ASU guard Loera makes surprise trip to sister Jessie’s Senior Day
Some things, as we’ve learned through decades of advertising, are priceless.
For Arizona State guard Jamie Loera, surprising her sister on Gonzaga’s Senior Day fits that category.
Loera and her father hatched a spur of the moment plan last week for Jamie to fly to Spokane, Wash., so she could join the family in attendance at her older sister Jessie’s final Gonzaga regular season home game.
“No one knew, only my dad,” Loera said. “That morning, I was eating breakfast with my teammates. He and I were going back and forth looking for a flight. So I left straight from the coffee shop I was at, went to the airport, bought a ticket,” after getting permission to do so from ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne.
Loera, a sophomore, is redshirting after compartment syndrome surgery in October. So missing a day of practice in between ASU home games was an easy request for Turner Thorne to grant.
Loera landed in Spokane at 1:10 p.m., was at Gonzaga’s McCarthey Athletic Center within 20 minutes and ready for the pre-game ceremony at 1:45.
“I met my family in the tunnel and my uncle saw me,” she said. “Then my mom saw me and just lost it. It was the ultimate
surprise.”
Jessie didn’t realize Jamie was there until she came on the court after other family members. She has started every game as a senior for No. 13 Gonzaga, averaging 7.7 points and 5.0 assists.
“I didn’t even have time to cry, I was so excited,” Jamie said. “When she saw me, it was something I’ll never forget, just her face and her reactions. We’re just so close and love each other so much. It made it worth it.”
Even at 3 a.m. Sunday when Jessie had to get up to take Jamie to the airport so she could return in time for No. 21 ASU’s game against Washington.
ASU is losing three senior guards, all starters, after this season. The 5-9 Loera could play a significant role as a combination guard shooter like Robbi Ryan is now over the next three seasons. Then ideally in 2023, Jessie will be at ASU returning the family favor on Jamie’s Senior Day.
“She could really help us next year,” Turner Thorne said. “We’re excited and praying for her sake that she can get back to being healthy. We miss her shooting because she is a knock-down shooter, but we also just miss her savvy.”
Loera only played in 11 games as a freshman, also due to injury, but shot 50 percent (9-of-18) from 3-point range. She scored 1,526 points in her high school career in Moses Lake, Wash.
ASU and Gonzaga played in the same Thanksgiving tournament in Florida but did not meet because of a Sun Devil loss to Purdue. But there is at least a chance of an NCAA Tournament meeting, possibly even in Spokane if Gonzaga is hosting as a No. 4 seed and ASU is a No. 5 seed.
That would be a priceless twist for Jamie and Jessie.