WEST PULLMAN- Rico Hill and Britt Booker have been friends since fourth grade. These days, their friendship has taken them to new heights.
The two met when they attended John Whistler Elementary School in West Pullman. From there, they went on to star for Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood.
The name of their team, Hoopville Warriors, holds double meaning for Hill and Booker. Hoopville was a take on a gang territory in their neighborhood controlled by the Gangster Disciples called "Coopville." The second part comes from the nickname of Whistler's basketball team.
"We created our own group out of the basketball players in the neighborhood," Hill said. "You couldn't run us off of the court. If we had any problems, we link up together so we wouldn't have any problems."
Booker, Hill and the other Hoopville Warriors are competing in The Basketball Tournament. The winner receives $2 million.
More than 300 teams applied to play in the tourney, featuring more than 400 players with professional experience.
Opening rounds begin July 9-10 in Charlotte, N.C., and Los Angeles, and continue July 16-17 in Philadelphia and at Chicago's St. Xavier University.
Hill recently was named the sophomore basketball coach at Mount Carmel High School. He said being involved in the tournament has gotten him through two personal setbacks.
"I hadn't picked up a ball in a year. I started training with Britt, and I started to feel like my old self," Hill said. "I get to play with my brother. These are the guys I came up with."
Booker, 40, told DNAinfo that since he plays with guys he has known for most of his life, the Warriors have an edge over most of the teams in the tournament.
"Twenty-six years later, we're still using the name. When you've played with someone that long, they are your brothers," Booker said. "We have a certain type of love for each other. We fight. We don't give up. The best teams win. Not individuals."
Hill echoed Booker's sentiment regarding the camaraderie among his teammates.
"As we got older, it became like a movement. A lot didn't go to big colleges or the NBA. But we still wanted to become teammates at some point," Hill said. "Sometimes, life doesn't turn out the way you want. The connection still remains."
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