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Schools Turn To Basketball To Help Family Of Fatally Shot Westchester Teen

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. - The Mount Vernon School District will honor 13-year-old Shamoya McKenzie next week, with a varsity basketball doubleheader in her name, featuring the team she loved playing for so much.

The Mount Vernon High School is holding the first ever Shamoya McKenzie Memorial Basketball Doubleheader in a matchup against Scarsdale.

The Mount Vernon High School is holding the first ever Shamoya McKenzie Memorial Basketball Doubleheader in a matchup against Scarsdale.

Photo Credit: Mount Vernon Schools
Shamoya McKenzie

Shamoya McKenzie

Photo Credit: MVHS Lady Knights Basketball Facebook

Next week, on Friday Feb. 3, Mount Vernon High School will play host to the Shamoya McKenzie Memorial Basketball Doubleheader, featuring an afternoon of basketball with both the boys and girls varsity teams facing their rival Scarsdale Raiders.

In an effort to help McKenzie’s grieving family after she was fatally shot on New Year's Eve, the school will be collecting donations - checks can be made payable to Nadine McKenzie - with all admission costs - $5 for adults, $3 for students - sponsorships and other proceeds 100 percent going to benefit the family.

The doubleheader kicks off at 4:15 on Friday, Feb. 3, with the boy’s game at Mount Vernon High School on California Road. The girls will follow up with a 5:45 p.m. tip-off.

Organizers of the doubleheader wanted to make note that “neither the event, nor the donations were solicited by the McKenzie family. Instead, numerous community members compelled the McKenzie family to allow us to organize this event so that the Mount Vernon community would have the opportunity to aid in support of the family during their time of grief.”

A star for both the Mount Vernon Junior Knights, Lady Elites and the High School JV Lady Knights, McKenzie had dreams of attending the University of Connecticut to play under coach Geno Auriemma before making her way to the WNBA.

Last week, the Huskies made McKenzie an honorable member of their squad, complete with a letter from the school for her family and jersey bearing her number 30.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, McKenzie was a passenger in a car when she was struck in the head by a stray bullet.

According to police, McKenzie was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A second victim was also struck in the shooting, suffering non-life threatening injuries.

The response to the shooting has been wide sweeping, with family and friends setting up a GoFundMe fundraising page that has raised more than $30,000. Several local basketball programs have also pledged to raise money to help the family.

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