Over the course of some very dark years, Frank Brown got used to running from the police.

The former meth-amphetamine addict spent years doing just that in Carson City until the law finally caught up with him.

"I missed a life sentence by three votes," said Brown. "It is not a good life. It is not a good life."

Police first arrested Brown for manufacturing meth in 1999; then again six months later; then a third time six months after that. He tried several rehab programs before turning to the Ridge House in Reno in 2005. That's where he re-connected with Executive Director Steve Burt, who first tried to get Brown to clean up his act in Carson City in 1999. It took six years and a move out of the state capitol, but Burt finally broke through.

"He just decided he was sick and tired of being sick and tired," said Burt. "And he'd been in several programs. He'd been in almost every program in northern Nevada and he just wanted a different life finally."

Brown cleaned up his act at Ridge House and eventually became a staff member. He's now married and wants to eventually start up his own maintenance company. But for the time being, he, Burt and his Ridge House teammates are focused on raising money by holding basketball games and other charity events so people down on their luck can turn things around like Frank and win both on the court and off of it.

"My parole officer was the one that gave me my first case," said Brown. "He chased me down and caught me with the drugs five years prior and I ended up with him. And we were sitting around talking and he mentioned 'you know Frank. I would never have thought you'd be in the position you are today."

Frank and his teammates knocked off the "Cops" 81-73 in a game that raised a couple thousand dollars for the Ridge House. Both sides have agreed to a rematch, which will be played on April 11.

For more information on the Ridge House, visit www.ridgehouse.org.