2023 Albany Patroons Season Program

Price Chopper Market 32 to offer discounted game tickets Through Albany Patroons Partnership

Albany Patroons’ game tickets are more accessible than ever with discounted tickets available for purchase at all Price Chopper and Market 32 locations.

The Albany Patroons, the 2019 The Basketball League champions, have partnered with Price Chopper and Market 32 for the 2023 season. Through this partnership, general admission tickets to single games are available for purchase at all Price Chopper and Market 32 locations at a discounted price.

The tickets, regularly priced at $15, will be discounted to $12 with AdvantEdge card when purchased at any register in any of Price Chopper and Market 32’s 132 store locations in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Once purchased, customers can redeem the

General Admission ticket at the box office of the Washington Avenue Armory on the day of any regular season home game.

“The Patroons are thrilled to have the support of Price Chopper and Market 32,” said Rebecca Clifford, team owner & CEO. “We’re excited about this new partnership and opportunity to team up with Price Chopper and Market 32 to promote this upcoming Patroons season, giving our fans an opportunity to conveniently obtain tickets at reduced prices ahead of the game.”

“We’re so happy to support the Albany Patroons and welcome fans to purchase tickets as easy as 1, 2, 3: (1) visit any

of our locations,

(2) ask for a ticket at any register, and

(3) buy your tickets while checking out,” said Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services, Price Chopper and Market 32.

There are 12 participating Price Chopper and Market 32 locations within Albany County.

For more information on the Albany Patroons’ game schedule or for season tickets, please visit patroonsbasketball.com.

For more than 85 years, we’ve been a family in business, making a positive difference in people’s lives.

We’re proud to be caring citizens and to team up and help organizations like Albany Patroons Basketball, helping them to enhance and improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods where we live and work.

WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, OUR AIM IS TRUE!

Washington Avenue Armory: History in the making

By ChuCk Miller

The Washington Avenue Armory, long a host for professional basketball in the Capital District, has entertained and protected Albany residents for nearly 130 years.

The facility was built in 1890 as the headquarters of the New York Army National Guard’s Tenth Battalion - soldiers from that fighting force went from the Armory to the Spanish-American War, for example - and as its name defines, the “Armory” was a munitions depot and weapons storage facility for most of its history. But because of its size and ability to host hundreds of troops, it was also used as an entertainment venue for most of its existence.

The Armory is one of the oldest buildings in America to host professional basketball, and the New York State League - a major professional basketball circuit in the 1910’s and 1920’s - had an Albany Senators basketball team that called the Armory home. The Senators shared the championship in 1920, and won it outright in 1921. Two members of the Sena

tors’ lineup - Barney Sedran and Marty Friedman - are in the Basketball Hall of Fame today.

Siena College used the Armory for its college basketball team, as the Indians (as they were known at the time) played at Washington and Lark from the 1940’s until the mid-1970’s, when the Alumni

was built. Siena’s most successful season in the Armory was the 1949-50 year, when Billy Harrell and the Indians completed a 27-5 season - and won, on the Armory court, the National Catholic Invitational Tournament, Siena’s first major hoops title.

In 1982, the Albany Patroons joined

and played in the Armory from 1982 to 1990, winning two championships in the Armory facility in the process. In 2010, the Albany Legends of the International Basketball Association won their only championship - again, in the Armory. The Armory was host to the Patroons in 2019, when Albany won their third professional

The Armory has also existed as an entertainment venue. In 1919, during the New York State Teachers Association convention, thousands of teachers visited the Armory to participate in a demonstration of Thomas Edison’s new phonograph - a record player that could produce sound with such clarity, the teachers were challenged to tell the difference between an Edison record and a live opera singer, and many teachers were fooled by the phonograph’s incredible sound. Edison

In the 1960’s, the Armory operated as a performance stage for some of the top bands of the day. On any given night, teenagers could visit the Armory and watch performances by Bobby Darin, Peter Paul & Mary, Diana Ross & The Supremes, or Gary Lewis & The Playboys, among others.

Fans of boxing and wrestling found the Armory as a community haven - on Friday nights, the World Wide Wrestling Federation (today known as WWE) set up the

pling action. As for boxing, the Armory hosted several closed-circuit televised events - you could watch Muhammad Ali take on Joe Frazier without having to visit Madison Square Garden in the process. Even roller derby found a home at the Armory, as the Albany All-Stars dominated the flat track in the 2010’s.

In 2021, the Armory stepped up in the fight against COVID-19, as the facility became a staging area and vaccination center. During that time period, thou

nal mission statement of protecting the local citizens.

After a major renovation in 2004, the Armory became a music performance center and entertainment venue again, as George Benson performed at a reopening ceremony. In fact, you could see artists as varied as rapper Kendrick Lamar or jamband moe. on stage at the Armory at any given time.

Today, the Armory continues as one of Albany’s oldest multi-purpose buildings,

The Albany Patroons 2022 Season

One period away from perfection

By ChuCk Miller

After a COVID-shortened 2020 season, and an absence from The Basketball League while the Armory was used as a FEMA run vaccination facility, the Albany Patroons returned in 2022 with a vengeance.

Under newly-signed head coach Will Brown, the former UAlbany head coach guided the Patroons to a blistering 22-3 regular season record, best among all TBL clubs. That record included a stunning 13-0 at home, the second time a Patroons squad has swept all opponents at home in a full regular season since the George Karl-led Albany Patroons went 28-0 in the 1990-91 Continental Basketball Association season. The Patroons went on to win their division, the TBL Eastern Conference Title as well as the TBL Eastern Regional Championship.

The Patroons’ victories included several games in which

the outcome wasn’t “Who will win,” but rather, “How much will the Patroons win by?” That included a 13499 punching on March 4th against the Massachusetts Monarchs; a 147-103 beatdown of the Connecticut Cobras on May 5th; and a 139-79 mutilation of the TriState Admirals on May 21st. The victories also included a 97-90 home win against the National Basketball League of Canada’s London Lightning; in which the Patroons sent the Canadian visitors back across the border with its first loss of their season.

AJ Mosby, a plucky point guard from Alcorn State, led the Patroons in scoring with an average of 20.4 points per game; he would later be named Albany’s representative in the TBL-NBL All-Star Game, where he amassed a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Not to be outdone, Patroons center Anthony Moe nearly averaged a double-double of 17.2 ppg and 8.9 rpg –including missing a few weeks for an overseas contract.

For the postseason, every series turned into a nail-biter. In the first round, Albany lost the opening contest in Atlantic City, then returned to the Armory and claimed two straight wins to advance. After a two-game sweep against the Patroons’ next opponent (Huntsville), Albany faced a strong Kokomo BobKats team and their noisy fans, who took the first game 123-110. The Patroons then returned home and the fans made some noise of their own – bringing pots and pans and whatever they could bang as loud as they could, boosting Albany to two straight wins and the TBL Championship finals.

After splitting two games with the Shreveport Mavericks, the luck of the gold and kelly green finally gave out. Shreveport tied the final game on a last-second heave, and eventually won the match in overtime, 137-132, becoming the first visiting team since 2009 to win a championship on Albany’s home court. The loss also ended a Patroons home winning streak – which extended all the way to 2019 – at 28 straight home contests.

The Patroons return to the Armory for their 2023 campaign, ready to take on any and all opponents in The Basketball League – and to once again return to the championship to hopefully claim its fourth title in 40 years.

From Practice player to head coach

Derrick Rowland’s career with the Albany Patroons

By ChuCk Miller

In December 1982, Derrick Rowland was a recent graduate of SUNY-Potsdam, and the All-American basketball star at the Division III school was trying for an opportunity to play for Albany’s newest professional basketball squad, the Albany Patroons. He didn’t make the team. At least not at first.

Derrick Rowland became a practice player with the Patroons in their first season, working with head coach (and former New York Knick) Dean Memminger on several plays and practices. After traveling to Rochester and suiting up for the Rochester Zeniths, Rowland was traded to the CBA to play under the Patroons’ new head coach, Phil Jackson.

Jackson and the Patroons thrived, and Derrick Rowland benefited from the experience. In 1984, Rowland would win a CBA championship with the Patroons, his first of two championships earned as

a player with the Pats. And although Phil Jackson traded Derrick Rowland away in 1986, Derrick wasn’t with his new team very long – in fact, Derrick would finish out the 1985-86 season as a member of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Derrick returned to the Patroons in the 1987-88 season, where he became a key role player with new Patroons head coach Bill Musselman. Musselman’s Patroons (which also included future NBA head coaches Scott Brooks, Rick Carlisle and Sidney Lowe) roared through a 48-6 regular season, on their way to victory in the 1988 CBA Championship finals.

By the 1988-89 season, Derrick Rowland became both a player and a stu-

dent, learning under Albany head coaches George Karl, Gerald Oliver, Charley Rosen and Herman Kull. By the time Rowland

hit his final playing season – 1991-92 –he became the fifth most prolific scorer in CBA history.

As his playing career wound down, Derrick Rowland learned the fine art of coaching – which, when you have teachers like Phil Jackson, George Karl and Bill Musselman, is extremely beneficial. When the Patroons returned to the CBA in the 2005-06 season, Derrick Rowland became an assistant coach with the Pats, helping head coach Micheal Ray Richardson guide this new franchise.

It was during this time that Derrick Rowland found himself coaching the Patroons in the 2007 CBA finals, against the Yakama Sun Kings. After a suspension took Micheal Ray Richardson off the bench, Derrick coached the squads in Games 2 and 3 of the series, and nearly took victories in both games.

By the 2008-09 season, the Patroons’ last in the CBA, Rowland was again the

We know great teams

head coach, taking the Patroons to the championship. He returned to the Patroons for the 2018 NAPB season, and was on the sidelines when Albany moved to the TBL. In fact, Derrick Rowland is the only person to participate in all four Patroons’ championship runs – two victories as a player (1984, 1988) and four appearances as a head coach (2007, 2009, 2018, 2019), including a title on the Armory court in 2019.

Rowland also has another Albany coaching championship in his possession, as he coached the Albany Legends to a victory over the Bellingham (Wash.) Slam, winning the International Basketball Association 2010 title.

When the Patroons returned to Albany for the 2017-18 season, Derrick Rowland was there, coaching the team to a 1910 record, bringing the team back to the championship finals. Under his tutelage, his players Edwin Ubiles and Xavier Moon earned league honors as Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.

After a year away from the Patroons, coaching the Potowatomi Fire to a TBL playoff run, Derrick Rowland returns to the Patroons for the 2023 season. And this time, he has an added benefit. His son, Derrick Rowland Jr., a guard who played collegiately at the University of New Haven, where he averaged 13 points per game in his four years, is part of the Patroons as well – making Derrick Rowland one of the few professional basketball coaches whose son is on the court. Previous NBA coach-player family combos include Doc Rivers and son Austin, Mitchell Wiggins and son Andrew, and Bill Walton with son Luke Walton.

Coach Derrick Rowland has achieved a pretty impressive run in the Armory - both as a player and as a coach – with the Albany Patroons.

Not bad for a guy who was cut in the Patroons’ opening practice nearly four decades ago.

The Albany Patroons’ Greatest Games

40

By ChuCk Miller

The Albany Patroons have experienced some fantastic highs throughout their time in the Capital District, and we thought we’d share a few of the Pats’ greatest contests. How many of these did you attend?

Albany Patroons v. CBA AllStars, Washington Avenue Armory, Albany, N.Y., February 19, 1983 (Albany wins 122-109)

In the Patroons’ first year of operation, 1982-83, newly-hired head coach Phil Jackson’s first opportunity to shine with his new squad came when the Patroons hosted an All-Star contest that was comprised of the Continental Basketball Association All-Stars.

specialists: Detroit Spirits guard Tico Brown (who would later set a record for most points scored in a CBA career), Ohio Mixers guard Kevin Figaro (who scored 48 points in his first encounter with the Patroons), Spirits forward Clarence Kea, Rochester Zeniths forward Al Smith and Wisconsin Flyers center Joe Kopicki.

Davis, whose first two shots missed the basket completely, came alive in the second quarter. He got the rebound on Frankie Sanders’ 15-foot rim-bouncer and was fouled making the shot. Stepping to the free throw line, Davis calmly sank the charity point, putting Albany ahead 44-43.

Then the spotlight radiated on Larry Spriggs. Spriggs, the 1982 CBA Rookie

of the Year, was sold to the Patroons by the financially destitute Las Vegas Silvers. Before the All-Star Game, Albany’s newest acquisition paid immediate dividends, averaging 23 points and 6 rebounds in 6 games. And in the third quarter of the All-Star Game, Spriggs scored eight quick points and bounced a no-look pass to Sanders for another basket.

The Pats won the All-Star Game, 122109, and defeated the best in the CBA. Larry Spriggs, leading all Patroons with 22 points, was named the Most Valuable Player of the game.

Albany Patroons v. Bay State Bombardiers, Brockton High School, Brockton, Mass., March 16, 1984 (Albany wins 117114 OT)

As the 1983-84 season came to a conclusion, the Albany Patroons finished second in the Eastern Division with a 25-19 record - and were headed for the playoffs. Their opponents in the best-of-five first round were the Bay State Bombardiers, guided by CBA All-Stars Joe Dawson and

Albany’s starting five, Phil Seymore, Hollis Copeland, Frankie J. Sanders, Mike Davis and Ralph McPherson, faced an All-Star first team of heavy scorers and defensive

Charlie Jones.

It was a best-of-five series, and Bay State had won the first two matches, and the Patroons were hoping to stave off elimination. After four quarters, the score was tied 114-114.

During the 1983-84 season, the CBA had a sudden-death overtime rule, where the first team to score three points in overtime were the victors.

Bay State’s Al Smith got the ball and attempted a three-pointer at the top of the key. The ball headed straight for the hoop. Phil Jackson stood up and grabbed his clipboard, consoling himself that he brought Albany to the playoffs, and if it weren’t for the overtime rule, next year he would take them further.

The ball went halfway through the cylinder, rolled around twice and fell out - right into the hands of Lowes Moore. No points for Bay State. Jackson dropped his clipboard and sat down, praying for a miracle.

Albany’s Lowes Moore described what happened next. “I remember receiving the basketball, and we had a play where we had Frankie J. and John Schweitz, who came off the bottom picks, but Phil gave me the green light at any time to shoot that shot if I wanted to, so as I was

dribbling down, I was looking for them to come off the picks, but in my mind I had made up to shoot it soon as I got to the three-point line. I was just looking at them, looking, looking, looking, and I just pulled up and shot it, and we won the game. It was over. Three points. That was it ... I just felt like I could do anything in that situation.”

Moore’s 25foot shot gave the Patroons a 117-114 victory and saved them from elimination. Albany would later rally to win Gams 4 and 5, knocking Bay State completely out of the postseason.

Albany Patroons v. Wyoming Wildcatters, Washington Avenue Armory, Albany, N.Y.,

April 8, 1984 (Albany wins 119-109, first CBA championship)

In only their second year of existence, after beating the Bay State Bombardiers and the Puerto Rico Coquis in the playoffs, the Albany Patroons were now in the CBA championship series, facing the Wyoming Wildcatters in a bestof-five fight for the title. With both teams winning two games, the decider was held in a packed Armory.

The star of the night for Albany was Andre Gaddy. Gaddy, a 6’10” rookie from George Mason University, who averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds in the playoffs. Joined by Ralph McPherson, Derrick Rowland, Lowes Moore and Rudy

Macklin, the Pats pulled ahead in Game 5 and never looked back.

And as the minutes ticked away, Wyoming, down by 15, Wyoming called a timeout. The Armory erupted in cheers, whistles and applause. In the Armory’s “upper deck” seats, the fans unfurled a handmade banner - the Patroons’ Dutch shoe and ball logo with the words “CBA 83-84 Champs.”

After two more minutes of play, the game - and the season was finally over. Patroons 119, Wildcatters 109. Phil Jackson was given the CBA Championship Trophy, and he held it aloft while his team poured champagne on his head.

The next day, Pats fans packed Academy Park for a victory rally. Everybody involved, from Team President Jim Coyne to Mayor Tom Whalen, from team leader Lowes Moore to Playoff MVP Andre Gaddy, stood at the dais in Academy Park and thanked the people of the Capital District for supporting the “Champion” Patroons. Albany Patroons v. Wyoming Wildcatters, Washington Avenue Armory, Albany, N.Y., April 30, 1988 (Albany wins 105-96, wins second CBA championship).

Greatest Games from page 11

Bill Musselman was the head coach for the Patroons during the 1987-88 season, and he brought every weapon he could to Albany. That included future NBA stars like Tony Campbell, Scott Brooks, Tod Murphy and Rick Carlisle; along with Patroons legends Derrick Rowland and Lowes Moore; and an ace in the hole with former NBA superstar Micheal Ray Richardson.

Albany’s opponents in the 1987-88 CBA championship series were the Wyoming Wildcatters, a team who made the playoffs despite losing 20 of their last 23 games. Both teams battled through six exciting playoff games, and now it was down to a seventh no-tomorrow contest in the Armory. 5,000 Patroon supporters squeezed into the Armory, and a million hoop fans watched the game live on ESPN.

Although Wyoming had a lead going into the final minutes of the first half, Lowes Moore came off the bench and scored 13 points in the second quarter, including another halfcourt shot that put Albany in the lead.

But the hero of the night was Tod Murphy. What made Murphy’s 21 points in that match so remarkable was that he played the last four games of the championship

series with an injury; his Achilles tendon had been banged in game 3 of the series. Murphy even gave up a 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors so he could help the Patroons win the championship.

And at the end of the match, the final score read Albany 105, Wyoming 96. And the Albany Patroons picked up their second championship in their six-year history. And for all his efforts, Tod Murphy captured the Most Valuable Player award.

Albany Patroons v. Grand Rapids Hoops, Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, N.Y., March 16, 1991 (Albany 97-5, Grand Rapids 892, Patroons complete perfect regular season home schedule)

Before this game, no professional basketball team, not the Lakers, nor the Celtics, nor the Knicks, not even the Harlem Globetrotters had ever won every home game. During the 1990-91 season, the Albany Patroons had won 27 home games in a row. Heck, they hadn’t lost at the Knickerbocker Arena (today MVP Arena) since the 1990 playoffs a year prior.

Twenty-seven home games ago, the Albany Patroons started the season with returning veterans Vince Askew and Mario Elie, new rookies in Paul “Snoop” Graham and Jeff Fryer, and NBA-experienced play-

ers like Albert King. Like any CBA team, Albany’s lineup changed drastically during the season, as players floated to the NBA (Mario Elie), drifted to foreign lands (Mike Giomi), or limped to the disabled list (Willie McDuffie). But Patroons head coach George Karl’s run-and-pass offense and tungsten defense helped win game after game at the Knick (and more than a few on the road, where they went 22-6).

On this night, the Patroons’ Albert King was the star of the show. The NBA veteran pulled down 13 boards and scored 25 points, including swatting away most of the Hoops’ Ron Cavenall’s rebounds. King was later voted the CBA’s 1991 Newcomer of the Year. Albany’s Vince Askew also played hard in the game, scoring 18 points and dishing out seven assists. Albany even picked up five of seven “quarter points” in the standings, giving them the #1 seed in the CBA playoffs.

And although the Patroons could not claim that third championship in 1991 … a third championship would eventually happen at the Armory.

Albany Patroons v. Yakima Sun Kings, Washington Avenue Armory, May 2, 2019 (Albany wins 124-112, wins third professional championship and first TBL title)

In all their years, the Patroons had NEVER defeated the Yakima Sun Kings in a postseason game. And two of those losses (in 2007 and 2018) gave the Sun Kings their championships. But 2019 was different.

The Patroons and Sun Kings were scheduled for a best-of-three series, with the first two games in Washington State; the third, if necessary, would be played in Albany. But after the Patroons won the second match in overtime, the Armory was buzzing with excitement.

And although Yakima got off to a quick start in this winner-takes-all night, Albany’s Shadell Millinghaus snapped off 37 points in 48 minutes – he never went to the bench, he played every single minute of that match. And Joshua Cameron hit eight straight points – a 3-ball, two free throws and another 3-ball – to turn the Sun Kings’ lead into a deficit. And Albany never looked back.

It took 30 years between championship runs, but the Patroons finally claimed their third title. TBL Commissioner David Magley, who played on the Patroons’ 1984 championship team, proudly handed the MVP trophy to Shadell Millinghaus as confetti rained upon the Armory floor.

NOVUS to Outfit the Albany Patroons for 2023 Season

The Albany Patroons are making their return this year and will be outfitted in NOVUS Clothing Company gear for the second year in a row. In addition to both being based in Albany, the historic minor league basketball team has a lot in common with NOVUS Clothing Company, which is why this partnership is the perfect fit.

The owners of NOVUS, Nick and Garrett Bernardo have deep roots with the Albany Patroons thanks to their Grandfather, Bill Bernardo. Bill Bernardo was a charter member of the team’s board of directors in 1983 and successfully helped the Patroons bring on their first coach and now legendary NBA coach, Phil Jackson.

“There’s a rich history of coaches and players behind the Patroons and the team is near to our hearts as our grandfather took a lot of pride not only in the city of Albany but the game of basketball,” said Garrett Bernardo, Owner & CEO. “We feel like this partnership hits home as the Patroons have always been a part of our

family, and now we get to do what we love by outfitting the staff and players with our very own NOVUS gear.”

NOVUS hopes to carry on the legacy of the Patroons—and their grandfather by establishing partnerships with programs that support the local community and young athletes.

“We want to partner with staple programs that have impacted the local community and the Patroons are one of them,” said Nick Bernardo, Owner & COO. “Being a business that’s in Albany and having the history of our grandfather, we want to carry that on and get the community together.”

NOVUS is excited to be outfitting the Patroons players and coaching staff in custom apparel for the 2023 season. Be on the lookout for new gear throughout the season and follow @NOVUSClothingCo on social media to stay in the loop.

For more information visit: https://www. novusclothingcompany.com/

ONE LEAGUE - 49 TEAMS

About The TBL

TBL is dedicated to serving our communities.

Outreach efforts include daytime games for school aged students with programming at half time centered on issues of bullying, self confidence, and reputation safety.

Games are sponsored by local businesses and are a tremendous platform of impact.

TBL is committed to Community Outreach to local Non-Profit organizations.

TEAMS NATIONWIDE!

League Leaders

Evelyn Magley – TBL CEO

Evelyn Magley made history as the first African American woman to ever own a male professional sports league in the United States.

Evelyn is the former Director of Community Engagement at the Brampton A’s of the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada. As a liaison she scaled the forward facing programming of the NBL, professional basketball teams, and nonprofit organizations within the community at large.

A Music Educator and Music Therapist, Magley has a passion for positively impacting the lives of young people. As a graduate from the University of Kansas she co-founded “Children with Purpose,” an inner-city ministry focused on mentoring children through the gospel, academic services, hot meals, and music.

A $3.7 million Fine Arts Building was constructed to house and educate students in a music program that grew to an 89% participation rate under her tutelage in Bradenton, Florida.

David Magley – TBL President

David is a retired American NBA basketball player and coach. Prior to becoming the President of the TBL he served as the commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Magley is a longtime successful entrepreneur. Awards include being an Academic All-American at Kansas University, 1978 Indiana Mr. Basketball, and producing four NCAA Student-Athlete children with his wife of 35+ years Evelyn.

Albany’s First Professional Basketball Champions

The 1920’S Albany Senators

By ChuCk Miller

Their star forward was only 5’4” tall. One of their guards switched to baseball by the end of the season. Most of the players suited up for different teams in different leagues – during the same season. 5,000 fans, including New York Governor Al Smith, packed the Washington Avenue Armory to see their games. And they shot baskets inside of a cage. Meet the Senators, Albany’s first championship basketball team. From 1919 to 1923, the Senators (also known as “Solons” or “Lawgivers,” depending on the sportswriter’s preference) posted a 10338 record in the New York State League, winning two championships in what was then one of the top professional leagues in America.

Basketball in the 1920’s, however, was a rougher, more physical contest than the game we know of today. The cage – sometimes made of chicken wire, other times of rope nets – encircled the court. The predominant shot was the two-handed set shot, there was no shot clock – heck,

there wasn’t even a backboard, all baskets had to go cleanly through the hoop. And games were low-scoring in the 1920’sFor example, Albany beat Cohoes 43-14 on January 5, 1920, which was considered

a blowout in those days.

It was in this era and atmosphere that Bill “Brownie” Hepinstall felt he could build a winning basketball team in Albany. In 1919, Hepinstall, a savvy promoter

and part-time baseball umpire, became the owner, manager, coach, and part-time forward of the Senators. Instead of scouting out local basketball talent, as did the rest of the league, Hepinstall knew more fans would spin the turnstiles if his team had recognizable and well-established players. Sparing no expense, he acquired New York basketball stars Barney Sedran, Marty Friedman and Harry Riconda as the nucleus of his Albany Senators.

Barney Sedran, the son of Russian immigrants, was one of the earliest college basketball stars (City College of New York, 1911). Sedran, a 5’4″ forward, made a tidy sum as a basketball player by playing for as many teams during one season as was physically possible. In 1914 Sedran led the Tri-County League’s Carbondale (Pa.) Salukis to 35 consecutive victories and a league title. On off-days from the Salukis, Sedran played a full schedule with the Utica Utes of the New York State League. While with Utica, Sedran set a record by

Continued on page 22

The Albany Senators: (1) Ray Kennedy; (2) Leo Duval; (3) William Hepinstall, Jr.; (4) Harry Riconada; (5) Marty Friedman; (6) unidentified; (7) Barney Sedran.

First Champions from page 21

making 17 field goals in a game against Cohoes – 17 clean shots through a backboardless hoop.

Sedran’s partner on the field was 5’8” Max “Marty” Friedman. Like Sedran, Friedman normally played on two teams at a time. In 1919-20, he played on three teams in three different leagues at the same time, and was on champion squads each time. Sedran and Friedman were known as “The Heavenly Twins,” a nickname that stuck with them wherever the duo went.

5’10” Harry Riconda was another New York basketball star who split his time among teams. As a member of the New York Whirlwinds, along with Sedran and Friedman, played two contests against the New York “Original Celtics,” drawing a record-high 19,000 fans for a two-game series. He was also one of the early twosport athletes, as he excelled in minor league baseball during basketball’s offseason.

With the Washington Avenue Armory as their home, the Senators began their 1919 maiden season. Stockpiled with major professional talent, Hepinstall’s team beat nearly every team they faced, winning the

league’s split-season first half championship with a 17-1 record – a phenomenal .944 winning percentage. Their most hated rival squad at the time was the Troy Trojans, operated by future Basketball Hall of Famer Ed Wachter. Troy won the second half of the season with a 27-5 record, and would face Albany in a best-of-five series to decide the league championship. Unfortunately, the series never got off the ground, as Troy’s owner Matt Kelly argued with Brownie Hepinstall over how the box office receipts should be divided. The conflict was never settled, so Troy and Albany were declared co-champions.

In the 1920-21 season, Hepinstall recruited more talent to make his Albany fivesome even tougher on the court. Sedran, Friedman, Riconda and Leo Duval all returned, along with a new acquisition, 5’9” forward Ray Kennedy. Also playing a few games at center for Albany was Al Reich, another two-sport athlete (he was a better-than-average heavyweight boxer of his day). These Senators were declared champions of the first half of the season, as their 22-6 record was more than six games ahead of second-place Schenectady (15-12).

Continued on page 24

First Champions from page 22

Hepinstall also tried a groundbreaking experiment. In another effort to increase attendance, he created an all-female basketball squad, which played exhibitions against male teams before the Senators’ contests. This noble experiment was discontinued after a few games, when the Lady Senators defeated the men in every contest. They would later claim the best record in the second part of the 1920-21 campaign, winning the 1920-21 pennant outright.

After playing an independent season in 1921-22 (winning 11 of 13 games), the Senators returned to the New York State League for the 1922-23 campaign. The 1922-23 season was the last for the New York State League. Most teams in the League tried to follow Albany’s success formula, and signed star players from New York and Pennsylvania. Some men were paid an astronomical $100 per game, all in an effort to win glory for their team. By the time the season ended, many teams were so financially exhausted that another season was unaffordable. That included the Albany Senators.

The Albany Senators were no longer the dominant team – a new team in the

League, the Kingston Colonials, were the first-half victors and ran neck-and-neck with Albany for the second-half championship.

After the New York State League folded in 1923, Bill Hepinstall remained in the Albany area, where his descendants became involved with the Albany Public School system. Sedran and Friedman continued playing basketball, sometimes returning to Albany for exhibition games. In 1924, while guarding third base for the Athletics, Harry Riconda made seven putouts in a single game, setting an American League record for third basemen. In 1962, Barney Sedran was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Marty Friedman joined his “Heavenly Twin” in Springfield in 1971.

The Senators were champions in their era, a time before the 24-second clock, backboards, racial integration, airplane travel, guaranteed contracts, salary caps, the three-point play and designer athletic footwear. But could the Senators, in their prime, ever beat the Lakers or the Celtics or even the Patroons? Playing by today’s rules, not a chance. Steph Curry could have hopscotched over 5’4” Barney Sedran and still make a spectacular dunk.

But Steph dunking in a cage – that’s another story.

GO PATROONS!

Patroons in the NBA

Players and Coaches that moved up

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NEVER MISS A GAME… LIVE STREAM THE ALBANY PATROONS

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Home games broadcasted live from the Armory feature:

Pre and post game shows with matchups, interviews, special guests and full game play by play with — Rich Becker & Jeremy Friel with John Longton

The Albany Patroons in 2022!

Photos by Ellis PEmrick

MARCH —

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Syracuse Stallions

Friday, March 3 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Lehigh Valley Legends

Saturday, March 4 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Montreal Tundra

Friday, March 10 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Academie Alma

Saturday, March 11 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Academie Alma

Sunday, March 12 Tip off @2:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Atlantic City Gambits

Saturday, March 18 Tip off @7:00pm

GAME SCHEDULE

ALBANY PATROONS At Jamestown Jackals

Sunday, March 19 Tip off @2:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Academie Alma

Saturday, March 25 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Montreal Tundra

Sunday, March 26 Tip off @3:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Lehigh Valley Legends

Friday, March 31 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Academie Alma

Saturday, April 1 Tip off 7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Montreal Tundra

Thursday, April 13 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Syracuse Stallions

Sunday, April 16 Tip off @2:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Atlantic City Gambits

Friday, April 21 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs Lehigh Valley Legends

Saturday, April 22 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS Vs York Mighty Ants

Friday, April 28 Tip off @7:00pm

ALBANY PATROONS At Pennsylvania Kings

Sunday, April 30 Tip off @7:00pm

MAY

ALBANY PATROONS At Lehigh Valley Legends

Friday, May 5 Tip off @7:00pm