Springfield basketball community rallies in wake of Amare Witham's death, GoFundMe created
Wyatt D. Wheeler
The Springfield basketball community is rallying together following the news that Glendale High School basketball star Amare Witham has died.
Witham was entering his junior year with the Falcons. He was one of the area's bright young stars holding multiple Division I offers. He was on pace to become one of the highest scorers in the area's history.
Many Ozarks basketball figures offered condolences on Wednesday morning, including social media posts from rival high schools, his former trainers and others.
A GoFundMe was created for the Witham family, noting it wanted to assist the family in providing a celebration of life without worrying about finances. Over $2,000 was raised in the early hours of its creation.
More:Amare Witham, a Glendale High School basketball star, dies
Who was Amare Witham?
Witham broke onto the southwest Missouri high school basketball scene as a freshman. He was known for his uncanny scoring ability and the confidence he played with on the court.
The 2026 point guard appeared to be one of the better prospects to come out of southwest Missouri since Greenwood's Aminu Mohammed took over the basketball scene for his three years in Springfield before playing a year of college basketball at Georgetown.
Witham scored 1,207 points in his two seasons as a Falcon, putting him on pace to challenge Monty Johal's Springfield Public School scoring record (2,583) and be one of the top 20 scorers in the state's history.
Witham held offers from Missouri State and Austin Peay.
Previous:Glendale's Amare Witham has the 'it factor' and looks like the city's next great prospect
What Springfield Public Schools sent to Glendale families after Amare Witham's death
Dr. Josh Groves, Glendale's principal, sent the following email to Glendale High School families on Wednesday morning:
"We received incredibly sad news that one of our students, Amare Witham, died unexpectedly. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family, friends, teachers, and all those who knew and loved him.
"This is a loss for our entire school community so we want you to know that we are here for all of our students and staff as they process this news. I know you will want to support your child at home so we recommend these tips for talking with students about difficult topics, including loss.
"To offer additional support, Glendale High School will be open today, July 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A team of crisis counselors will be onsite for any student or staff who needs support.
"If your child needs additional support during this difficult time, please contact our Counseling Services team by calling 417-523-7565."