Lower Merion prepares to say goodbye to Kobe Bryant
Lower Merion High sets tribute for famous alum Bryant
ARDMORE >> Lower Merion is preparing to say goodbye to Kobe Bryant. Saturday’s tribute between the girls and boys games at Lower Merion High is the hottest ticket in town. Tickets for Saturday’s event at Lower Merion High School sold so rapidly to students that only 50 tickets remained for the public sale Friday morning.
When the public sale began at 11 a.m. Friday, it only took a few minutes for those tickets to be sold out as well.
“Our students take great pride in attending Kobe’s alma mater,” said Lower Merion School District Director of School & Community Relations Amy Buckman. “His legacy of unceasing hard work, dedication and striving to be the best is ingrained in our school culture, in sports and beyond. Though he graduated before they were born, our students are aware of his contributions and want to honor him.”
“The student response has been overwhelming,” said Lower Merion boys’ basketball assistant coach Doug Young. “I think this response says something about the way the school community has come together and how they’ve supported Gregg (LM boys’ basketball head coach Gregg Downer) and those who were close to Kobe.”
For the remaining 50 tickets that were available to the public Friday, a line of customers had formed at the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium entrance of Lower Merion High School before 11 a.m. Each person was limited to a purchase of two tickets.
“We cannot exceed the capacity of the gymnasium due to safety concerns,” noted Buckman.
According to Buckman, the bleachers in the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium hold
1,150 people, and the total capacity of the gym is
1,600 (including standingroom only).
The tribute will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, between games of a Lower Merion High School basketball doubleheader at the gym that bears the name of Kobe Bryant.
In the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Lower Merion girls will play Southern Lehigh High School, with tip-off scheduled for 11 a.m.
The second game of the basketball doubleheader will feature the Lower Merion boys against Souderton High School, starting at 1:30 p.m.
Between the two games, at 1 p.m., the Lower Merion teams will pay tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the seven other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash in California.
Saturday’s tribute will include 33 seconds of silence, appearances by Lower Merion High School basketball alumni, a highlight video and the unveiling of Kobe-themed artworks that have been donated to the school. In addition, the tribute will feature the return of a unique piece of Lower Merion Aces memorabilia.
“This tribute will be brief, it’s not a memorial, but it’s our first opportunity for the Lower Merion basketball community to come together and share at a boys’ basketball game at home since Sunday’s tragedy,” said Young. “We’ve had a great response from the Lower Merion basketball alumni, including players from the 1966 state champion team and other teams that played with Kobe.”