Amid the talk of the value of summer basketball emanating from the announcement this week of a partnership between the NCAA and the NBA comes a wonderful story of two young men from different parts of Pennsylvania who have found friendship and solace through playing together on an Amateur Athletic Union team.

Chester's Karon Burton, who lost a father and a stepfather, and Quincy Roberts of Harrisburg, whose father committed suicide last August, play on the same AAU squad and have found common ground in their grief.

We'll, no doubt, find the latest example of sports as a salve later today when the Liberty softball team takes the field this afternoon against Winters Mill. It will be the first game for the Lions since their pitcher, sophomore Emily Burke, was killed this past weekend in a car accident.