Already up and running in Glasgow, twilight basketball is now being extended to include 12,000 young people in Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Stirling.

The latest phase of the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities scheme will invest money taken from criminals over three years in the night-time sessions and school-based basketball activities.

“Although our cities are great places to live and work, there are areas within them that are blighted by anti-social behaviour and youth disorder,” said Mr MacAskill.

“The devil finds work for idle hands and that is why this Government is committed to giving our young people positive things to do with their lives. We want to show them there is more to life than drink, drugs and offending.”

Scottish Sports Futures, working with Basketball Scotland, will deliver diversionary basketball activities in the five cities. The funding will also enable both organisations to provide support to schools and clubs for basketball activities outwith the cities.

The funding will also enable SSF to deliver Jump2it, their basketball programme for primary schools, to the five cities involved, and for Basketball Scotland to work with schools and local authorities to increase secondary school participation.

The minister was joined by Rob Yanders, captain of the Scottish Rocks basketball team, at the launch.

Rob said, “In my early years I made some bad decisions which almost cost me my life. Because of this I have a good understanding of the challenges that face young people on the streets. All of us at the Rocks are looking forward to being involved in this programme.”

Attending the event, Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said, “It is immensely satisfying that money taken from criminals can be turned into such healthy opportunities for sport for our young people.

“We want young people in Dundee and Scotland to aspire to sporting achievement and to be more healthy and confident and ambitious.

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison added, “CashBack for Communities has already impacted in Dundee over the past eight months with the proceeds of crime having been turned into a range of diversionary activities.”

“These have included DJ workshops, band nights and forthcoming personal and social development courses, which will include mountain biking, kayaking and hillwalking.”