A female student athlete at Goshen High School collapsed during overtime timeout at the Goshen-Highland Home basketball game in Goshen Tuesday night.

Dr. Mark Bazzell, superintendent of Pike County Schools, said the girls’ basketball game went into overtime and a timeout was called two minutes into the five-minute extra period.

“The student athlete collapsed at the bench and went into cardiac arrest,” Bazzell said. “School personnel responded as did nursing folks who were at the game. The Goshen Volunteer Fire Department also responded. She was transported by CARE ambulance to Troy Regional Medical Center and was air lifted by Life Flight to Birmingham at 11:15 p.m.”

School officials said they could not release the name of the student athlete, but could only say that she is a 14-year-old ninth grader.

However, sources close to the situation confirmed that the student athlete’s name is Gerneshia Barnes.

Both Bazzell and the basketball player’s head coach, Sam Dean, said the student athlete is being treated at UAB’s Children’s Hospital.

“Unofficially, she is in critical but stable condition,” Bazzell said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. We have had people at the school today to support the student athletes, faculty and the student body in general. When something like this happens to a member of a community family like Goshen is, it is devastating to everyone. We have staff members with the family in Birmingham. We are providing what support we can and praying and hoping for the best.”

Bazzell said the 911 call was made from the school at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday and, from the information he had, the student athlete had been on the court throughout the game.

“There had been no indication of any problems,” Bazzell said.

“She is an honor student and well thought of by the students and the faculty. Our prayers are that she will recover completely.”

The game between the Eagles and the Flying Squadron was called after the incident.