New late-night basketball event kicks off in Polish Hill to create safe space for youth

PITTSBURGH — A new initiative spearheaded by the mayor’s office aims to create a safe space for Pittsburgh youth.

“Late Night Basketball” aims to build a sense of community.

The doors of the West Penn Rec Center in Polish Hill will open tonight at 9 p.m., welcoming teens and young adults for this season’s first event.

Parent Camille Baskins told Channel 11 News she was happy to learn of the new city initiative.

Baskins lost her son, Maleek Thomas, to gun violence in 2022. He was shot and killed just 6 days after his high school graduation. Baskins says positive youth programming is critical in violence prevention.

https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/loved-ones-remember-18-year-old-killed-pittsburghs-hill-district/F3I4HQ7KRJGDTAB4MOD7K3UTDA/

“That age, 14 and up, is very critical. That’s when I started noticing a difference in his behavior. I tried to get ahead of it. I was crying to whoever would listen,” Baskins said.

“It’s important because we know the youth are looking for some place to go, they complain and say they don’t have a place to go, so we are making sure they have that place,” said Darius Wallace with Mayor Ed Gainey’s office.

A pilot version of the program was held earlier this year and ran for nine weeks at the South Side Market House from 6 to 10 pm.

The pilot hosted weekly skills and training workshops before the start of each game…and was open to young adults ages 18 to 26.

“What we heard from our youth from South Side market…they wanted more of an open gym style, so that’s what we are doing,” said Wallace.

The city told us they have modeled their event after other cities like Atlanta and Cleveland.

Anyone under the age of 21 is invited. Free food and a live DJ will be there. The event runs until midnight.

“It’s something positive. It’s something different for him to be around. Different people a different atmosphere,” said Baskins.

The mayor’s office has partnered with various youth groups and public safety to ensure that youth get to the event and back home safely.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group