Just hours before game one of the NBA playoffs, Golden State Warriors staffers Ben Draa and Patrick Lacey matched skills with San Quentin’s Warriors basketball team. Their Christian Ministries “Green Team” defeated the S.Q. Warriors, 80-63.
Draa’s relationship with the G. S. Warriors is largely responsible for their coach Mark Jackson and others coming in to play the S.Q. Warriors the last two years in basketball, according to Green Team coach/player Bill Epling.
It was the Green Team’s first game of the new season and the weather was perfect: sunny with a nice breeze. “It feels great to be back here to play this game we love so much,” said Epling.
The Green Team was 11 deep, including Don Smith. S.Q. Warriors coach Daniel Wright calls Smith the “OG behind the scenes that nothing happens without.”
Green Team newcomer and ringer Evan Fjeld announced his presence by comfortably winning the opening tip and scoring his team’s first two baskets, one with a spin move inside and another with a slam-dunk. He has played in the D-League and in Europe.
The nearly seven-foot Fjeld led all players with a triple-double: 30 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks and 5 steals.
“It was tougher than it looked. I’m a little taller than those guys and I was at the right places at the right time,” Fjeld said about his performance.
The Green Team led the whole game, ending the first quarter up 25-12.
“It feels great to have the lead, but you can never get overconfident,” said Epling.
S.Q. Warrior Allan McIntosh, who played shooting guard last year, did a good job at center matched up against Fjeld. McIntosh blocked an alley oop pass that was for Fjeld, breaking up a slam-dunk. McIntosh ended with 19 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals and 2 more blocks on Fjeld.
“He (Fjeld) is very skilled. It took a minute to gauge just how skilled he is,” said McIntosh.
S.Q. Warrior Anthony Ammons blocked Fjeld’s reverse dunk attempt at the rim, but Fjeld went on to slam three times, earning the nickname “The Plumber,” from Aaron “Jeddii” Taylor, San Quentin’s play-by-play announcer.
The Warriors cut Ministries’ lead to 42-40 in the third quarter on good defense, ending up with 18 steals.
Green Team’s Ben Ilegbodu scored 23 in his return. Along with Lacey’s 12 and Antoine Maddox’s 15, they put the S.Q. Warriors back in their rearview mirror. Maddox played college ball for La Grange, a Division 3 school in Georgia.
“Y’all cut the lead to two; now y’all back down by 10 because of the boards. They’re getting too many rebounds,” said Wright.
The Warriors never came close again.
“This game is in the refrigerator,” announced Taylor over a PA system in Chick Hearn fashion, when the score reached 79-69 with 1:51 left in the game.
Applause greeted Warrior Donte Smith as he fouled out in the fourth quarter, trying to stop Fjeld.
Taylor used his announcer skills to entertain the crowd and encourage at-risk youth who showed up. Before the captive audience of at least 200 hundred prisoners, a timeout was called so 50 outside guests touring with the SQUIRES program could walk across the court. SQUIRES is a program where at-risk youth visit San Quentin so prisoners can communicate a better way to them, instead of trying to scare them straight. The tour clearly shows prison conditions.
“This timeout is brought to you by prone-out productions.” Taylor comically broadcasted to the youngsters. “In prison, you have to prone out on the ground whenever an alarm sounds. Do the right thing, cause you don’t want to become a member of prone-out productions.”
Two other Warriors scored in double digits. Ammons had a double-double with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, a steal and 2 blocks. Warrior Ernest “Ness” Dotson scored 17 with 8 rebounds and 4 steals.
Christian Ministries uses basketball to spread God’s message in both word and deeds, not just in San Quentin, but also around the world, Epling said. He noted he went on a Christian Ministries basketball mission to the Philippines with about 16 guys during the off season (Dec. 27-Jan. 9). The group played 32 games in 12 days, winning them all. One result: 6,000 people signed up for Bible study.
“It’s a dynamite, cool experience to play basketball in San Quentin,” said Green Team player Billy Boidock after the April 19 game. “It’s like a coffee shop, a place to get people together. It teaches everything a guy needs to know in two minutes—who your friends are, who’s selfish.”
