MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[Bengalsrule]

God must have something really special planned for Buffalo State next season!

Another young member of the BENGALS family has passed away!  Hezekiah Johnson, became a honorary member of the BENGALS this past season. I was his ride to and from our home games, so we often had chances to talk away from the court. He even traveled with the team for road games at Brockport, Fredonia and Geneseo. We even went to play Lazertron and went to see "Star Wars" Christmas night. He had an infectious happy spirit which everyone on the team enjoyed. For all the stuff he was going through, he never complained!

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/12/7/MBB_1207155139.aspx

He passed away, at the age of 18 years old last week. Funeral is tomorrow!

May "Hezzie" rest in peace!

BENGAL family...... forever!

[magicman]

God must have something really special planned for Buffalo State next season!

Another young member of the BENGALS family has passed away!  Hezekiah Johnson, became a honorary member of the BENGALS this past season. I was his ride to and from our home games, so we often had chances to talk away from the court. He even traveled with the team for road games at Brockport, Fredonia and Geneseo. We even went to play Lazertron and went to see "Star Wars" Christmas night. He had an infectious happy spirit which everyone on the team enjoyed. For all the stuff he was going through, he never complained!

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/12/7/MBB_1207155139.aspx

He passed away, at the age of 18 years old last week. Funeral is tomorrow!

May "Hezzie" rest in peace!

BENGAL family...... forever!

Sorry to hear that news Champ. I remember when that news article making him an honorary Bengal was released back in December. Sad that he couldn't get the kidney that would have given him a new lease on life.

[magicman]

It was nice to see 3 SUNYAC teams in the final D3hoops poll.

Oswego at #21, Cortland State at #28 and Plattsburgh State at #29. With a little luck we could have had 3 teams in the Top 25.

Next year will find another extremely competitive conference race. I think Cortland and Plattsburgh have the nucleus for another decent season. Oswego lost a lot of talent but with Brian Sortino and Mykelle Krecko back they have possibilities. Geneseo only lost 2 players and with Justin Ringen and John Decker returning, they will be in the playoffs.   Brockport should be solid again as well, with 5 of their top 6 scorers back. Fredonia will look to move up the ladder as they should continue to improve.

Everybody could be chasing Buffalo State though as I think they return more talent than anybody. How all that talent comes together on the court will be the question mark, but right now they are the frontrunners, I believe.  Of course after seeing my Cardinals when they come back in the fall I might change my mind.    I do know we'll have one or two surprises to unveil.

Practice starts in 170 days.       

[magicman]

Potsdam State has hired a new coach and only had to go 10 miles down the road to find him. Jim Bechtel who has been the coach at SUNY-Canton for the past few years will take over the Bears

This seems like a good hire for the Bears. Canton has improved steadily under his guidance. Seems like a good recruiter and has a solid 10 year resume.
Hope the Bears find their way back to respectability. Here's a link to the news release:

http://www.potsdambears.com/news/2016/4/28/bechtelMBB042916.aspx

The Lady Bears also got a new coach as Brittany Cohen, former 2 time SUNYAC Player of the Year at Cortland State just a few years ago, will take over the reins of the women's basketball program. Cohen's grandfather was longtime Bear's assistant coach Stan Cohen, who passed away last year. Her dad is Hal Cohen who was a starter for Syracuse University's basketball team back in the late 70's. Britanny's most recent job was working for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Here's the news release on her hire:

http://www.potsdambears.com/news/2016/4/28/cohenWBB042816.aspx   

[gordonmann]

For what it's worth, I like both hires. He knows the area and did a very nice job at SUNY-Canton. She knows the conference and has a nice array of coaching experience.

[Bengalsrule]

God must have something really special planned for Buffalo State next season!

Another young member of the BENGALS family has passed away!  Hezekiah Johnson, became a honorary member of the BENGALS this past season. I was his ride to and from our home games, so we often had chances to talk away from the court. He even traveled with the team for road games at Brockport, Fredonia and Geneseo. We even went to play Lazertron and went to see "Star Wars" Christmas night. He had an infectious happy spirit which everyone on the team enjoyed. For all the stuff he was going through, he never complained!

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/12/7/MBB_1207155139.aspx

He passed away, at the age of 18 years old last week. Funeral is tomorrow!

May "Hezzie" rest in peace!

BENGAL family...... forever!

Sorry to hear that news Champ. I remember when that news article making him an honorary Bengal was released back in December. Sad that he couldn't get the kidney that would have given him a new lease on life.

Thanks magic. Sad indeed!

[irapthor]

Will do ( info on the new Paltz particulars)

On a lighter note the attached is the write up that the NJCU website has up on yesterdays game!  If you, or anyone else on these boards, have ever seen a better one, I'll buy the next 2 subs!

"Epic Battle"

http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2015/12/29/201512-29_MBASKETBALL_vs_Buffalo_State.aspx

Bengalsrule, I'm just seeing this now, but thank you for the compliment...I have a lot of pride in how I cover all sports, including college basketball and aim to do it 'the right way'...Glad even the fans of the opposing teams can enjoy it...

--Ira Thor

[Bengalsrule]

Will do ( info on the new Paltz particulars)

On a lighter note the attached is the write up that the NJCU website has up on yesterdays game!  If you, or anyone else on these boards, have ever seen a better one, I'll buy the next 2 subs!

"Epic Battle"

http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2015/12/29/201512-29_MBASKETBALL_vs_Buffalo_State.aspx

Bengalsrule, I'm just seeing this now, but thank you for the compliment...I have a lot of pride in how I cover all sports, including college basketball and aim to do it 'the right way'...Glad even the fans of the opposing teams can enjoy it...

--Ira Thor

Glad to meet you (via d3hoops) Ira.  Wish our folks in Buffalo could write up a game like you do!  The best I've seen in years! Heck I just read it again for extra measure!!  Look forward to reading some more of your posts in the upcoming season!   

[Bengalsrule]

Everybody could be chasing Buffalo State though as I think they return more talent than anybody. How all that talent comes together on the court will be the question mark, but right now they are the frontrunners,

I like that observation Magic 1. It is true that this years BENGAL starting 5 will all be seniors next year! Talk to you again in 5 months!

[Bengalsrule]

NEWSFLASH

SUNY ONEONTA Coach, Vincent Medici, is leaving the Red Dragons, to become A. D. for the Hudson falls School District! Coach Medici always had his boys ready to play, in good seasons or in bad. Always a class act after the game (his last game being at Buff State). He will be missed!

Best of luck to Coach Medici in his new role!

[gordonmann]

SUNY Oneonta announced Medici's replacement. Looks like a good hire based on the Cardinals' recruiting success in recent years.

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2016/08/oneonta-conover-hire

[magicman]

Oneonta's new head coach Cameron Conover was a terrific hire by the Red Dragons. Coach Conover has proven to be a great recruiter and was the top assistant to Head Coach Tom Curle for most of his tenure at Plattsburgh State. Plattsburgh has been the top school in the East Region over the past 11 years with 7 trips to the NCAA DIII tournament, more than any other school in the East Region during that time span. Cameron also enjoys the distinction of being the only undefeated coach in the SUNYAC conference guiding the Cardinals to an 88-86 victory over Buffalo State back on February 6th 2010 when Coach Curle had to miss that game so he'll take his 1-0 record with him to the Red Dragons. Not only is he an excellent coach he is also a pretty good player so the guys in Oneonta will be getting someone that I'm sure they will be quite happy to play for. Now I'll have to root for Oneonta to do well except when they visit Memorial Hall in Plattsburgh on Friday January 27th. Then Mikey McElroy and company will once again have to feel the agony of defeat.

Good luck to Oneonta and Coach Conover...hope this year you can make the SUNYAC playoffs and put together a decent season.     

[All-Time]

MagicMan
I hope you had a wonderful summer.
Great Hire by Oneonta. Cameron will make an immediate impact for the Red Dragons. I'm very excited to see what he can do with this team.
I know you must have given him a piece of your MAGIC WAND, because he is going to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
My sources tell me he is working on something big that will make the Red Dragons a playoff team again after their epic collapse last season. This is the kind of young innovative thinking we need at Oneonta.
Stay tuned for the news.
With most of the tops teams returning their top players the SUNYAC will be one of the top conferences in the country.
Can't wait for the fun to begin.
Enjoy the last week of summer and let the games begin.
Regards,
All-Time

[ronk]

magicman,
  In my sporadic part-time work as a contractor on an internet video project, today I came upon a clip of Plattsburgh-SUNYIT bball highlites from 2007 on PSTV. Travis Gorham and A. Williams seemed to be the players of note. They had a record of 12-6 at the time.

[magicman]

magicman,
  In my sporadic part-time work as a contractor on an internet video project, today I came upon a clip of Plattsburgh-SUNYIT bball highlites from 2007 on PSTV. Travis Gorham and A. Williams seemed to be the players of note. They had a record of 12-6 at the time.

ronk,

They were both excellent players. They finished that year (2006-07) with a 21-9 record and were in 2nd place in the SUNYAC conference with an 11-5 record at the end of the regular season. Brockport was the regular season champs with s 14-2 record. The Cardinals won the SUNYAC conference tournament and the automatic NCAA bid by downing Brockport 80-75, in Brockport, to avenge an earlier 74-72 loss during the regular season in Plattsburgh. They beat Rochester University 61-60 in a first round NCAA game that took place at St John Fisher when Anthony Williams made a jump shot from one step over half court at the final buzzer. They lost to host  St. John Fisher the next night 95-87. Williams was an All American that year and Gorham was the teams 2nd leading scorer and top rebounder. They were both juniors. The next year 2007-2008 Plattsburgh ran the table in the SUNYAC conference going 16-0 and unbeaten also in the East Region They won 3 games to win the SUNYAC tournament as well. The received a first round bye in the NCAA tournament and then beat a very good Kings team to advance to the Sweet 16. They hosted the Sectional that year and lost to Brandeis 74-63. They finished with the best record in the history of the school at 27-3. Williams was once again an All American (2nd team D3hoops and  1st team NABC) and is the only Plattsburgh State player to be a 2 time All American. He is currently the schools all time leading scorer and only played for 3 years as he transferred in his sophomore season. Both he and Travis Gorham were chosen to the first team All Region teams. Travis, I believe, is the 2nd leading rebounder in Plattsburgh State history. Both he and Anthony have returned each year since they graduated to play in the annual alumni game. Travis is married and is the father of 3 girls and a boy I think and lives here in Plattsburgh. Anthony is working as A Dean of Students or something like that at a college in the New York City area. They are two of my all time favorite Cardinal players and I always make sure to meet up with them when the alumni game takes place. I see Travis more often because he will show up at home games but Anthony is only here usually once a year and maybe a 2nd visit if we host an NCAA pod.