sports

Lebanon Basketball Player Jayden Bailey Remembered After Cancer Battle

Lebanon High School guard Jayden Bailey, who died Feb. 19 after a four‑year battle with cancer, was honored at a Beech High playoff game with a tribute and GoFundMe link.

At the Beech High School gym on Feb. 21, fans saw a black table with a white sheet bearing a photo of Bailey, a GoFundMe QR code, and the words "Support Jayden Bailey's Cancer Battle." The tribute honored the 17‑year‑old who died Feb. 19 after a nearly four‑year fight with osteosarcoma and stomach cancer.

Bailey played for Lebanon despite losing his left arm in August and battling cancer again in October. Coach Jim McDowell recalled how the player returned to practice after hospital stays and still led the team to a 46‑44 semifinal win, with senior Marques Anglin scoring 18 points. Funeral arrangements are pending.