Article published by Ed Baker, The Taunton Daily Gazette.

TAUNTON — Taunton High School student Jayden Lopes, 17, said he and his friends joined the Old Colony YMCA's new teen basketball league because they already play the game regularly at the YMCA.

"I hope to gain at least a couple of new friendships and have some good bonds with them," he said.

"Everyone here is a really good person. When we play basketball, it's the best of times."

Old Colony YMCA Membership Program Director Stephen Perakslis said the new basketball league allows teens to develop their playing skills free of charge.

"Our goal is to give our teens a safe place to play and enhance their basketball skills," he said. "They may want to work on their free throw shooting or non-dominant hand dribbling."

Perakslis said the basketball league has six teams and 54 teens registered to play.

Each team will play every Thursday with the first game tipping off at 4:30 p.m. The next games will be at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Perakslis said all teams would be eligible to participate in playoff games during May.