News & notes

Elijah Burns has the next phase of his basketball journey mapped out, even if he can't embark on it just yet.

Having finished graduate studies at Siena this spring, Burns isn't waiting for the NBA draft later this year, having signed a pro contract to play in Bulgaria, depending on when the foreign travel restrictions are lifted in relation to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Twin brothers Brooks & Carter Knapek haven't just come home for the summer.

According to Mark Singelais of the Albany Times-Union, the Knapeks have actually graduated from Virginia Commonwealth, having transferred there from UMass, and sat out a year under NCAA transfer rules. They still have two years of collegiate eligibility left, and they'll use it at Siena, starting in 2021, and will reunite with former Albany Academy teammate Ben Seiler.

There was a mini-Academy reunion Monday, as a 4th ex-Cadet, Johnny Decker, also plays for the Albany Dutch. Seiler got the better of Brooks Knapek in their brief matchup on Monday night, but if the twins can get their mechanics straightened out during this summer, Siena coach Tony Rossi could have a formidible staff next year.
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Former Shenendehowa star Ian Anderson is on the 60-man roster for the Atlanta Braves, and could see major league action this season. Of course, Rodger Wyland was predicting the same thing last year, but it didn't happen. This year, in a shorter season? Ya never know.

But if Anderson, as a prospect, has baseball cards out, that might explain in part why it's so difficult to buy baseball cards now if you don't go to the hobby shops. Larger retailers like Walmart and Target can't keep them in stock, and the same holds true for this year's football cards. Seems there are greedy customers who buy up the stock, then resell online to turn a profit, according to a Target clerk I spoke to last week.

That said, it's worse than panic-buying over toilet paper, hand sanitizer, et al, in the early days of the pandemic....! Adults will say they're buying for their kids, as per normal, but something has triggered this wave of hoarding, and it needs to stop yesterday.
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When the Glens Falls Independents took the field Monday at East Field, they wore the uniforms of the Perfect Game Collegiate League franchise in the city, the Dragons, because their own uniforms were not ready in time. With tonight's doubleheader vs. the Albany Dutch being played in Amsterdam, and a threat of rain, there's no guarantee they'll play or if the Independents will have their actual uniforms. By the way, the Mohawks return home tomorrow to play the Athletics.
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Had the PGCBL played, Troy High alumnus Isaac Brown would've been pitching for Amsterdam. Currently at Marist, Brown could've conceivably been selected to play for the Mohawks anyway, but gets a season off instead. Go figure.