Grand Canyon's Oscar Frayer killed in car crash three days after playing in NCAA Tournament

Tom Gatto

Grand Canyon's Oscar Frayer killed in car crash three days after playing in NCAA Tournament image
Grand Canyon University men's basketball player Oscar Frayer was one of three people killed in a vehicle crash in California on Tuesday, the university announced. He was 23.

Frayer, his older sister Andrea Moore and a friend died in the accident near Lodi, Calif., per GCU's statement.

Frayer had completed his collegiate career just three days earlier, playing 25 minutes in the Antelopes' NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Iowa. The senior from Oakland, Calif., was set to take part in commencement exercises next month after graduating with a degree in communications.

"He was the heartbeat of our team with his vibrant, energetic personality. I cannot put into words the hurt and sadness we all feel, but we know he is in heaven and that gives us great joy to know we will be together again," GCU coach Bryce Drew said in a statement.

Frayer's teammates reacted to the news on social media.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.