Basketball League for Youths in Projects Begins

More than 250 people from the city’s housing projects will be encouraged to “run the courts instead of running the streets” this evening when a late night spring basketball league opens at the Harvard Recreation Center.

The fifth annual Sprite Hoop Program is designed to provide alternatives for participants between 16 and 24, organizers said. The program, which runs for 16 weeks, is sponsored by the Los Angeles Clippers, Coca-Cola, LA Sound, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Police Department.

The games, which culminate with midsummer championship and all-star contests, begin at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The program also includes counseling and promotion of nonviolent conflict resolution, employment referrals and cultural activities.