WILLOWICK -- Basketball has come to an end at 5 p.m. most nights this summer at Manry and Dudley parks.

That's when a lock gets clamped over the rims, putting a halt to any baskets and, the city believes, the steady stream of rough language and behavior that accompanies games.

In neighboring Wickliffe, the court at Intihar Park has been out of action all summer, with hoops removed from backboards.

Both cities added the restrictions two years ago when a culture war of sorts erupted between the pickup basketball players and the organized sports that play in the parks and the families that live alongside them.

"Complaints are nonexistent because the hoops are down," said Wickliffe Recreation Director Tim Stopp.

Stopp said complaints have stopped even at the city's other parks that still have hoops up, and he thinks the removal of the hoops at Intihar Park is the reason why.

"I think the people playing understand that the hoops can be taken down," he said.

Dan Salesky, head of Willowick's youth baseball league, said he never saw the problem as a serious one, but once locks -- which look a bit like the anti-theft brackets that go on car steering wheels -- went up, the large groups congregating in his outfields by the courts went away.

With basketball courts being closed around Cleveland and in Euclid, players migrated over the borders into Lake County and behavior -- most notably loud cursing -- rankled neighbors.

The issue was most heated in Wickliffe, where residents and players overflowed City Council chambers two years ago to make their case.

With most neighbors white and some of the players black, race has hung over the entire issue. Two years ago, some players questioned if racism was part of the dispute, but the players seen in recent weeks were mainly white.

Both Wickliffe Mayor Thomas Ruffner and Willowick Mayor Richard Bonde said there were some calls to simply close the courts or ban "outsiders" from using them. Instead, both cities tried compromises to limit basketball when local baseball and soccer leagues were using the same parks.

At Intihar, the court is close to where families sit to watch games and the language bothered families with small children. In Willowick, closing the courts only on Monday through Thursday nights when there are baseball and softball games eliminated much of the conflict.

Mike Cervella, 17, played basketball last week in Willowick before the hoops were locked. He called the city's summer policy "aggravating."

"Sometimes I don't even get off work until after 5," Cervella said. "Just keep things open while the sun is out."

Anthony Bagliano, shooting hoops with his father, Henry, agreed.

"We have nowhere else to play," he said. "You should be able to play until 7 or 8 or until it gets dark."

But any hard feelings will soon subside, at least until next summer. With the baseball season over, both cities will be restoring the hoops and ceasing to lock the hoops at night. Thursday was the last night Willowick's locks went on and Wickliffe plans to restore the hoops as soon as the Service Department has a chance.

Ed Zivnoska, president of the Wickliffe Baseball League, said there have been no complaints of behavior at Intihar from his players or families this year.

Recreation Director Stopp said that his city had planned to remove the hoops at Jindra Park as well during baseball season, but parents called and complained that an activity was being taken away from their children. The city left them up and both Stopp and Zivnoska said there have been no issues.