Sevastopol may have won the game against Sturgeon Bay on Tuesday night, but both boys’ basketball teams and their fans ensured that two children knew their own battles would not be fought alone. Lucia Ramirez and Blake Butch were the guests of honor at Tuesday’s game between the Clippers and Pioneers during the teams’ Stronger Together matchup in Institute. Lucia, a Sevastopol student, is fighting leukemia, while Blake is battling a brain tumor.

The phrase “Stronger Together” came together during the offseason and became not just a rallying cry for the Pioneers basketball team, but a credo for the entire community. Through T-shirt sales, a 60-second “Cash for a Cause” bucket collection, and other fundraising activities, $12,000 was raised to support the Butch and Ramirez families, and nearly another $2,900 was collected to support DoorCancer, a local organization that provides funding for families on their own journey with cancer.

Sevastopol boys’ basketball coach Tom Ash was thankful for the support of Sevastopol Athletic Director Brooke Tanck and the entire community for helping make it a special evening.

Before last month’s Jacksonport Thanksgiving Parade, Lucia’s mother, Melanie Ramirez, said that while her daughter’s battle with leukemia has been tough for their family, she is thankful for all the support they have received.