ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The madness of March is inspiring a Rochester basketball ministry that's working to end the madness of young people who are choosing the wrong path. 

It’s the game that brings them in the door. The lessons which make them better — and not just on the court.

“Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, I am. The older brothers go and we mentor the younger brothers. We dribble them into the game of life," said Pastor Stephen McKnight of New Light United Methodist Church.

McKnight founded this basketball camp two decades ago. It’s also a ministry and a way to keep young men and women from becoming statistics.

“We can have a kid playing basketball,” McKnight said. “He can be a star on Saturday, on Tuesday we're burying him.”

“I mean it's very important to reach them before they go down the wrong path," said coach Lex Mullins. "Also important to get them where they are on the wrong path and try to bring them back to the other side.”

The basketball ministry is built on the principles of faith. It teaches players to make the right decisions in a classic battle.

“We’re understood that we have good and evil in us and it teaches us in the beginning, Genesis, Adam and Eve," McKnight said. "We can’t run away from it, so good and evil is going to be there. What good can you do, even in the presence of evil, can you still bring out good? Yes, you can.”

“Seeing, maybe a hothead kid going from bad to good and calm down, it makes you feel very good that you accomplished the goal in life as far as making them being better citizens," said coach Michael Mitchell.

With Rochester setting a record for murders two years ago, and nearly breaking it last year, winning is about a whole lot more than what happens on the court.

“How do you overcome violence?" asked McKnight "You got to overcome violence with the knowledge and understanding of love, coming together, and compassion.”