The celebration is coming to a close and students from all grades have been invited down to inaugurate the new main court with a few shots at the basket. We've already seen the uniformed varsity players giving us a splendid demonstration at the start of the ceremony, followed by the speeches (see previous entry).

The varsity players assume a familiar role at MPA - mentors to the younger ones. It's a common sight here - big kids helping little kids. So naturally, first grader Sumner Wu is going to need some added height. He's hoisted up on the shoulders of a tall varsity boy, handed a ball twice the size of his head and encouraged to shoot. It's a miss. Another ball. Another miss. And it goes on. 

Close to 800 students, teachers and guests slowly shift their attention to this determined little boy and the growing number of varsity players gathered underneath him, helping him, lifting him up, cheering him on. It is, in the words of many afterwards, a pure MPA moment.

Still more shots and more misses. With each one, the sympathetic groans from the crowd grow louder. Fifteen, twenty attempts and the balls seems to be getting bigger and heavier, but Sumner is not going to give up. He will sink one.

When he finally does, the crowd noise is like that at the final buzzer of a state championship, setting the standard by which all future crowd noises will be measured in this wonderful new facility. 

GO PANTHERS!