Former NJ basketball player Anyichie drowns in New York

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Former New Jersey high school basketball player Calistus Anyichie has died. He was 19.

Anyichie drowned in a gorge, according to Syracuse.com, while he was at Upper Buttermilk State Park in Ithaca, New York. He was a Binghamton University student, according to NJ.com.

Once being located, his body was pulled to the shore by friends and strangers, according to the report. Medical personnel also had to use a rope to get him up a 15-foot bank to give him the medical care that he needed.

After being transported to Cayuga Medical Center, he was pronounced dead.

“There are no words … There is no blueprint for how to deal with such a painful loss,” Binghamton basketball Head Coach Tommy Dempsey said on Twitter. “We all loved Calistus so much. He was such a special young man. We are devastated.”

As a freshman, he appeared in 32 games. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

He was a high school basketball player at St. Mary’s of the Assumption High School in Short Hills, New Jersey.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Calistus,” Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott, said. “Calistus was a bright and engaging young man with an infectious smile. He loved his academic studies at Binghamton and embodied the exceptional spirit of being a student-athlete at our University. This is a heartbreaking tragedy. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, teammates and fellow student-athletes.”

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— Binghamton MBB (@BinghamtonMBB) July 15, 2019