Archives for November 2014

Fast breaks and a talented bench lifted the San Quentin Kings over the visiting Bittermen basketball team, 74-60.
“Even though we lost, we love playing these guys,” said Bittermen center Todd Simms. “This has been a friendly rivalry for years and we will be back.”
The high-flying Kings opened up with a beautiful fast break. Kings 6-foot-2 point guard Oris “Pep” Williams ran the court with two forwards on his wings. Williams drove though the middle of the defense and faked a shot, which drew Simms off his feet. Then Williams threw a no-look pass over his shoulder to P. “Strange” Walker for the layup.
“I was Magic,” said Williams.
“That was a nice dish,” said one of the spectators among the crowd excited about the play.
Another outstanding moment happened in the third quarter. Walker rebounded a missed Bittermen three-point attempt and threw a long outlet pass to Brian Asey, who made the extra pass to Tare “Cancun” Beltran, who alley-oop passed it to small forward Antonio Manning for the layup.
“Run and gun; it was show time,” commented one of the Kings’ players.
The spectacular plays didn’t slow the Bittermen down. They used team chemistry to keep the game close, knocking down open threes. They also showed a strong presence inside with center Simms getting the offensive rebounds and put-backs for several baskets. Simms finished with 11 points.
Following a timeout, the Kings returned to the game playing a tight two-three zone defense. It kept the Bittermen off the boards and challenged the three-point shooting.
“That defense helped us manage the game better,” said Thad Fleeton.
The true game changers came from the Kings’ bench. The sharp shooting of Aubra-Lamont “Coocoo” McNeely and Charles “Pookie” Sylvester from behind the arc put the game out of reach for the Bittermen.
McNeely hit 3-5 for nine points. Sylvester went 3-7 for 10 points, making most of his shots in the second quarter. The Kings’ bench contributed 38 points, outdoing the starters by six points.
The starters were the workhorses, grinding it out against a strong, patient, organized team. Walker had 23 rebounds and eight points, Fleeton added 12 points and Demon Lewis chipped in 11.
At the end of the game, all the players from both teams formed a circle with their hands in the center raised high and cheered, “Celebrate community!”

The San Quentin Hardtimers softball team ended its season on a high note with a 20-5 victory over the visiting North Bay Saints.
“We did well. We won more than we lost,” said the Hardtimers coach.
“Our record is 9-8 and one tie,” said Nghiep Ke Lam, the Hardtimers’ shortstop and assistant coach.
The North Bay Saints team includes members of Santa Rosa area churches. The Sept. 28 game was their first time playing on San Quentin’s Lower Yard. Skip Bergeron and Mike Schramm of Cell to Cell Ministry brought the team in.
The game was closer than the score reflects and had many highlights.
In the first inning, Chris Bogart hit an in-the-park homer that allowed Dean Cimino and Ben Gardezy to score for the Saints.

“With these guys, it really is about the team. They are committed to each other. It’s never one person responsible for a win”

The Hardtimers responded with a seven-run bottom of the first inning.
The Hardtimers added to their lead almost every inning, while the Saints’ attempts to come back were stopped cold by the Hardtimers’ defense.
Top of the fourth, Bogart smashed the ball down the third base line. Hardtimer Mark Jordan dove to grab the grounder and made the throw to first while lying in the dirt on his belly for the out.
Hardtimers John Windham, Ke Lam, Jordan and Blake caught everything that came their way.
The Saints loaded the bases in the third, fourth, eighth and ninth innings but only got two runs out of that, leaving 10 men stranded on base.
“We just happen to be hitting the balls where they are, and they’re hitting to where we are not,” said Steve Cabezud of the Saints.
Gardezy took one for the Saints. He was accidentally hit in the nose tagging out Alias Jones at third in the bottom of the fifth. His nose started bleeding and he was asked if he wanted to continue.
“I didn’t go through all that clearance and security checks to sit on the bench,” Gardezy responded.
The Hardtimers overwhelmed the Saints from the batters box. Rick Post led the Hardtimers, batting 1.000 with two doubles, three singles and six RBIs. He was followed by teammate Carlyle “Otter” Blake, who also batted 1.000 with one double, three singles and two RBIs.
“With these guys, it really is about the team. They are committed to each other. It’s never one person responsible for a win,” said Coach Dan.
“This is many guys’ program, their therapy,” said John “Yayah” Parratt, the Hardtimers third base coach.
Everyone is looking forward to resting and coming back next year.
“The off season gives everybody a chance to heal up,” Parratt said.
“We love this game just as much as they do. We hope to come back once a month,” said Saints coach and first baseman Jim Bennett.

Sergio Carrillo took first among the 32 runners who participated in the 1000 Mile Club three-hour run by completing 21 miles.
Larry Ford, 58, completed 20 7/8 miles, Glen Mason, 51, completed 20 17/32 miles and Lorenzo Hopson, 60, with 20 miles, came in closely behind Carrillo, who is 41.
The race began with Hopson, Carrillo, Chris Schuhmacher and Chris Scull leading the pack for the first hour of the run with an eight-miles-per-minute pace. By the 15-mile mark, Hopson slowed to an eight-minute and 55 seconds per mile pace; Scull fell back 11 minutes, and Schuhmacher went into walk-run mode.
By the 19-mile mark, Carrillo passed Hopson for the lead. Carrillo slowed to a 10-minute pace for the last two miles, barely beating Ford’s eight minute and 37 second per mile pace. Carrillo also won last year’s three-hour run by completing 20 3/8 miles.
The 25 other club members who completed the grueling run in preparation for the annual 26.1-mile marathon on Nov. 14 are:
See chart  for results.

A bunch of young college kids looked a bit apprehensive when they braved a visit inside San Quentin for a basketball game. But they found an easy rapport with the S.Q. Warriors.
Many of the youngsters looked nervous as they took the outdoor blue-green court in the prison’s Lower Yard.
“People said it was going to be dangerous, but it’s cool here.” Pacific Union College’s Jordan Greenwell at halftime said, “I’m comfortable playing — it doesn’t matter against who.”
He dunked in the game three times, including one on Anthony Ammons. Greenwell went up with the ball in his left hand, but Ammons skied up and was blocking it when Greenwell reestablished control with his right hand and finished the slam.
“It was a shock. I thought he was going to go with one hand, but I loved it,” Ammons said.
Greenwell led Pacific with 16 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks.
The Pacific team visited on Oct. 19 to experience the prison atmosphere. They learned about more than zone defense in the 100-92 loss to the Warriors.
“I brought my guys in as a learning experience,” said Pacific head coach Greg Rahn. “I want to teach them about life choices and toughen them up.”
Rahn played semi-pro in the ABA for the Orange County Nobel Saints.
The visitors also included assistant coaches Jason Silsdorf and Anthony Gonzalez, and 17 players. Both Silsdorf and Rahn played in the game, but Silsdorf took an accidental elbow to the forehead and had to sit out the second half.
Silsdorf played pro in the Philippians and for Texas Southern while in college.
In the game, the Warriors took a 16-point lead at halftime.
Before the second half, everyone met at center court for inspirational messages.
Ammons started talking about the resilience of his mother. She beat drug addiction right after his arrest and has written him every week since.
Next Harry “ATL” Smith told the youngsters, “I was in ya’ll shoes. I was playing for San Jose State but one bad move ended me up here. You really don’t know what you have until you come up in here. Do the right thing.”
“We are all sinners. We all make mistakes,” Gonzalez added. “Do your best and then some.” His son, Gonzalez Jr., played in the game.
For visitor Jarron Crump, the day was a reminder that he made the right choice.
“My dad played in the NBA until he tore his knee. He didn’t have a plan B and ended up in prison. I was following his path, until I realized I didn’t want to be where he was,” Crump said to inmates and teammates gathered around. “There is more to life than basketball — have a backup plan.”
In the second half, the Warriors continued going to the rack and getting lots of calls, while Pacific went through its roster trying to find an answer.
The Warriors big three — Smith, Allan McIntosh and Ammons — were almost unstoppable. Smith led all scorers with 29 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an assist. Ammons had 23 points and a whopping 23 rebounds plus three blocks. McIntosh added 23 more points and eight boards, with three steals.
“The Warriors made us play more physical and not worry about calls,” said Andrew “Drew” Rice of Pacific. He ended up with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Pacific’s Robert Hicks came off the bench late in the fourth and turned up the pressure defense, causing several turnovers. Pacific cut a 20-point deficit to eight before time ran out.
“They didn’t turn the pressure up ‘til late in the game. Had they pressed earlier, it might have been rougher for us,” said Daniel Wright, the Warriors’ head coach.
Other highlights included:
Alias Jones threw Ammons a lob for a dunk at the end of the fourth. Shortly after, Maurice Hanks threw Smith an alley oop that he slammed down with authority.
After the game, Hicks led the crowd in prayer. Then the guys from both teams held an impromptu slam-dunk exhibition.
“They made a better choice than I did. They are the future — I want them to continue to be better than me. I’m living out my dream through them,” Ammons said.

The Franchise won the 2014 San Quentin Intramural Basketball League Championship with a sweep of all competitors, closing with an 81-79 win over Go Get It.
“All honor, praise and glory to Jesus Christ,” said Harry “ATL” Smith about his Franchise-leading 23 points and 18 rebounds in the Sept. 21 championship game.
“We showed our seriousness and dedication by being the only team that practiced every Monday night and being the only team that created an assistant coach position. We earned the right to be here,” said Franchise head coach Rafael ”Nephew” Bankston after the winning the third straight game of the best-of-five series.
“I brought calmness, rationality, understanding and straight business to the team,” said Franchise assistant coach Brad Shells.
The Franchise consisted of Kenneth Dozier, Anthony Ammons, Demond Lewis, Montrell “MD” Vines, Donte “Sandman” Smith, Marcus “B-Nut” Cosby, Joshua “JB” Burton, Harry “ATL” Smith, Ernest “Ern” Holloway and Derek Loud (who paroled before the finals.) They lived up to their motto: “It’s all business.”
The Franchise stayed in foul trouble most of the games, with Vines and D. Smith fouling out of finals game three.
“We won’t give them nothing. I use all my fouls. It’s just business,” said Dozier.
Lewis motivated himself on court by talking trash.
“Ron Artest made a lot of crazy statements, but at the end of the day he won championships,” said Lewis. “Since I got off the bus, I’ve won two championships.” Lewis was also a member of the CBL half-court basketball championship team Fully Loaded.
“We are a brotherhood. We are a family. We took care of family business,” said D. Smith after the game, while shaking up a water bottle and throwing H2O into the air.
Ammons, named MVP by his coach, had his personal best performance since high school with a 40-point, 17-rebound opening in game one of the finals on Sept. 7.
“That’s the most points I’ve scored in an official prison basketball game. I scored 53 in 1999 playing small forward for Centennial High School,” said Ammons. “My focus that day was not to argue, but to play team ball and have fun. When you have fun, everything comes to you.”
Vines also shined in that Sept. 7 game by hitting five three-pointers.
Motivated by his teammates to step up, “ATL” Smith led the way in the last two finals games. He had 25 points, 26 rebounds, five assists, five steals and eight blocks in finals game two. Ammons added another 20 points and 22 rebounds with four assists and two steals.
“I love my teammates, bro. If it wasn’t for them supporting me thru all the hate on and off the court, my mental wouldn’t have been right,” said “ATL” Smith.
“The Franchise is way too talented,” said Shells. “When “ATL” plays aggressive, his presence changes the whole game. Ant (Ammons) is the clean-up man and Montrell (Vines) plays mad defensive. It’s like an all-star team playing regular ones.”
Burton and Vines added nine points each and Cosby added 10 to beat Go Get It in the Sept. 14 80-62 win.
Burton credits his improvement to “coming out playing with my team and developing that family business love.”
Vines also credits his teammates’ support for his performance.
Game three of the finals was the closest of The Franchise’s playoff run. Go Get It had its back against the wall and came out swinging. The lead switched back and forth with buzzer-beating shots ending the first and second quarters.
Greg Eskridge hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut The Franchise’s lead to 24-21.
During the second quarter, Richard Zorns hit two three-pointers to give Go Get It a 39-35 lead.
At the close of the second, it was Sandman Smith who rebounded a missed shot and laid it up to cut Go Get It’s lead, 43-40, at the buzzer.
In the second half, “ATL” Smith tried to dunk on Go Get It, but Allan McIntosh blocked it at the rim, drawing a foul.
“It was a block. There was a foul, but it was ticky-tacky,” said “ATL” Smith. “I have a whole new-found respect for (McIntosh). He is one of the toughest players I’ve played against while incarcerated.”
McIntosh was the Go Get It scoring leader all season except the last game. There he finished with 22 points and 21 rebounds while Eskridge led with 28 points and 28 rebounds.
With the score 79-79 and two seconds left, “ATL” Smith was fouled going to the paint. He made both free throws, giving The Franchise the lead.
From four feet behind the arc, Go Get It threw up a Hail Mary that hit the backboard as the clock expired.
“Awesome,” said Franchise fan Ben Ford.
“I told them to go handle business!” yelled fan and self-declared 12th man Ken Taylor.
In the final game, Dozier was the second-leading scorer for Franchise with 14 points. Ammons contributed 13 with 16 rebounds and Vines added 12 points.
“Congratulation on winning, although the Transformers weren’t healthy,” said Oris “Pep” Williams, guard from last year’s Transformers championship team. He played this year with an injured elbow, severely hampering his sharp-shooting skills.
“Despite a few bumps and bruises, the season went well,” said Ishmael Freelon, Intramural League commissioner.
–By Rahsaan Thomas