Ready the Full Story on NCAA.com

Three years ago American International College men's basketball player Sesoo Ikpah was the picture of health and stamina, barely getting a breather in games as he led the Yellow Jackets in minutes played (33.6) as a sophomore.

But, then, his seemingly healthy older brother Tav's heart stopped in 2009. Tav, just 24 years old at the time, was revived by paramedics and eventually diagnosed with a heart defect. Their mother Judith Ikpah, who works at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, wanted her four other children tested for the condition in case it was genetic.

Sesoo – the collegiate basketball player -- was the only sibling that was discovered to have the same problem.

“One of my tests – my EKG – was similar to that of my brother's, and the doctors decided they wanted to proceed with caution,” Ikpah said. “It was May, and from that point on, they said I would not be able to play and I needed to take some medicine.”

“He was an incredibly conditioned athlete – it was just shocking,” AIC head coach Art Luptowski said.