POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Peripheral vision was almost nonexistent and lateral movement certainly was a struggle, but it didn’t matter. A group of Poughkeepsie friends still suited up and took to the court on Saturday, proving that to them, ball really is life – even during a life-threatening crisis.

As medical experts warn about the spread of the coronavirus and social distancing is encouraged, seven local men figured they found a hooping loophole:

Basketball ... in hazmat suits.

Dressed as if they were prepared to enter a toxic landfill, the pals played pickup games in a City of Poughkeepsie park, photographs of which circulated on social media over the weekend. The posts elicited the laughs and bemused comments one would expect of a scene so unusual.

“Since the NBA and NCAA seasons aren’t going on,” 25-year-old Tre Mayo said, “we just really missed basketball.”

The group hooped for almost two hours and several motorists slowed their cars to get a look, some honking their horns in support.

Juane Mayo hangs on the rim after a slam dunk during a pickup basketball game in the City of Poughkeepsie on Saturday. He and a group of six friends played while wearing Hazmat suits.

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“Every minute, we’d notice people watching and somebody would start cracking up during the game,” said Mayo, who organized the outing. “We’d look up and think about the situation and couldn’t help but laugh.”

They had acquired the hazmat suits as a prop for the filming of a TikTok video. Several posts of the “Something New” dance challenge have gone viral on that app and, this septet thought, theirs would be even funnier if performed outdoors in those outfits.

As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state eclipsed 25,000 as of Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The group thought some humor would be well served in a dark hour.

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“I was worried about it initially,” said Akeim Clarke, one of the men who played. “Every day you’re waking up to the news and hearing about policies from government leaders to limit social gatherings.”

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But, he eventually was convinced by his friends. In part because it isn’t “an official law” to remain indoors and “I’m an extrovert.”

Besides, they figured their hazardous material suits would offer some protection against, well, hazardous materials. The suits, made of impermeable material, are meant to protect against chemicals and biological agents and typically are worn by emergency responders or specialists working in toxic environments.

DJ Huggan fires a jump shot during a March 21 pickup basketball game in the City of Poughkeepsie. He and six friends played while wearing Hazmat suits.

“We felt safe and pretty confident in them,” Mayo said.

If anyone has ever wondered if hazmat suits are suitable for basketball – why would you? – the answer is ... no. Despite the suits being lightweight, Clarke said, the shoe covers made it difficult to gain traction and change direction, and the hood often came down over their eyes.

“Vision was the biggest challenge,” he said. “The hood definitely affects vision when going up for a jump shot or playing defense. My shots were terrible due to this.”

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Nevertheless, the games to 11 were competitive as they “all dealt with the same limitations,” said Mayo.

He and five close friends – Jayvon Robinson, DJ Huggan, Joshua Grant, Juane Mayo and Clarke – play in a local basketball league and Christopher Mayo, Tre’s brother, plays for his high school basketball team.

Juane Mayo, who is of no relation to the brothers, even threw down a few dunks that drew cheers. Among the spectators was photographer Garth Mason, who snapped pictures of the crew in action. Afterwards, the group got into a 1990s R&B album cover-style pose for a group shot.

Friends Joshua Grant, Juane Mayo, DJ Huggan, Chris Mayo, Akeim Clarke, Jayvon Robinson and Tre Mayo pose for a photo after playing pickup basketball in Hazmat suits on Saturday.

Tre Mayo said he urges everyone to “take precautions” in helping slow the spread of the potentially fatal virus.

“I do pay attention to the news and people losing their lives is not a joke,” he said.

Plans for the continuation of the hazmat hoops season have not yet been made, but Tre Mayo said if their work schedules align, the group could meet again this week for another game, so long as the law permits.

“I thought we might get some backlash for this,” Tre Mayo said, “but the response has been really positive so far. If people were able to laugh at us and take a break for a second from what’s going on in the world, then I’m glad.”

Contact Stephen Haynes on Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Coronavirus: New York group plays basketball in hazmat suits