A basketball player from a Tampa community college died Thursday after collapsing during practice at Owens Community College for a weekend tournament there.

Kenie Ade Freeman, 20, a 6-foot-11-inch, 225-pound sophomore with the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Community College men's basketball team, was stricken during a scrimmage in preparation for the weekend Tip-Off Classic at the Owens Student Health and Activities Center. He was taken by Perrysburg Township emergency personnel to St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee, where he was pronounced dead.

Dr. Diane Barnett, a Lucas County deputy coroner, conducted an autopsy on Freeman yesterday, but the results are pending further medical testing to determine the cause of death, she said.

Hillsborough athletic director Frank Babcock said yesterday Freeman, who had yet to play a game for the team because of a bruised thigh, was playing well during the scrimmage when he collapsed while running a drill.

Hillsborough coach Derrick Worrels could not immediately be reached for comment. He told the Tampa Tribune for its online edition yesterday that Freeman was "a gentle giant."

"He could dominate on the basketball court, but off it, he was mannerable, with a sense of humor you'd never expect," Worrels said.

"This totally caught us off guard. It's very tough for all of us."

Babcock said Freeman, who was born in Monrovia, Liberia, and reared in Nigeria, passed a preseason physical and had no known health problems.

Freeman came to the United States two years ago with Hillsborough teammate Ejike Hart.

The two big men attended an Indiana prep school, New Creations Academy, and Florida Community College in Jacksonsville before transferring to Hillsborough.

"It's especially tough for Ejike, because they've been together so long," Worrels told the Tampa newspaper.

Babcock said it was left to team members to decide whether to play last night in the tournament, the team's only out-of state competition this year. Players were polled and all agreed they wanted to play.

Hillsborough lost 89-88 to Kellogg Community College.

"Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Hillsborough Community College and the family of Kenie Ade Freeman," said Bill Ivoski, Owens vice president of student services.

University of Toledo coach Stan Joplin and two of his players may have had a role in the team's decision to play. A month ago yesterday, the Rockets' Haris Charalambous, 21, collapsed and died on Oct. 9 during conditioning exercises. An autopsy later determined Charalambous, of Manchester, England, died of a small tear in his aorta.

Joplin and senior co-captains Keonta Howell and Justin Ingram met with the Florida team Thursday night. They were contacted by Owens officials, apparently at the suggestion of medical personnel at St. Luke's.

"I spent most of my time talking with the coaching staff, about how we had dealt with Haris' death," Joplin said.

"I told them it was important to get the players together and keep them together, to be up-front with them about what had happened, to allow them to get their emotions out and to help them deal with the grieving. Their kids would be a lot like our players were in that they've probably never dealt with anything like this before.

"Justin and Keonta talked a lot with the players, as a group and individually. They did a really nice job. They talked about how it was a time to lean on each other and be there for each other. And that it was important to remember the good things about the young man who died, and the good times they had with him. They talked about celebrating his life as being the best way to mourn him.

"I think what they said meant a lot to the kids on the team. I know they [Keonta and Justin] were exchanging phone numbers with some of the players, so they're willing to stay in touch and do what they can to help them get through this."

Blade Sports Writer Dave Hackenberg contributed to this story.

First Published November 11, 2006, 11:05 a.m.