Basketball team gets stuck on philanthropy

Libby Thornton photo Basketball players get taped up for a good cause.

Troy University’s Habitat for Humanity held a part two to its “Stick It To The Team” interactive event on the Trojan Center’s patio with a championship twist.

The 2025 Sun Belt Conference Champion Troy men's basketball team partnered up with this organization to support hurricane relief efforts in Asheville, North Carolina, following the hurricane surge from Hurricane Helene.

“It’s important to give back because we are such a service-driven community,” said Habitat for Humanity’s Fundraising Vice Chair Stephanie Fletcher, who is a junior political science major from Cleveland, Ohio. “It is important for us to be aware of things that happen around the country that may not affect us but affect people who are just like us.”

To participate in duct taping one of the basketball players to the wall, students had to make a $2 donation per duct tape strip used. Some students donated for one duct tape strip while others donated for five.

“Hurricanes are unpreventable,” said Heather Roberts, a freshman secondary education major from Dothan, Alabama. “They can bring severe devastation that leads to loss of property and so much worse.

“They call to the humanity in us. It is up to us to take care of those people who are struggling around us and show kindness and compassion to them.”

The players who were duct taped to the wall throughout the duration of the event included sophomore forward Thomas Dowd, senior forward Theo Seng, freshman forward Evan Griffin, freshman guard Cooper Campbell, junior guard Cobi Campbell and freshman guard Hikaru Awata.

“I'm feeling great and very exuberant,” Dowd said. “We're out here for a good cause and showing our support.

“It’s a great day outside, so we are just doing the little that we can to show our support and give back to the community.”

After donating and duct taping a player to the wall, students left with a sense of knowing that they were able to do something for the victims of hurricane Helene.

“It breaks my heart,” Roberts said. “I have family from Florida, and I have seen houses that have stood in our family for generations fall to a hurricane.

“Lives have also been lost, and it hurts in a new way to know that there is absolutely nothing any of us could’ve done.”

To join Habitat for Humanity and be a part of events like these, visit their Instagram @troyuniversityhfh and attend the interest meeting next semester.