Late-night basketball program brings brotherhood and personal growth to young men

By Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — In Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood, a late-night basketball league is bringing much more than friendly competition to the Salvation Army’s Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.

The after-hours action on the hardwood at the facility, at 1250 W. 119th St., comes with life lessons.

On a Saturday night, the parking lot clears as moonlight shines outside the Kroc Center. Inside, floors get buffed, as it is way after business hours.

Yet there is still some serious business going on. When CBS News Chicago visited, Elijah Etiene Newsome was waiting for his chance to hit the court at midnight.

“It’s helping people get off the streets, because it’s giving them something positive to do,” Newsome said.

Newsome is one of 60 young men who go to the Kroc Center for late-night basketball.

“This is basketball,” he said. “I love the sport, I love the grind, I love the hustle.”

While Newsome gets a chance to showcase his skills, the participants are doing more than just going hard on the court.

“The draw is basketball, but also real brotherhood — real men,” said program director P.J. Jones.

This is something that Newsome appreciates too.

“They’re teaching us about life,” he said. “You know, we’re all young men here — young adults.”

The young men come to the Kroc Center overnight weekly to pass the time.

“It’s significant because it keeps people safe,” said Jones.

Three years ago, late-night basketball started periodically at the Far South Side center. But in December 2024, they shifted into overtime — and the word quickly spread.

“We were doing clinics, and then when they found out that they were actually going to play some games, then that’s when more and more people — they just started inviting their friends, their neighbors, and more and more people just came,” Jones said, “to the point to where we’re almost at 60 brothers every Saturday night.”

Now, six teams play three games — late into the night.

“We are intentional about being a safe haven here,” said Salvation Army Capt. Shanell Debela.

Debela oversees the entire Kroc Center. She said late-night basketball is a huge success — not for teenagers, but for young adults. The center decided to focus on the 18- to 21-year-old.

“Oftentimes, we feel like that population is forgotten about,” said Debela. “We definitely wanted to be a resource.”

Now, every Saturday night, 60 men leave the week’s trouble behind. They come together for brotherhood and beyond.

“We can groom them to become leaders,” said Jones, “and a lot of times, they hear about leadership, but we present it in a way to where it’s real, and we can identify with them.”

Before the first jersey is thrown on, the men are required to gather for fellowship, as Jones leads a prayer.

“Teaching us life skills, mentorship, how to maneuver in the real world, and how to set an example for the younger and the youth,” said Newsome.

The Saturday night that CBS News Chicago visited, the group gathered to jot down ideas for additional skills they want to develop collectively. They included boxing classes, cooking classes, courses in money and business finance management, planning an outdoor basketball tournament, free mentorships, and opportunities to feed the homeless.

The men get just as pumped about brainstorming as they do later in the night on the basketball court.

Debela said the workshops where the young men have those discussions were essential in order to have late-night basketball.

“It’s part of our grant from the State of Illinois,” she said.

The grant is part of the Violence Prevention Initiative. Youngsters of course enjoy being on the basketball court, but when it gets dark, a lot of bad things can happen — even right on public basketball courts outside.

“When there’s not anything productive going on, we lose lives in that age group,” Debela said.

In fact, Capt. Debela recalls one young man who became a regular on Saturday nights — only to skip one evening.

“He ended up losing his life on that night,” Debela said. “So we know that it’s important, and we want to keep it going. We want to have our doors open.”

Eric Chatman and his nonprofit, the Big Homies Club, comes out weekly to help mentor the young men.

“It makes me feel good to help the youth, keep them out of trouble, steer them away from danger, keep them alive,” said Chatman. “They could be anywhere right now or doing anything right now. They choose to be in here with us.”

Organizers admit many who show up to late-night basketball just want to play good ball. The games are intense and competitive, and there is a growing list to get in on the late-night action.

The grant now allows each player to receive $75 weekly.

“And so then when the incentives came in in April, that was the icing on the cake,” said Jones.

And the program is a slam dunk for keeping young adults safe.

“I have no doubt that we are transforming lives,” Jones said.

Newsome said the only thing he’s missing out on is sleep. And it’s worth it.

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