As the sun sets in Sacramento many homes glow with TVs and computer screens but at Southside Park the swish of net, the hitting of the backboard and a rhythmic bouncing of a basketball can be heard as a  pick-up game commences. Unfortunately, these games are cut short as darkness envelops the figures and makes it impossible to continue playing.  

John Anderson, who lives near Southside Park and plays everyday with his friend Dy'Andre O'veal, says that the lack of lighting "is a problem" and thinks that the addition of lights will bring more people out to play.  

Currently, Anderson says that only every other day do enough people show up to get a game going - the other days it's just him and O'veal. 

O'veal says as long as he and Anderson don't have other plans, they come to the park between 4 p.m. and 7:30 or 8 p.m. They play 21, horse and just shoot around but it gets too dark to see the ball.  

Days, and with them these games, will get shorter as fall transitions into winter but there is one thing that could keep the ball bouncing - lighting. Currently, the tennis courts adjacent to the basketball courts have lighting but the lighting doesn't shine far enough to aid the basketball players.  

However, thanks to the persistence of the Southside Park Neighborhood Association and community members, the City's Department of Parks and Recreation has acquired funding for lighting for the courts and lighting around the lake at Southside Park.  

Construction is set to begin later this month and should be finished by the end of the year. O'veal looks forward to being able to play later into the night.