered to police early Monday. Mediafax news agency reported that Tanasoaia assaulted Hardy because he wanted to dance with his girlfriend.