It was an old school versus new school game, with dozens of people from the surrounding communities putting their sneakers to the court.
Jameel Wyatt said it was good to have something to do. "Getting off the streets for a little bit, sometimes you just be outside doing nothing," he said.
Paya Williams, of the D-Up Basketball Academy, said that's exactly what her organization hoped to accomplish through teaming with other organizations like the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network (PAAN) to "Play 4 Peace."
"We make it affordable to everybody," said Williams. "We try to do it for free, because that's a detour. A lot of times, people can't afford to do things, especially with sports programs. They cost a gazillion dollars nowadays."
The game took place less than 24 hours after a man was shot and killed over a basketball game argument at an LA Fitness gym in King of Prussia. Many in attendance at the Belfield Recreation center knew the victim.
"That just goes to show doesn't matter where you are in America, doesn't matter where you are in the city," said organizer Carl Washington of PAAN.
He said the tragedy makes the antiviolence work they're trying to do even more important.
"It's about a mindset. So what we're trying to do, we're trying to spread a mindset of positivity, of forgiveness, of self-love."
Promise Love became emotional as she had just learned 15 minutes earlier that she went to school with the man who lost his life over a game.
"Change has to happen," she said.
Love came to share her story about changing her own life for the better, after she served more than five years in federal prison for conspiracy. She shared her hopes to be able to uplift others.
"You have to deal with the underlying issue," she said, "and a lot of the issues stem from our childhood, a lot the issues stem from neglect, a lot of the issues stem from a rejection and abandonment, so we don't really have a healthy, safe place to release."
Washington reflected similar sentiments, stating that some men in attendance reformed from the "street life" and now lead as a better example for the younger men.
"They see us in a different light now because they see us, we all about peace, we all about our families, we all about building, so it's a great vibe," he said.
Nine-year-old Saqeef Washington seemed to be enjoying the game.
"I feel real comfortable playing with them because nobody's messing with each other," he expressed. "Nobody's screaming, everybody's just calm and stuff and chill."
Washington said they plan to host similar events monthly to bring people together through sports, and that they're looking forward to partnering with more groups with complementary missions.
"We have to stop waiting for the 'extraordinary people' to step up because regular people do great things everyday," he asserted. "That's the message behind everybody being here, just seeing a bunch of regular individuals doing extraordinary things."