The popular San Quentin basketball court is sporting a new surface and markings, thanks to donated labor and materials.
The surface is the same used earlier this year on the tennis court and is comprised of acrylic with a silica sand mixed in to produce a texture that is both durable and long lasting. The green surface was striped and the keys painted blue to produce a well-defined perimeter for the San Quentin basketball teams.
The Ministry Foundation donated some $7,000 for the materials and the Saviano Co. Inc. donated time and labor to resurface the court.
Eric Hodges, part owner of Saviano, supervised a crew of three who resurfaced the basketball court on Sept. 11.
Hodges said the company surfaces around 300 to 400 courts each year.
“We’ve done a lot of courts all over the country,” said Hodges, noting they work on everything from tennis, to shuffleboard and volleyball courts. “We even worked on the tennis courts at the Beijing Olympics.”
With 35 employees, the Saviano Company does not discriminate against ex-cons. “You can’t judge people for what they once did,” said Hodges, noting they have one employee who has been with the company for 10 years after serving time in a federal penitentiary. “He’s a good worker and a very smart guy,” he said.
The company has recently gained a license to work in Hawaii.