OAKLAND -- The Warriors hosted the Paradise High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams at Wednesday night's game against the Thunder at Oracle Arena, after their town was destroyed by a wildfire two weeks ago.
The Camp Fire devastated Paradise and other cities, killing 81 people, destroying more than 12,500 homes and burning more than 152,000 acres in Butte County.
Players, coaches, family and community members were greeted by Warriors center Jordan Bell on their way to the best seats for warm-ups.
Paradise High coaches Sheila Craft and Jerry Cleek met pre-game with Warriors president Rick Welts.
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Craft told me 12 of her players made it to the Warriors game. Two international players could not attend. Only one player with the team has a home left standing.
The Paradise group wore "PHS Strong" shirts to the game.
"I'm glad we can at least entertain some people who have gone through a really, really rough and tragic time," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game. "We are doing what we can. Obviously those people up there need much more then to be able to come to a basketball game. I would urge everybody out there to chip in and help any way they can."
For information about making a donation to fire relief efforts, go to www.warriors.com/firerelief.
