13-year-old an honorary Harlem Globetrotter (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

13-year-old an honorary Harlem Globetrotter

1:05pm Sunday 27th May 2007 in Marlborough By Raeanne Nightingale

It's not every day that you get the chance to join the most famous basketball team in the world, but that's just what happened to 13-year-old Benjamin McMahon from Broad Hinton.

The Harlem Globetrotters are touring the UK and played at the Bournemouth International Centre, where Benjamin became a junior globetrotter for their match courtesy of the Make A Wish Foundation.

Benjamin suffers from a form of leukaemia. The foundation grants wishes to children suffering from potentially life-threatening illnesses.

The teen, together with family members, was introduced to other VIP guests before being presented with his own shirt, posing for photographs and meeting the other team members.

Although somewhat shorter than the average player, Benjamin took to the arena kitted out in team colours and was introduced to the spectators.

He even shot a few warm up points, ably assisted by other team members as his family watched from the VIP area.

Benjamin was right at the heart of the action all evening, sitting with the team on the coaches bench, taking part in team huddles to hear them discuss tactics and doing high fives with the team when the Globetrotters scored.

After a thrilling first half, it was back to the locker room for team talks and refreshments before the thrills and spills of the second half.

After the match, Benjamin celebrated with the team before taking his leave of his new friends, laden with basketball goodies.

"It was a fantastic night and Benjamin clearly enjoyed every minute of it," said Hannah Fountain, Make-A-Wish regional manager for south west England.

"It was great of the Harlem Globetrotters to offer one of our wish children this opportunity to get so close to the action and be part of the team - a true once in a lifetime experience."