The sun beat down on a basketball court surrounded by barbed-wire fences and picnic tables. It was the stage for camaraderie, and the San Quentin Warriors’ 75-62 win over the Christian Sports Ministry’s “Green Team.”
“It’s not only basketball, it’s the ministry that we give,” said Craig Hunter of the visiting Green Team about why he comes into the prison to play. He’s a former San Jose City and Cal. State at Los Angeles college basketball player. Hunter now coaches kids in basketball, he says.
Hunter led Christian Ministry with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals.
None of the Green Team’s former Claremont-McKenna college players showed up because it was Beau Heidrich’s birthday. This left them undersized against the Warriors, which included Harry “ATL” Smith back in the starting lineup after a three-game suspension.
The Warriors maintained an early lead until Green Team players Dave Liss and Brooks Baldinger came off the bench.
If San Quentin inmates had access to Sports Center, they might have seen a highlight of the 2011 Pan-American Games showing Liss nailing a three pointer from the corner. The buzzer-beater broke a tie and gave the U.S. the win over Brazil, according to Liss.
Liss says he played for Cal Berkeley and Pomona while in college.
He dropped three treys before the Warriors’ defense recognized and adjusted. Liss finished with 11 points but was held scoreless in the last two quarters.
“He is nice. I love his game,” said Warrior Coach Daniel Wright about Liss.
Baldinger added another five points that helped put the Green Team ahead 34-29 at the half.
The Warriors took over again in the second half, partly led by the 48-year-old Brad Shells aggressively crashing the boards. Normally ballers Shells’ age play for the San Quentin Kings over-40 team. However, the veteran demonstrated he could still contend with younger people. He scored 14 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.
“Coach told me that he was going to put me in a position to play well and that includes conditioning. He‘s been on my tail at practice. Conditioning has allowed me to run and defend,” said Shells.
Warrior Allan McIntosh led all scorers with 23 points. Teammate Anthony Ammons added 11 points, 8 boards, 4 assists and 4 blocks. “ATL” Smith contributed 15 points with 15 rebounds.
“Our size, strength and athleticism finally took over,” said Coach Wright.
“Shells is my player of the game,” said Wright.
Shells said track was his first love, but he played basketball at Cerritos Junior College until getting involved in robberies. He’s in his 25th year of incarceration.
For Shells, “basketball is a sanctuary. It’s a place I go to when I need to relieve stress and cope with walking this line.”
He also feels blessed.
“I never thought being in a place like this that I’d be playing against this level of players,” said Shells.
The Aug. 15 game ended, how it always starts with all the players, refs and coaches circled around half-court to share stories and pray together.
“Super wonderful atmosphere. I look forward to coming back,” said Baldinger.