Those who know Perham forward Zach Gabbard say he has long dreamed of playing in the state tournament. But when the Yellowjackets step onto the Williams Arena floor Wednesday for the Class 2A quarterfinals and the program’s first state appearance, they will do so with Gabbard on their minds but without him on the court.

Instead, Gabbard is expected to be in a hospital bed.

Perham was well on its way to a successful season when, undefeated, it traveled to play at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Jan. 20. Gabbard was averaging 11.2 points a game. Without any warning, Gabbard, 17, collapsed near the Perham bench in the first half, suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

A few in attendance were able to help stabilize the junior with a defibrillator in the gym, and he was rushed to the hospital. Gabbard underwent open-heart surgery in Fargo the following day, and he remains in rehabilitation at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, where he is undergoing physical and speech therapy.

Two games after Gabbard’s collapse, the Yellowjackets lost their first game. But they haven’t lost since as they prepare to play Virginia at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

It’s been an incredible recovery for both the team and Gabbard — one that started, in essence, three years ago. In 2008, with backing from Medtronic, the Minnesota State High School League launched the “Anyone Can Save A Life” program — putting in place a plan of action in the case of a life-threatening emergency after hours at a school.

The MSHSL has prepared a halftime program for the 6 p.m. Class 2A game at Target Center on Friday, with a ceremony honoring the junior and some of his rescuers. Gabbard’s family and teammates will be in attendance, but at this point doctors have not cleared him to leave the hospital.

Craig Anderson, the athletic director at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, said the school would not have had a defibrillator on site if it weren’t for the Anyone Can Save a Life program. Jody Redman of the MSHSL said one of the rescuers said Gabbard would have died that night if not for that immediate electrical therapy.

“One of the things that Zach dad’s said is it’s not a matter of if this is going to happen again [to another child], it’s a matter of when,” Redman said. “There are just so many things that go on when that emergency occurs.”