The Global School met the best of a Global game Thursday.
The Wilbraham & Monson Academy Girls' Basketball team came face to face with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2017 during an Enshrinement Weekend ceremony in Springfield.
And the highlight? A chance for a quick hello and a priceless selfie with inductee Rebecca Lobo.
"These are players we looked up to on TV, especially someone like Rebecca Lobo,'' Kayla Mokwuah '18 said. "She was the main attraction.''
Lobo grew up in nearby Southwick, Mass., starred at the University of Connecticut during the early-to-mid '90s and remains active as an ESPN sideline reporter.
Alex Garrison '18 said Lobo's local connection and contributions as a modern-day pioneer for the women's game was not lost on her.
"She's from Southwick, almost like it could have been one of us,'' said Garrison, a Wilbraham resident. "She's from Western Mass., we're from Western Mass. ...''
The opportunity for the team to witness the press conference was set up through State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr. D-Springfield, father of Julia Puppolo '20.
"A huge thanks to Mr. Puppolo, to arrange a VIP visit for the team at the Hall of Fame's 'jacket ceremony,' " WMA varsity coach Durelle Brown said. "It was a great opportunity for our team to bond with this, and it got us out there as a (representative of the) school.
"We have girls on the team from Spain, Wisconsin, New Jersey and many of them from around here have never been to the Hall of Fame. And so many of them can relate to someone like Rebecca Lobo, who's local. They know what UConn basketball is today and Lobo really put them on the map.''
Varsity basketball players and managers in attendance included: Mokwuah '18, Garrison '18, Alana Perkins '19, An'Janae Washington '19, Leilani Bennett '19, Ashley Ambrosino '20, Puppolo '20, Emily Fafard '20, Marta Estany Sanchez '20, and managers Jade Chlapowski '18 and Alyssa Gaderon '19.