Lady Griz great Skyla Sisco loses cancer battle

3 hours ago7 min read

The world of sports, so often a stage for tales of triumph and physical supremacy, is today a place of profound sorrow and reflection, as we mourn the passing of a true warrior, Skyla Sisco. The legendary Lady Griz basketball star succumbed to a courageous six-year battle with breast cancer on November 13, leaving behind a legacy that transcends statistics and trophies, speaking instead to the indomitable power of the human spirit.Sisco’s journey was a masterclass in resilience, a narrative that began on the high school courts of Malta, Montana, where she wasn't just a player; she was a force of nature, leading the M-Ettes to their first-ever State B championship and, with a high jump record that still stands decades later, demonstrating an athletic versatility that was simply breathtaking. Her transition to the University of Montana under the legendary Robin Selvig was not merely a step up; it was a coronation, where her relentless drive earned her all-Big Sky Conference honors for four consecutive years and the coveted MVP title in 1998, cementing her status as one of the program's most revered figures.Yet, her story refused to be confined to the hardwood. After earning dual degrees, she chased her dream across the globe, her professional career marked by a poignant, almost cinematic moment—the shortest stint in WNBA history with the Phoenix Mercury, a story not of failure, but of the brutal, fleeting nature of opportunity that every athlete fears, a lesson in humility and perseverance that she wore not as a scar, but as a badge of her unwavering commitment to the game.And just when you thought you had her figured out, Sisco re-emerged on the national stage, this time in the world of ultimate frisbee, her competitive fire burning as brightly as ever as she contributed to a national title in 2008, proving that a champion’s heart knows no single arena. This multifaceted excellence was formally recognized through inductions into the Montana High School Association, the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame, and, most recently, the Ultimate Hall of Fame, while the Big Sky Conference honored her as one of its top 25 female athletes, a testament to a career defined not by a single moment, but by a sustained, brilliant burn.Her battle with cancer was her final, and most public, contest—a six-year fight she faced with the same tenacity she displayed on the court. As the sports community gathers to celebrate her life on December 15 at the Adams Center, a venue that once roared for her victories, we are reminded that the true measure of an athlete is not found in the scorebook alone, but in the lives they touch and the spirit they impart. In lieu of flowers, her family’s request for donations to the Skyla Sisco Scholarship at the First State Bank of Malta ensures that her legacy will not be a memory fading with time, but a living, breathing force, empowering future generations of Montana athletes to chase their dreams with the same fearless heart that she carried every day of her remarkable life.

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#Skyla Sisco

#Lady Griz

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#Montana