Emery/Weiner School sixth grader Benjamin Lepow (pictured) plays his own variety of “distance basketball.” With school closed and social distancing the new normal, he is enjoying the next best thing to an actual basketball game. Benjamin’s friends are each using their own basketball hoops at home, and communicating their shots via cell phone. He managed to lead a game of HORSE by taking a shot, and then telling the others whether or not it went in the basket. Benjamin hopes to be back on an actual basketball court soon, as he was earlier in the year with his Bellaire Rec League Knicks team. Next season, he hopes to join the Emery/Weiner middle school team. See more on families creatively spending time outdoors; see “Outdoor Entertainment with Kids Near Home” by Rachel Teichman.

Editor’s note: Send your best high-resolution photos and behind-the-scenes stories about young local athletes, in both team and individual sports, to SportzBuzz, Jr. at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis.