Hempfield girls basketball team raises money for Mt. Lebanon junior battling cancer

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, December 16, 2019 | 7:44 PM

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Hempfield senior basketball player Sarah Liberatore wanted to surprise two of her AAU teammates and, as an extension, help out a friend of theirs who is battling cancer.

Liberatore had her teammates purchase T-shirts to raise money for Lexi Ribstein, a Mt. Lebanon junior who has been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Hempfield wore the shirts, emblazoned with the word “Fight” in purple letters across the chest, on Monday night during warmups before the Spartans played the visiting Blue Devils.

Ribstein is not a basketball player, but juniors Morgan Palmer and senior Patrice Smith are, and they were surprised to see the shirts, which Liberatore said produced more than $400 for the Ribstenein family.

“It’s just something I wanted to do to help them,” Liberatore said. “We had to drive to Mt. Lebanon to get the shirts, but it was worth it. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Liberatore, Palmer and Smith play for the Drill 4 Skill AUU program.

“Sarah came up with that on her own,” Hempfield coach Tom Brush said. “It is really nice for her to think of something like that and make it happen.”

@sarahlib5 you’re amazing, this is amazing????????thank you all so so much, there’s no words for this!!

— Lexi Ribstein (@Lexiribsteinn) December 17, 2019

There are no words to describe how I feel seeing this!! Hempfield Spartans Girls Hoops you all are amazing!! Thank you all for your support! #lexistrong https://t.co/rBGMrFuRpS pic.twitter.com/2yUO0MC3TO

— Tim Ribstein (@tribstein) December 17, 2019

We are so appreciative of the support from the @GirlsHempfield for supporting @Lexiribsteinn. Class act. Thank you. https://t.co/O2qE1Zs04n

— LeboGirlsHoops (@mtlgbb) December 17, 2019

God picked you cause he knew you were strong enough. People got your back everywhere???? keep fighting!!

— Sarah Liberatore (@sarahlib5) December 17, 2019

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield, Mt. lebanon