“Basketball is an international language:” People of all backgrounds meet on the court

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“There’s camaraderie and ,friendship connecting with family, the key thing is just to be able to connect with one another,” Uy said.

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Among the longtime members is Nick Yang, who joined the league 12 years ago at 19 years old after moving from Beijing. He still plays in the league today, and says the league played a huge role in helping him get accustomed to life in a new country.

“At first I would say I was nervous, and I was worried about how I would get involved and engage with the community. But that concern? I had never experienced it because the community was so amazing,” Yang said.

Yang still plays in the league today, and says the league is a key reason he chose to stay in Prince George. While he’s lived in bigger cities like Beijing and Vancouver, he says getting to know Prince George through basketball made him fall in love with the city, so much so that he know works for the University of Northern British Columbia.

“I had the opportunity to embrace the culture, the basketball, and most importantly, Prince George. I love Prince George,” he said.

In some cases, the positivity on the court can be about a lot more than just the sport, it can change someone’s life.

“There’s some people that have come here that have gotten into trouble, but because they were surrounded by positive people in this league they turned themselves around, got themselves back to college and university and made something for themselves,” Uy said.

“If you ever feel loneliness or you feel you couldn’t find your direction, look for help, you definitely will find one in our community. It’s not just about basketball,” Yang added.

Yang is one of many newcomers to join the league, but now that it’s grown beyond just welcoming newcomers, there is also a mix of Prince George natives and longtime community members joining the league.

“Everyone was super welcoming. They all knew each other before, but they were really welcoming to us and it was definitely a really encouraging environment for us,” said Georgie Halpape, a first year member and Prince George native.

“O.J. does a really good job running this league every weekend. Everything runs smoothly, and he definitely creates a really positive and welcoming environment for anyone who wants to join,” Halpape added.

Uy explained another goal of the league is to give people a place to play basketball once they finish high school or university, as he says there aren’t other options for people who want to still play in an organized league.

“I feel a little bit more connected and more comfortable here. I think everybody is super welcoming and just having that kind of baseline or structure that I can play off of,” added first year member Tanner Cruz.

“There’s some people here that I’ve seen through high school and played with them or against them, but the people here that I’ve met just through PBL are some connections that I’ll never forget,” Cruz added.

The PBL’s season just wrapped up over the weekend with its final championship weekend, but Uy and the members strongly encourage anyone interested to reach out about joining for next season, which begins in September.