Life gave Marcus Woods a lot to be angry about: poverty and a family torn apart by the drugs and violence that were all around him. At an early age, he found he could let out that anger by shooting.

Shooting hoops, that is.

“At age 14 my outlet became the basketball court,” he said.

Before his journey brought him to Reno, Woods grew up in the late 1980s and 1990s in inner-city Chicago. He matter-of-factly described his family life: a mom who was a longtime drug addict who sold his sister’s sex for drugs and Woods bouncing between many foster and relatives’ homes while growing up. In high school, basketball continued to give him a diversion and eventually gave him the opportunity to attend college and earn a degree in child psychology and early childhood development.

But his anger was revived after he graduated in 2003. His sister was living in Las Vegas and was involved in an abusive relationship. When Woods heard she had been raped, he left Chicago to exact his own justice. With the help of a few friends, he attacked the man who violated his sister. The authorities caught up with him and eventually he went to prison for four years on charges stemming from the attack.

Upon his release, he was dropped off in Reno with $20 in his pocket. With very little to help him get back on his feet, Woods was determined to beat the stereotype he had heard upon his release: “You’re black, you’ll be back.”

So began his quest to do good in the community, looking for ways to work with other young black men and direct them away from gangs, drugs and violence. He helped organize the first Cops vs. Robbers basketball game in 2004, pitting troubled youth against members of law enforcement in a game to raise money for various causes.

As he went out into the community to seek funds and awareness for the event, Woods employed an unusual approach. Instead of wearing a suit and tie, Woods chose to wear his street clothes — nothing too extreme, but definitely not the office attire worn by the members of Rotary or other groups and businesses he approached. This would serve as a surprising backdrop when he opened his mouth.

“I want them to judge me first so when they hear what I’m there for, they learn they can’t always judge a book by its cover,” he said.

Jason Kleinhenz, a manager with Pre-Paid Legal Services in Reno and vice president of public relations for the Nevada Black Chamber of Commerce, met Woods through his work with an anti-gang group less than a year ago. He said Woods’ appearance was not what struck a chord with him, but rather his hard work and commitment.

“If there was a vision and something that needed to be done, we could count on him,” Kleinhenz said.

Jamar Benton, a 20-year-old who grew up in some rough neighborhoods in San Francisco, said Woods is helping redirect him from being a “hot head.” Benton said he was headed for jail for drugs and stealing cars and “things teenagers do.” Some of that attitude came with him to Reno, where Woods found him on the basketball courts in downtown.

“Marcus saw me about to get in a fight,” Benton said. “He stopped me and said, ‘Let me show you a different way.’ ”

Benton is now a member of Woods’ Robbers basketball team and is known as “Speedy” to his teammates.

For this year’s Cops vs. Robbers basketball game, which takes place Sunday, Woods has been asking locals to come out and watch in support of breast cancer. The game, called Hooping 4 Hope, is raising funds for the Revivals Health & Wellness Council, a nonprofit based in Fernley, and also for a student at Wooster High School who is a rare teenage victim of the disease.

This year’s game has an added element of drama: It is the seventh annual game and the series is tied 3-3. Woods says this will be the deciding game to see who rules the court.

The game will take place at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Boys & Girls Club at 2680 E. Ninth St. in Reno. Admission is $10 for anyone age 16 and older, $5 for age 15 and younger and free for age 6 and younger. For ticket purchase and delivery, call Woods at 378-8792 or Elaine Brannon at 772-4432.