Albany Patroons
| Albany Patroons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Leagues | CBA 1982–1992, 2005–2009 USBL 2006–2007 |
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| Founded | 1982 | ||
| Folded | 2009 | ||
| History | Albany Patroons 1982–1992 Capital Region Pontiacs 1992–1993 Albany Patroons 2005–2009 |
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| Arena | Washington Avenue Armory | ||
| Location | Albany, New York | ||
| Team colors | Gold & Kelly Green | ||
| Head coach | Derrick Rowland | ||
| Ownership | Ben Fernandez | ||
| Championships | 2 (1984, 1988) | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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The Albany Patroons are a professional basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (and played in the United States Basketball League (USBL) from 2006 until 2007).
The Patroons' home arena was the 3,500-seat Washington Avenue Armory, a former New York National Guard armory with a castle-like exterior. In 1990, the Patroons moved from this location and into the newly constructed Times Union Center, then called the Knickerbocker Arena. When the team was re-established in 2005, it moved back into the Armory. In February 2009, the CBA announced it was abbreviating its regular season as of February 3.[1] On its official website, it was announced that the team would not play in the 2009–2010 season.[2]
History
Originally entering the CBA as an expansion franchise in the 1982–83 season, the Patroons won league championships in 1984 and 1988, defeating the Wyoming Wildcatters in both instances.
NBA head coach Phil Jackson won his first championship ring when he guided the Albany Patroons to the 1984 CBA championship. Walter (Walt The Stalt) Williams was named MVP of the series and went on to become a key assistant coach to Jackson. Jackson would later win NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1988, the Patroons won a second championship, this time under head coach Bill Musselman. Musselman would later coach the Minnesota Timberwolves, and several Patroons from the 1987–88 championship year – including Rick Carlisle, Scott Brooks, Tod Murphy, Tony Campbell and Sidney Lowe – played on those early Timberwolves squads.
Three years later, the Patroons completed a 50–6 regular season, including winning all 28 of their home games; at that time, George Karl was the Patroons' head coach. Future NBA stars Mario Elie and Vincent Askew were part of that 50–6 squad.
During the Patroons' time in the CBA, they won two CBA championships and five Eastern Division regular season titles. For the 1992–93 season, the Patroons were renamed the Capital Region Pontiacs, as the team received sponsorship from the local car dealerships. After that season, the franchise was relocated to Connecticut, where it played for 1½ years as the Hartford Hellcats.
Other notable basketball coaches that have coached the Patroons are Bob Thomason and Bruce Brown.[3]
Rebirth
After a decade-long absence, the Patroons rejoined the CBA as an expansion team for the 2005–06 season, with their original name, original colors (gold and kelly green), and a return to the old Washington Avenue Armory. Former NBA star Micheal Ray Richardson, who played for the Patroons in the 1987–88 season, became the team's head coach, while the Patroons' career scoring leader, Derrick Rowland, was named his assistant coach. In the Patroons' first year back, they finished with a 20–28 record, good for third place in the CBA Eastern Conference. Albany qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the first round of the CBA round-robin style playoffs. The Patroons were led by T. J. Thompson, who averaged a league-high 25.4 points per game, and local product James Thomas, who in two stints with the Patroons led the team in rebounds per game. On April 25, 2006, the CBA moved its league offices into the Patroon's home, the Washington Avenue Armory (News Brief).
In the 2006–07 season, the Patroons won the CBA American Conference championship and advanced to the best-of-five CBA Finals against the Yakama Sun Kings. The Patroons lost game one at the Armory, to the Sun Kings. However, this was overshadowed when the next day, coach Micheal Ray Richardson was suspended for the rest of the season for firing expletives at hecklers during games and his comments in an interview with the Albany Times Union newspaper, stating that Jews were "crafty (because) they are hated worldwide."[4][5] Without Richardson, the Patroons dropped the next two games of the finals, as the Sun Kings won their second consecutive championship. Three days after the conclusion of the series, it was announced that Richardson would not be back to the coach the Patroons.[6] Richardson, now the coach of the Oklahoma Cavalry, was replaced by Vincent Askew.[7]
On July 10, 2007, former Patroon Jamario Moon signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Raptors. Moon had a strong rookie campaign, averaging 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
USBL
On June 14, 2006, the Patroons purchased the rights to a United States Basketball League team, which would also be called the Patroons, and would also play in the Washington Avenue Armory. The team replaced the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs. However, after only two years and very low attendance at their home games, the Patroons ended their USBL affiliation on June 19, 2007.[8]
In July 2008 it was announced by arena management and the Albany Times Union that the Patroons might not call the Washington Avenue Armory home for the next season. Jim Coyne, general manager of the Armory and commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association, told the newspaper that if the team didn't sell 600 season tickets by the end of July the team would either fold or move. At that time the Pats had about 50 season ticket holders.
Both the league and the Patroons folded after the 2009 season citing the terrible economy, according to the Albany Times Union.
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982/83 | CBA | 4th, Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 1983/84 | CBA | 2nd, Eastern | Champions |
| 1984/85 | CBA | 1st, Eastern | Eastern Division Finals |
| 1985/86 | CBA | 4th, Eastern | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1986/87 | CBA | 2nd, Eastern | Eastern Division Finals |
| 1987/88 | CBA | 1st, Eastern | Champions |
| 1988/89 | CBA | 1st, Eastern | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1989/90 | CBA | 1st, American Eastern | American Conference Finals |
| 1990/91 | CBA | 1st, National Eastern | National Conference Finals |
| 1991/92 | CBA | 3rd, American Eastern | American Conference 1st Round Shootout |
| 1992/93 | CBA | 2nd, American Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2005/06 | CBA | 3rd, Eastern | 2nd in Eastern Round Robin |
| 2006 | USBL | 4th, Eastern | Lost First Round |
| 2006/07 | CBA | 1st, American Eastern | Lost CBA Finals |
| 2007 | USBL | 2nd | Withdrew from league |
| 2008 | CBA | 4th, Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | CBA | 2nd | Lost CBA Finals |
References
- ↑ CBA Release
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Albany Patroons Head Coaches
- ↑ CBA coach Richardson suspended for remarks, March 28, 2007
- ↑ Time for this coach to sit out, March 28, 2007
- ↑ Patroons, Richardson part, April 3, 2007
- ↑ http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3518459
- ↑ Patroons will not return to USBL, June 20, 2007
External links
- Albany Patroons on FunWhileItLasted.net
- CBA League Website
- USBL League Website
- USBL Patroons – Discussion Forum
