Steve Chenevert, father of Macy Chenevert, talks to the Bishop Gorman Lady Crusaders on Wednesday at Haddad Gymnasium. He spoke with the Lady Crusaders about his daughter and her caring for others and her desire to compete. The Macy Chenevert Memorial Girls Basketball Tournament honors Macy, who passed away in 2005 at age 14.

The 19th Annual Macy Chenevert Memorial Girls Basketball Tournament is scheduled to begin on Thursday and continue through Saturday at Bishop Gorman’s Haddad Gymnasium.

The tournament is hosted by Steve and Becky Chenevert and Bishop Gorman. The tournament is an annual Tyler event in memory and honor of Bishop Gorman student and basketball player Macy Chenevert, who died from cancer.

In the summer of 2004, Macy had a limp. She assured her parents it was a minor sports injury. However, it was soon diagnosed as cancer — Ewing sarcoma.

According to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Ewing sarcoma is a cancerous tumor that grows in the bones or in the tissue around bones (soft tissue) — often the legs, pelvis, ribs, arms or spine. Ewing sarcoma can spread to the lungs, bones and bone marrow.

Chemotherapy treatments began and Macy began classes at a new school (Bishop Gorman) and a new basketball season without her long blond hair, her parents said.

Coaches and teammates said Macy brought fearlessness, compassion and determination to the court.

Her parents added that at Macy’s insistence, chemo and radiation treatments were scheduled around her basketball games. She “could not let her team down.”

She continued to play for her Bishop Gorman middle school basketball team and helped the Lady Crusaders to a second-place district finish.

The point guard would do much more than lead her team in scoring, friends and family said. “She was about to teach a team and a whole community life lessons they still treasure today,” her parents said in the program for the tournament. “Macy was the ultimate team player.”

She died a few months later at the age of 14 on April 14, 2005.

The tournament carries on her spirit and legacy.

Sixteens teams are entered in the tournament including host Bishop Gorman, along with All Saints, Grace Community, Austin Hill Country Christian, Emory Rains, Arlington Grace Prep, Canton, Mexia, Whitehouse, Lindale, Kilgore, Addison Trinity Christian, Atlanta, Marshall, League City Bay Area Christian and Jacksonville.

The eight winners on Thursday advance to the Gold Bracket that will be played on Friday and Saturday. The loser of Thursday’s games will play in the Silver Bracket on Friday and Saturday.

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19th Annual Macy Chenevert Memorial Basketball Tournament

Haddad Gymnasium, Bishop Gorman

All Saints vs. Bishop Gorman, 9 a.m.

Austin Hill Country Christian vs. Emory Rains, 10:30 a.m.

Arlington Grace Prep vs. Canton, noon

Mexia vs. Whitehouse, 1:30 p.m.

Lindale vs. Kilgore, 3 p.m.

Addison Trinity Christian vs. Atlanta, 4:30 p.m.

Marshall vs. Grace Community, 6 p.m.

League City Bay Area Christian vs. Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.