“Together.” That was the chant the La Roche College Redhawks broke every huddle with in what was one of the most inspiring stories of the past college basketball season. The saying came from their coach, Scott Lang, who painted the inspiring mantra on their locker room wall before the season. It comes from 1 Corinthians 12:26.

If one member suffers, all suffer together;if one member rejoices, all rejoice together. The motto took on a deeper meaning following Lang’s untimely death on the court that now bears his name. Lang oversaw a Division III men’s basketball team that lost more than it had ever won over the years. After the Redhawks got off to a 7-1 start, Lang, 41, suffered a heart attack at practice on December 10.

There is much debate whether he died in the hospital or on the court, the latter of which his players know is where he took his last breath.

The Redhawks’ story book season was the stuff Hollywood dreams are built upon. The Redhawks ended up making the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time ever, losing in the first round to Wittenberg College 74-68. They finished the season 25-4 overall.

Lang had chances to move up as an assistant at Division I programs from La Roche, a small Catholic college with 1,400 students. But he wanted to stay, once stating that he felt like he could make a bigger difference at a smaller school. So the area native stayed, not only becoming the basketball coach, but the manager of athletic facilities, opening Kerr Fitness and Sports Center early every morning and locking it late every night.

He first experienced health issues two years ago, when he had fainting episodes due to a racing heart. That’s when doctors inserted a monitor in his heart. On the day he died, Lang felt short of breath. Moving to center court, he called for water and took a knee. Slowly, he eased himself onto that logo, where team officials applied CPR.

The Redhawks’ amazing run will not only be remembered as a story about the power of a coach, but also about the legacy we can all leave by being a positive influence and mentor to young minds in need of inspiration and direction.