Provo, Salem Hills' cancer awareness game had special meaning

PROVO — Sometimes you win even when you lose. Just ask members of the Provo High girls basketball team.

On Feb. 7 Provo played Salem Hills, and, as expected, Salem Hills won very comfortably, 63-30.

But that night was more than a game between two Region 8 programs. It was about service and an outpouring of love for Hayley Francis, a ninth-grade student at Provo High School recently diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

It was about raising money for cancer awareness and supporting Hayley and her family.

For the second year in a row, Provo head basketball coach Lance Moore and Salem Hills head coach Mike Conner worked together on a “pink” game for cancer awareness.

The genesis of the idea was purely coincidental; two years ago the pair saw Moore’s daughter playing with a pink basketball and thought it would be a great idea to have a game dedicated to raising money for cancer research.

Then came along a situation that made the game a bit more personal, especially for Moore.

Hayley is a student in one of Moore’s English classes. When he heard about her diagnosis, Moore felt he should use this cause to help Hayley.

“When I found out about Hayley’s diagnosis, I asked the basketball girls if they wanted to honor her and support her. And, of course, the answer was yes,” Moore said. “Hayley is a wonderful, talented young lady.”

Getting Salem Hills on board was no problem, either.

Then the event took on a life of its own.

The student body officers and cheerleaders at Provo High School decorated the gym with a pink motif and hundreds of balloons.

Faculty members and others in the community started donating items for a silent auction. Salem Hills’ program came to the game with pink accessories such as shoelaces and wrist bands for both teams to wear. Moore, who is the head coach of the baseball team as well, got players from that team involved. His assistant coach Cesar Cardoso, also the boys head soccer coach, did the same with his program.

Before the game, Betty Clark, former Provo girls basketball head coach and member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, was honored, she a cancer survivor herself.

Then there was the special tribute to Hayley.