WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's classmates and basketball buddies from the Punahou School class of 1979 and one of his former teachers made to trek to his swearing-in ceremony in Washington Tuesday.

Just like a basketball game, they said the whole experience tested their stamina, endurance and dedication to their friend and former teammate.

Barack Obama's two basketball buddies from Punahou School Alan Lum and David "Boy" Eldredge and his fifth grade teacher Pal Eldredge said they walked for four hours through chaos and confusion to the National Mall to watch the man they call "Barry" become President of the United States.

They arrived with minutes to spare and then Obama took the Oath of Office.

They said they are proud of Obama and ready to share him with the rest of the world as they've watched him go from the basketball courts in Hawaii to the White House in the nation's capitol.

Obama's basketball buddies said they didn't get to play a game with him on this trip, but they said that he'll probably come back to Hawaii for another vacation and they're sure they'll play a game with him at that time.

Obama's friends put the whole day into perspective and said they tried to stay determined even though they came close to giving up seeing the swearing-in ceremony. It's same type of drive they said Obama will need to lead the country.