Northwest University men’s basketball coach John Van Dyke sent a text to teammates of the late Taylor Cliett in hopes of getting alumni together to honor the former NU player who lost a battle with cancer in November.

“There are three years’ worth of teammates, and only three guys are out of state and can’t be there,” Van Dyke said. “That tells you a lot. He was really tight with his team.”

Northwest is set for a Cascade Conference doubleheader against Eastern Oregon with the women at 5:30 and the men at 7:30. Admission is $6 with all proceeds going toward a fund for the Cliett family. The University will also sell t-shirts with Cliett’s No. 3 on the back.

The men, currently 12-1 and ranked No. 13 in the NAIA D-II coaches poll, will wear a black mourning patch on the home and away jerseys this season to honor Cliett.

Cliett graduated in 2013 after playing three seasons for Northwest. In 2011-12, Cliett’s junior year, the team went 29-5 and made the NAIA elite eight, the second-best finish in school history.

Cliett started at point guard his senior year. Van Dyke said he was constantly in the gym and was easy-going and popular with his teammates.

Cliett was involved with basketball after graduating, and married a former NU player and current volunteer assistant coach with the women’s team, Erika (Hornyak) Cliett. The couple had a daughter in August.

“Ken Crawford, the women’s coach, and I were talking about what we could do as a school to help Erika,” Van Dyke said. “We came up with the idea of a #TaylorStrong night, and we thought Dec. 30 would be a good night while people are around for the holidays.”

This story will be updated.