Salem Hills High Basketball Honors Teammate’s Fallen Brother For Final Time

SALEM, Utah – Members of the Salem Hills High School girls basketball team honored a teammate’s brother, who died from cancer five years ago, for the final during an emotional Senior Night.

You can learn a lot of lessons playing team sports.

With basketball, it’s all about the value of time.

The clock is always counting down to zero, letting you know how much of it you have left.

Of course, no player knows the value of time quite like a senior playing in their last home game.

“It’s so sad. I’ve been so emotional this whole week thinking about it,” said Emma Willis, a senior on the Salem Hills High team.

Senior nights are always special. However, in its last home game tonight, the Salem Hills High School girls basketball team realized it will be the last time they’ll be together as a team to honor a teammate’s brother who died five years ago. We’ll have this story @KSL5TV at 10. pic.twitter.com/97QeFJCPgi

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) February 20, 2021

Friday night was senior night, and win or lose, she knew the end was coming.

“This is my family and now I have to say goodbye and go off to college. It’s so sad,” she said.

Senior nights are always special.

But this night was even more so.

Some of the girls on Salem Hill’s team have been together for years and can remember back in eighth grade when Quinton Muir, the brother of one of their teammates, died after a long battle with cancer.

“He loved school, he loved playing with Legos, and he made huge Lego sets,” said Kira Muir, Quinton Muir’s younger sister.

Kira Muir will never forget when her teammates decided to forfeit the championship game because it was at the same time as her brother’s funeral.

“It just means a lot to me and my family, just for them to do stuff for us,” she said.

Ever since that day, the team makes sure “Q” is part of the team.

They have worn golden Q’s on their arms and legs for important games and have even worn headbands and special socks in his honor.

Friday night, though, was the last time they would be together as a team at home to honor him.

Before the game, the announcer talked about Quinton and how some of these girls have been honoring him ever since.

His parents sure appreciate the gesture through the years.

“These girls have worked together for a long time and really come together,” said Lori Muir, Quinton’s mother. “They kind of bonded when they were all in eighth grade and this has been special to them ever since.”

Remember that championship game they offered to forfeit?

Friday night, Salem Hills just happened to be playing that same team — Wasatch High. The Wasps didn’t accept that forfeit and instead agreed to reschedule the title game.

“That would be so sad if one of us lost our brothers and we had to miss the game for a funeral,” said Rachael Heath, a senior on the Wasatch High girls basketball team.

Heath was on the Wasatch team in eighth grade and remembers losing the rescheduled game.

However, she said winning by forfeit would not have seemed right.

“There’s definitely stuff more important than basketball,” said Heath.

Like, time. And how precious it is as the clock ticks down to zero.

“Our school motto is “one of us,” and that doesn’t end once you’re not here,” said Willis. “He’s still one of us and he’s still always a part of us.”