Basketball season at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center has fallen into a familiar rhythm as both teams begin playing outside opponents.

On April 25, Prison Sports Ministries’ Green Team challenged the San Quentin Warriors in their second game of the season, while Town Boogie faced off with the San Quentin Kings for the home team’s season opener.

“There is some real competition,” said Rob Landry, “moving up and down the court, the way it should be.”

Landry, 25, a walk-on player for the 2022–2024 Tar Heels basketball program at the University of North Carolina, made his first trip to San Quentin with the Green Team for the game. Landry said he thought people would be more off-putting, and was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the residents.

Warriors Coach Jerry “JB” Brown expressed a desire to play an inside-out offense, but forward/center James “J-Nine” Miles was not available after the first quarter due to a family visit, which ultimately did not occur.

The game was a low-scoring physical battle. At the end of the first quarter the home team led 14-13. Then the Green Team turned up the heat, reversing their fortunes and finishing the half with a 32-31 advantage. The game remained close as the visitors kept their slight edge at the end of the third quarter 55-54. The Green Team proved victorious as the game ended 81-78 in favor of the visitors.

“There’s a lot of athletic talent on the Warriors, they just need to pass the ball around,” said Correctional Officer C. Peppers, who enjoyed a bird’s eye view of the game from the elevated podium in the gymnasium. “When you’re going against a team bigger than you, you cannot force shots.”

In the second game of the day, Thomas “T-Mas” Vaca, 41, made his coaching debut for the San Quentin Kings, as he substituted for head coach Demond “Oola” Lewis, who was not in attendance. 

“I’m eager to get this win,” said Vaca. 

Vaca wore a wrist band that repeated a famous quote made by the late Kobe Bryant, “Everything negative — pressure challenges — is all opportunity for me to rise.”

Town Boogie got out to an early lead and finished the first quarter up 17-15. The Kings turned things around in the second quarter, and led at halftime 35-31. 

At the half, Kings player Matthew Sheppard announced to both teams at center court that after being a player and coach for the last two years he had been found suitable by the parole board, and would be going home in August. This news was greeted by cheers from all in attendance.

“I love and hate that I see you in here,” said Town Boogie player Keith T. Gregory, “I love that I see you; I hate that it’s in here.” 

“It’s all about basketball,” said Gregory. “It’s a community, y’all my family.”

Gregory, 43, went on to speak of his father who was in and out of prison as he was growing up. During his own amateur basketball career, Gregory had stops at Santa Rosa Junior College, Merritt College, and the University of California Berkeley.

In the third quarter, Town Boogie reasserted themselves and finished with a 55-46 advantage. The fourth quarter saw the home team finish with a 73-67 victory.

Town Boogie player Ian Paratore, 34, who works with Gregory as a teacher and basketball coach at Head Royce High School in Oakland, made his first visit to San Quentin for the game.

“Coming in, you think there’s going to be more checkpoints. I saw lots of high-fives; people talking,” said Paratore.

Of the opening day win, undefeated first-time coach Vaca said, “We did this for Oola.”