Kia Vaughn of the New York Liberty has been urging people to donate through social media while playing overseas in Italy and she and Prince will also give from out of their own pockets. (Paul J. Bereswill )
Apache Paschall’s two greatest success stories are leading the charge to raise money for a proper burial.
WNBA stars Epiphanny Prince and Kia Vaughn have taken to Facebook and Twitter to urge people to donate to a fund for the late Nazareth coach’s wake and funeral. The two also plan on giving an undisclosed amount of money to the cause. Prince flew in this week from Turkey, where she plays overseas, to help get the process rolling.
“We feel like we owe it to him,” Prince told The Post on Friday. “We both feel like we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in without him.”
Prince starred at Murry Bergtraum and got her first taste of national exposure playing travel ball for Paschall’s Exodus team. Vaughn played for Paschall at St. Michael Academy and with Exodus. Both ended up earning scholarships to Rutgers. Vaughn now plays for the New York Liberty and in Italy, while Prince plays in Turkey and for the Chicago Sky.
“He basically introduced us to AAU, taking us out of New York, introducing us to everything,” Prince said. “He basically made us.”
Prince was at Nazareth practice Thursday and Friday, but has to head back overseas this weekend. She’s upset to miss Paschall’s funeral and wake, which are tentatively scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, but glad to help with the process this week. Vaughn was stuck in Italy, but has been omnipresent on social media platforms.
“Apache is and will forever be my coach and father,” Vaughn said via email. “He introduced me to basketball and was the driving force behind my success. He helped my mom raise and discipline me. We spent every day together and he taught me about life and basketball. Apache was my AAU and high school head coach — my first and only coach until I arrived at Rutgers. He was a selfless man who took on a father role for me because I didn’t have one. He loved me and oftentimes, seemed to know what I was thinking without me saying a word.”
Nazareth assistant coach Ron Kelley said Prince and Vaughn got in contact with assistant Lauren Best immediately when they heard the tragic news of Paschall’s death. On Tuesday, the legendary coach died of cardiac arrest at age 38 after battling a form of skin cancer for four months. To give donations click here or visit facebook.com/honorapache.
“I’m so very proud of the both of them for their successes in life and I’m very happy and proud of their loyalty,” Kelley said. … “I’m proud of them and all the kids. All of them have come back to show support.”
There was still controversy swirling Friday with the two games following Paschall’s death that the opposing teams refused to play. Nazareth athletic director Rochelle Murphy told The Post on Friday that she had sent a formal request for a Bishop Ford forfeit to CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens with regards to Thursday’s game that was not played. Christ the King also pulled out of Saturday’s league game and Murphy plans on filing the same thing to the league for CK on Monday morning.
As of late Friday night, there was still a question as to whether Nazareth would have a team to play Saturday at 5 p.m. for its Homecoming. Multiple teams declined the invitation after Christ the King pulled out.
The boys JV team will play at 12:30 p.m. and the boys varsity against Medgar Evers at 2:30 p.m. in what was supposed to be a tripleheader. It’ll be the first time the boys varsity team plays after Paschall’s death. Longtime coach Todd Jamison canceled the Kingsmen’s game Wednesday against Monsignor Scanlan out of respect for Paschall, Jamison said.