Seven years have passed since Stef’an Strawder and Sean Archilles were tragically killed in a mass shooting in 2016, but their legacy lives on in Southwest Florida. Every summer since, the two have been honored in the annual Stef’an Straeder basketball showcase.
“Having this event helps remember how good those two boys were,” said Cape Coral head basketball coach Bobby Ebbert. “A lot of us try to remember just the bright spot of what both those kids meant to the community and our area.”
The sixth annual showcase went down on Saturday, where boys and girls were able to show their skills and get the looks from college coaches that they may not have gotten otherwise. The showcase was originally created in 2016 to help players like Strawder get more recognition that would lead to college scholarships. Strawder played in one showcase just weeks before he was killed. It was renamed in his honor.
“He wasn’t he wasn’t able to do it, so for these kids that have an opportunity to play in front of college coaches, especially with the dynamic of boys basketball, how hard it is to make it to the next level is incredible,” said Lehigh Senior High School head basketball coach BJ Edwards. “I’m glad his name is behind it because it is a beautiful thing when we’re able to all come together and celebrate him.”
“It means a lot,” said Dsean Archilles, brother of Sean Archilles. “I’m very emotional. I’m emotional right now like I’m trying to hold back. I love the reason behind it. Just helping kids get bigger opportunities.”
Nearly 100 athletes from middle school all the way through high school, and some even beyond graduation, participated in this year’s showcase. This time, it was brought back to the court where Strawder played.
“It was extremely important for me to make sure that we brought it back here, where he played at, where he has so much history at,” said Edwards, who played basketball at Lehigh with Strawder.
This year, former Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski showed his support and sent autographed basketballs and personal messages to both the Archilles and Strawder families.
“It’s much appreciation for the love he’s been showing,” said Archilles.
As much focus that there is on basketball at the showcase, there’s even more on the legacy that Staf’an Strawder and Sean Archilles left behind.
“It’s an opportunity to let the kids play but also remember that there’s more out there than just basketball,” said Ebbert.