Arizona State player's brother died of enlarged heart
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands -- The younger brother of Arizona State senior forward Aubree Johnson died from an enlarged heart while in St. Thomas for the Paradise Jam tournament, the medical examiner said Monday.
Fifteen-year-old Jordan Johnson died in his sleep either late Friday or early Saturday after traveling to St. Thomas with his parents to watch Aubree play. Medical examiner Michelle DuPre, who performed the autopsy Monday, said the heart condition could have been genetic and likely was not diagnosed.
DuPre said toxicology results were "completely negative."
The No. 14 Sun Devils were supposed to face No. 18 Rutgers on Saturday night, but Arizona State pulled out hours before the scheduled tipoff because of the death.
Because of the NCAA's "catastrophic event" rule, neither team will be given a loss for the missed game. Rutgers could have forced Arizona State to forfeit by taking the floor at game time, but the Scarlet Knights stayed away from the arena Saturday, said Craig Jonas, a spokesman for the tournament organizer.
A moment of silence was held before the start of the tournament's other game Saturday, a 95-86 win by Auburn over Western Michigan.
Johnson, a power forward from Post Falls, Idaho, earned Pac-10 All-Academic second-team honors the past two years.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
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