Basketball league aims to stop gun violence in Racine

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Just over four years ago, Isaiah Lambart says he was robbed at gunpoint in the community where he grew up. 

"It was a cold night," Lambart said. "I had to run home barefoot, I almost lost my fingers and toes." 

He says that painful evening was part of what made him determined to remove guns from the hands of young people in Racine. 

"I feel like I was given a second chance that a lot of guys weren't given in the street," Lambart said, "So, I wanted to use it for good."

Known as 'Lul Icey' in the area, the rapper says his violent encounter inspired the Put the Guns Down Basketball Association. The group aims to encourage young people in southern Wisconsin to turn away from gun violence and participate in positive activities.

Four years later, around 80 people gather in Roosevelt Park each Sunday in Racine to play a game of basketball. Many of them have had negative experiences with gun violence in their families or close circles. 

“In 2017, I had a brother that got killed," said Larry Canedy, a basketball player part of the Put the Guns Down Basketball Association. “I wanted to represent him to the community with this right here. I feel like it’s good."

Lambart and Canedy said prior to the creation of this organization, many of the men who play in the league would not interact with those who weren't from their side of town. Now, you hear playful banter between players and see firm handshakes after each game. 

“Some of these guys would never be in the same area if it weren’t for this," Lambart said. "I just wanted to give us a platform to be able to express ourselves, come together, and be able to show each other that both sides of town can be one.”

“Isaiah was probably the first person to do something like this in this community, and we needed it," Canedy said.

Jesse Booker, the CEO of Rapcine, says the group has made a positive impact in on the community. He added that the men who play are coming in with high-level basketball experience, making the games exciting to watch. 

“You have high school graduates, you have college basketball players, you have individuals who have played overseas," Booker said. “To be able to play a game of basketball, the emotions can run hot. To be able to shake each other's hands and say see you next week, it’s something very cool and unique to our community.”

Information on the league can be found on its Instagram page.