Boston Celtics Honor Hoosac Valley's Mendel

BOSTON, Mass. -- The Boston Celtics Sunday honored Hoosac Valley senior Alie Mendel as part of the team’s Heroes Among Us program.

 

Mendel, who battled back from cancer to help lead the Hurricanes to the school’s first girls basketball state championship, was recognized at TDGarden at Boston’s NBA Playoffs opener.

 

Mendel, 17, went through an eight-hour surgery for thyroid cancer the summer after her junior year but hardly missed a beat in her athletic career.

 

She helped Hoosac Valley advance to the Western Massachusetts quarter-finals in soccer in the fall. Then last month, she served as co-captain on a team that made its third state championship game appearance in her high school career -- finally getting over the hump to win the D3 state title.

 

Since its establishment in 1997 by the Boston Celtics, The Heroes Among Us program has recognized outstanding individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to their communities. The award is presented at every Celtics home game and pays tribute to the heroic achievements of these outstanding citizens.