BREAKING NEWS: Cause of death announced in death of basketball player Andre "Pop" Davidson Jr.

More than a month after 18-year-old Andre "Pop" Davidson Jr. collapsed and died while playing basketball, the city medical examiner has reached a decision about the cause of his death: Ellen Borakove, a spokesperson for the examiner, said Friday that Davidson's death was the result of a heart condition he lived with since birth.

"He had an irregular heart rhythm that was caused by a heart issue he was born with--congenital heart defect ," Borakove said. "He died of natural causes."

In the days immediately after Davidson --who grew up in Highbridge and started last year for Kennedy High's basketball team -died, some family members and friends suspected that his death was heat-related; there was no air conditioning in St. Mary's Rec Center, where Davidson was competing in a tournament game when he collapsed July 5.

Reached by phone Friday night, an emotional Nicole Givens --Davidson's mother -- said she still believed Davidson's death could have been prevented, and that the lack of air conditioning was one of several contributing factors.

"I still feel he could have been saved," said Givens, who added the medical examiner's office had informed her of its decision on Thursday.

Givens said this feeling, along with witnessing during the past several weeks the influence her son's life had on his community, had left her overcome with emotion.

"I've been crying all day," Givens said. "And I really haven't cried. I've been taking care of everyone else."

The West Bronx Blog will continue to provide updates on this story as more details are uncovered. Also, look for a front-page feature in the August issue of the Highbridge Horizon about the life, death, and influence of "Pop" Davidson; that issue hits the streets this coming week.