This year, the SIBL celebrates its 35th season at Public School 8 in Staten Island. Every Wednesday night and Saturday morning, the league gathers at the school’s gym to play pick-up basketball on its Hoosiers-inspired court, which features 60-year-old hardwood floors and backboards. Since its inception, the SIBL has become the longest operating basketball group that plays at a public school gymnasium in New York and has garnered repeated coverage in the local news.
Containing several recreational and former collegiate players, the league accommodates any player between the ages of 25 and 65 for three hours of competitive play. Throughout the years, the SIBL has welcomed 250 players from a variety of backgrounds, including policemen, construction workers, and business executives. League members participate in up to eight games each practice session and enjoy a more relaxed playing atmosphere than that of outdoor basketball courts.