Youth Basketball League Combats Gun Violence

Tyrick B. Keyes loved playing in a summer basketball league organized by the anti-violence group Ice The Beef. Two years after Tyrick was shot and killed at age 14, the league kept going this summer — now named after him.

Playoffs winds up this week with the final rounds of play for the fourth annual version of the league, which drew 100 young people to the Wexler-Grant School gym under the guidance of mentors like Harlem Bromell, who was named coach of the year. Most of the players come from Dixwell and Newhallville, but some come from other parts of the city as well.

Ice the Beef partnered with the city’s Youth Services Department and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees to put on the free league. Ice The Beef President Chaz Carmon also enlisted sponsors like the Cornell Scott Health Center to provide participants with an active summer away from street and gun violence.

Tyrick Keyes’s mother, Demethra Telford (pictured above) also know as ​“Marina Queen Bey,” said Carmon called her two years ago with the suggested name changed and she spent minutes on the phone screaming with happiness.

“This league is the reason why violence is down for youth in the summer,” Carmon said.

Telford’s organization Never Forgotten, Never Alone is also a sponsor of the league.

The league hosted evaluation try-outs during the last week of June with the sole intention of getting an idea of who was interested. No cuts were made and youth joined free of charge. This year there were 10 teams and 10 volunteer coaches.

All of the teams are named after professional teams in the NBA. Bromell’s teamed, named after the Denver Nuggets, wore light blue shirts. The league’s game nights were on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays starting at 6.

Playoffs began mid-July for the advancing teams. The league aims to extend the playoff games for as long in the summer as possible to have something positive for the youth to participate in. Carmon said it does this by operating on a 2/3 lose system so the teams aren’t immediately eliminated after one loss. Four games are played each game night.

Bromell’s team won its two games on Wednesday and Thursday and will advance to the semi-finals on Monday.

Guerschom Jean-Louis, 22, is another volunteer coach. His team, named after the Milwaukee Bucks, was eliminated on Wednesday. ​“I’m still proud of them because they all played hard and with passion,” he said.

Each of the 10 coaches participated in a draft at the start of the season for their players. But coaches like Bromell and Jean-Louis said the season wasn’t just about basketball with their teams.

Jean-Louis, who graduated from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) this year, said he often bonded with his players by sharing with them his experiences of college and as a student-athlete. He said he worked to motivate and instill confidence in his players.

Originally from Boston, Jean-Louis said he came into his first year of being a volunteer coach nervous about being able to connect with the players. On Thursday he said he feels he has been able to connect genuinely with the players because he remained open with them from the start of the season.

“It’s about providing a controlled and positive environment,” Jean-Louis said.

Carmon said during the league’s past four years he has watched as gun violence numbers decreased as the league was going on. The players range from eighth grade and up.

Telford said she feels the league is carrying on her son’s legacy. She remembers her son used to play basketball in their home’s basement. Keyes was also a member of Ice the Beef.

“Something like this means a lot because the more that people see me continuing my fight, the more likely my son will get justice,” Telford said.

Bromell is currently active duty in the Army; he said he often talks with his players about the benefits of being in the military. He said he and the other coaches offer the youth a variety of connections from college, military, to business careers.

“I talk with them honestly, whether it be about basketball or the streets,” Bromell said.

Marquise Avery (above left) is also a volunteer coach for the league. Tymaine Lowery, (above right) 19, said he has been alongside Carmon since he was in kindergarten.

Telford said she comes to the league practices and games whenever she has free time. Some of the players call her ​“mom” and call to check up on her daily.