WASHINGTON -- President Bush dedicated the new concrete outdoor basketball half court on the White House grounds Monday and gave the NCAA men's champions and the women's division winners a chance to try it out.
The two champion teams invited to the White House for the basketball court dedication were the Duke Blue Devils and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers who won the title two years in a row.
Bush organized a contest, giving five members on each side one minute to toss as many balls as they could. The women, dressed in street clothes and high heels, were at a disadvantage but overcame the handicap.
Jody Adams, 19, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, won the women's contest, by dropping the ball in the basket 12 times.
Grant Hill, 20, a Duke freshman, gracefully scored 20 baskets before a few spectators, which included tennis pro Ivan Lendl, a houseguest and the Bushes' son, Marvin.
Bush presented each of the players with a gift in gold wrapping paper, which they did not open.
The 26-by-26 foot court, built with government funds by the National Park Service, was ordered by Bush after he paid a visit to the Maryland Midnight Basketball League in Hyattsville.
The plaque commemorating the opening of the court read:
'Dedicated April 22, 1991, by President George Bush with the 1991 NCAA Basketball Champions Duke Blue Devils amd Tennessee Lady volunteers.'
'Your name will live on forever,' in White House annals, Bush told the players.
Winding up the ceremony, Bush made a left-handed layup and dashed off to the Roosevelt Room for a brief meeting with both teams.
