I found out about this run from a guy who worked for the parks department. He would take his breaks at Bushwick Park shooting around with whoever was there. We were putting up shots one day in the Fall of 2019 when I noticed some scratches on his forearms. He told me he got the night before playing indoors somewhere in Bed-Stuy. I asked where, and he said “some church,” but I didn’t let it go at that. Finding a free indoor court in NY is invaluable and eventually he gave me the cross streets and time that they usually play.

The next Friday I went down to find the court, looking for an entrance, listening for dribbles on hardwood. I stood out there in the cold for about 10 minutes before I saw a guy in sweats with a gym bag walk through a tall wrought iron gate and disappear. I followed and saw a half-open door that I hadn’t noticed before. I entered, followed the hallway, went down a flight of stairs and onto the court. The first guy to speak with me was Markell. He introduced himself and asked me to put my name on the sheet.