FAIRBURN, Ga. – A group of metro Atlanta basketball players are in the final stretch of setting a new Guinness world record.

The players with Men Opposing Sex Trafficking have been on the court since Sunday morning, playing nonstop to break the record for the longest continuous basketball game.

And the final buzzer is so close they can taste it.

What we know:

The group, who already have the record for the longest continuous basketball game, isn’t just dedicated to beating the record. They’re also in to raise awareness of their cause – encouraging men to take a stand against sex trafficking.

The 24 players are required to stay in the gym nearly the entire time and will have to eat and sleep on the court. An exception is made for five-minute bathroom breaks, which can be taken every two hours.

There are no quarter breaks or timeouts.

Organizers say a minimum of five players must be on the court at all times and groups of six will play in two-hour shifts throughout the day with alternating five-hour shifts for sleeping overnight.

A player rests during the game (FOX 5)

Any player who has six fouls in a two-hour window will be disqualified. Only one man has been forced to drop out so far because of an injury.

What they’re saying:

Going into Friday, the players say they’re certainly tired but remain in good spirits.

“The hardest part for me has been playing and then having to rest,” player Candler McBrayer said. “Obviously you have to rest, and then getting back up from the rest, because you’re extremely sore, and your muscles are cold, and it takes a minute to get them fired up, so the pain that comes from that.”

What’s next:

The current record of 120 was achieved in Buffalo, New York in 2021.

To beat that, the players have to reach 10 a.m. on Friday.

You can watch the final hours of the game on the group’s livestream here.

ATLANTA – Midtown neighborhood residents are concerned over an increase in pedestrians being struck while crossing Atlanta’s iconic rainbow crosswalks.

It was the second hit-and-run crash caught on camera at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue.

SEE ALSO: Driver wanted for hit-and-run crash in Midtown Atlanta, police say

What we know:

On Monday, just after 2:45 p.m., witnesses spotted a light-colored car strike a man sending his body soaring in the air.

That man was identified as Vernon Thomas.

Miraculously, Thomas survived and continued to recover at Grady Memorial Hospital as of Thursday afternoon.

The driver, identified as Jasmine Nettles, has been cited for leaving the scene of the accident, according to police.

What they’re saying:

Witness Akil Jules, who watched the crash unfold from his car on Piedmont Avenue, described the moment as horrifying. “All I see is like, a car speeding off, and someone landing on the floor,” Jules recalled. “I was in the car at that point and they just weren’t moving, and people were checking on them and he was on the floor. I thought he was gone.”

Jules, a software engineer, said the severity of the crash was unlike anything he’s seen before on Atlanta roads. “I know Atlanta drivers are bad, but that was the worst I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said. “That was a pretty rough hit. I am just hoping he can make a full recovery from that.”

The backstory:

The incident comes just two weeks after another pedestrian, Ashley Drumm, was also struck by a vehicle near the same area and remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

Drumm is still recovering after breaking both femurs and fracturing her skull, among other injuries. 

Both crashes have renewed concerns about pedestrian safety in Midtown, an area known for heavy foot traffic and busy intersections.

What’s next:

Atlanta police say the investigations are ongoing.

Well Spencer Schwellenbach was absolutely dominant for 6 innings against a Yankees lineup that included Aaron Judge, as he put up 10 strikeouts and only 1 walk in a scoreless outing. With Chris Sale coming off a Cy Young campaign and looking the part, Spencer Schwellenbach looking like a guy who could compete for the award, and Spencer Strider coming back looking like his all-world self in his first spring appearance, the Braves could have the best top 3 arms in baseball if things break right this season. Throw in a potential breakout from top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver, who has had an encouraging spring, and Reynaldo Lopez as a really good fourth or fifth starter, and we could be talking about a truly elite rotation in Atlanta, just like it was last year. Now if only the offense can live up to it’s billing again this year.

Braves News

Well an absolute Braves legend is returning to Atlanta, as Craig Kimbrel brings it full circle. Demetrius took a look at what his role will be like this time, when he isn’t the all-world dominant fireballing closer.

The Braves are approaching their final Opening Day roster, as they are making their final cuts, with Jake Diekman released and Anderson Pilar returned to Miami in the morning, and Christian Cairo returned to Cleveland in the afternoon.

Jurickson Profar is expected to return to the lineup for Thursday’s Spring Training game against the Phillies.

Spencer Schwellenbach looked like a Cy Young candidate against Aaron Judge and the Yankees, while Austin Riley hit an oppo blast in Wednesday’s spring matchup.

MLB News

There has apparently still been interest in trading for Arizona’s Jordan Montgomery quite recently.

The Red Sox optioned former Braves’ top prospect Vaughn Grissom to triple-A. It’s safe to say that trade has worked out in favor of Atlanta at this point.

Former Braves’ prospect Joey Estes has made the back of Oakland’s opening day rotation, as he looks to solidify himself in the majors.