Monday, July 25th, 2011 at 12:02 pm  |  11 responses

Game On Lock

Corrections officers at Rikers Island team up to play a rewarding form of prison ball.

by Matt Caputo / @MattCaputo

Even when they aren’t on duty, the corrections officers from George Motchan Detention Center (GMDC) on Rikers Island are known for their lock-down defense.

“It’s tough out here because it’s like playing in a streetball tournament,” says Victor Rivera—a 1,000 point scorer at DIII NYC Tech, a corrections officer for 10 years and currently a member of the RMDC Gunners basketball team—of the Commissioner’s Tournament. “You see a lot of guys in here who played in college and in New York streetball tournaments. And this is one of the best teams I’ve ever played on.”

Rikers Island houses roughly 14,000 inmates on a given day, and its sprawling layout includes 10 indoor basketball courts. Each year, 10 teams of corrections officers from the Island’s biggest jails compete in the Commissioner’s Tournament. Motchan’s team, the GMDC Gunners, have dominated recently, winning three of the last four titles (’08, ’09, ’11) while compiling an overall record of 45-3.

“It’s good for the officers because it helps their conditioning, that’s a plus from the union’s standpoint,” says Norman Seabrook, President of the Corrections Officers Benevolent Association, which funds the team. “We have a tough job. This is something they can take pride in, and this helps them build camaraderie.”

The Gunners, who also participate in travel tournaments around the country under the name NYC Gunners, feature Arnold Fields, who was the MVP of the Commissioner’s Tournament in 2008 and 2009, 6-7 Quincy Oudkerk and 52-year-old Deon Walker, all of whom, along with the rest of their teammates, willingly adjust their work and vacation schedule to accommodate hoops.

“Everybody takes it very serious and it gets really competitive, but it’s fun,” says Gunners’ head coach Eric Bruce, a C.O. for 21 years and a former junior college player. “It’s a way to kick back and a different way for us to learn about working hard as a team.”

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  • Jay Cutler Posted: Jul.25 at 2:42 pm
    Do they play against inmates?

  • hushabomb Posted: Jul.25 at 3:03 pm
    @Jay, there would have to be a lot of rules in place in order for that to happen. And I wonder if there is an inmate tournament as well. That would be cool.

  • All Day Posted: Jul.25 at 3:46 pm
    If they have 10 indoor basketball courts, then I’m sure they have an inmate tournament or inmate basketball league. The C.O.s probably don’t play against the inmates though.

  • dfrance21 Posted: Jul.25 at 9:19 pm
    My homeboy is in that pic up there! This is so random. Anyway, no they don’t play against the inmates because of safety issues of course.

  • Kid Viscious Posted: Jul.26 at 1:44 pm
    Looks like lil wayne shoulda stayed there a lil longer haha

  • The Black Rick Kamla Posted: Jul.26 at 9:39 pm
    gotta love this game man…..

  • Kay Posted: Jul.28 at 9:05 pm
    This is awesome! I am so proud of these guys! They are real champions in my book!

  • Tiffany Posted: Jul.29 at 1:57 pm
    Gunners on Deck!! I’m a big fan! Shout out to all the players including this year mvp Corey Simmons and Lawerance Hall!! The 3 building run this…we can’t be touched!

  • Daydreamer Posted: Jul.30 at 2:27 pm
    Shout out to victor rivera aka the 7 train no stops for him

  • GeePhotography Posted: Jul.30 at 3:41 pm
    Amazing job guys!!! *High Five* to the whole Gunners Team!! …and big shout out especially to Victor Rivera…*WOOT* ^_^

  • MJ Abiva Posted: Jul.30 at 5:20 pm
    This sounds like a pretty cool program they have going on here.

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