Court of dreams: Foundation hosts amateur game at Banker’s Life

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INDIANAPOLIS — The tempo of play picks up on the court at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, and Gavin Privett’s team needs to score.

The 14-year-old Mt. Vernon student bounces the ball behind his back to avoid his opponent’s swipe, then lunges toward the basket for a layup. He gets blocked at the last second, but out of the corner of his eye he sees his brother, Evan, wearing a Reggie Miller jersey and waving his arms; he’s wide open for a pass behind the 3-point line.

Evan snatches the ball out of the air and shoots for three. The shot bounces off the rim, but another teammate quickly grabs the rebound and puts the ball in the basket. The players’ families cheer from their front-row seats in the stadium.

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The day brought all the drama of an NBA exhibition match, just with some slightly younger and slightly shorter players.

The Mt. Vernon Education Foundation’s “Court of Dreams Experience” on Thursday gave area residents the chance to play ball on a real NBA court. People of all ages were invited to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and children flocked to the fundraiser, said Renee Oldham, executive director.

Young Hoosiers almost always grow up watching their favorite athletes play at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, Oldham said. Physically going down on the court to face off against friends and rivals on that same floor is a memory they wanted to give to people while supporting local education programs in the process.

It was certainly an event Gavin and Privett said they couldn’t miss.

It was incredible to play a pick-up game with his brother and his friends on the court that his favorite team plays on, Gavin said. The eighth-grader, a shooting guard for Mt. Vernon Middle School’s basketball team, realized how rare an opportunity it would be to play at Banker’s Life, so he laced up his purple PGs (Paul George’s signature sneaker) and signed up for a team as soon as he could, he said.

Evan, a 9-year-old point guard for Mt. Vernon’s travel ball league, said playing like an NBA star was great, but he also liked the experience of sharing the court with the high-schoolers and grown-ups who signed up for the event as well.

“The Pacers are just my second favorite team though,” Evan said with a sheepish smile. “I like the Golden State Warriors.”

“I hope to play pro someday also,” he added.

The younger participants were able to do a skills challenge, play a game of knockout and enjoy a few half-court scrimmages, said Aaron Lanting, the event coordinator. Two adult teams then played a full game, complete with uniforms, referees and a lit up scoreboard.

The Mt. Vernon Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that awards grants for schools and academic programs in the district. They also sponsor events that benefit students and teachers in the community.

More than 100 people attended the event as players and spectators, with numerous businesses around central Indiana coming out to support the fundraiser.

The Court of Dreams Experience was a fun, unique platform to raise funds and spread awareness of what the Education foundation stands for, Lanting said.

The organization wants to do more than simply work with schools, Lanting said. Its leaders have their sights set on providing educational opportunities for everyone of every age in the Fortville-McCordsville area.

“We are of course a source of grants and funds for classrooms in the district,” Lanting said, “but we also want to have a greater impact on the whole community.”