News & notes

 As of press time, Troy High's season-opening bowling match vs. Albany has not been reported. The Falcons are using Del Lanes in Delmar as their new home base, sharing the venue with Bethlehem. The match was live-streamed on the Falcons' Facebook page, but the feed shows only Albany players and no sign of any Troy bowlers.

Troy's home opener at Uncle Sam Lanes is Monday vs. Ballston Spa.

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Former Troy basketball star Daniel Buie, who moved to Gould Academy in Maine a couple of years back, is now a sophomore with Northwestern University. The Wildcats are off to a 6-1 start overall (3-0 Big 10). Buie is currently averaging 11.4 points a game.

You might recall that Daniel's brother, Taran, played his college ball at Penn State a few years back.

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To update our report on the Tri-City Valleycats from yesterday, the Albany Times-Union confirmed that, yes, the 'Cats will have to find a new manager all over again. Former 'Cat Wladimir Sutil didn't see the field as manager last year due to coronavirus forcing the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season. Sutil has since been reassigned by the Houston Astros.

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The baseball world is mourning the passing of former Los Angeles Dodgers manager and coach Tommy Lasorda, 93, who passed away earlier.

Lasorda took the Dodgers to four World Series, winning two (1981, 1988), after succeeding Walter Alston as the Dodgers' manager in the late 70's.

File photo obtained from Wikipedia.

Lasorda had ties to the 518, too. He pitched for the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Canadian-American League in 1948 before being signed away from the Philadelphia Phillies' organization by the then-Brooklyn Dodgers. Lasorda also had a comic side to him, playing the Dugout Wizard on the syndicated children's series, The Baseball Bunch, hosted by Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench.

The Dodgers most assuredly will wear black (or maybe dark blue?) armbands in memory of Lasorda when pre-season play begins in late February-early March.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 UAlbany's men's basketball team will get a national television spotlight on Saturday. That's the good news.

The bad? It's airing opposite the NFL playoffs.

The Great Danes' road game at St. Joseph's has been picked up by NBC Sports Network (Spectrum Cable digital channel 314), and the game will air at 6 pm. Where the game will air on local radio is a different story, depending on which, if any or all, of the NFL games will air on ESPN Radio.

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The Atlanta Hawks, after a hot start, have lost three of their last four after a loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Kevin Huerter scored 19 points off the bench. With that kind of production, despite a nagging ankle issue, it might be in the Hawks' best interests to promote Huerter to the starting lineup, preferably ASAP.

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North Carolina has seen its share of players from the Empire State, not just the 518 (Monmouth coach King Rice is an ex-Tar Heel, and played his high school ball in Binghamton).

Guilderland's Andrew Platek, who took the prep route to the ACC, becomes the first Section II alumnus to play for North Carolina since, if memory serves, Sam Perkins (Shaker) back in the 80's. Perkins had the good fortune of playing for the legendary Dean Smith, and with a future Hall of Famer in Michael Jordan.

We bring this up because Platek had the game winner in a recent game for the Tar Heels. Now, you have to hope he follows Huerter to the NBA.......!

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A month ago, Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee asked Gregg Langbehn, newly retired as manager of the Washington Wild Wings, for a favor. He had Langbehn open a dialogue with his former boss with the Tri-City Valleycats, Rick Murphy.

Three weeks ago, Langbehn was interviewed by Mark Singelais of the Albany Times-Union, promoting the league as a possible destination for the Valleycats following the dissolution of the NY-Penn League.

Today, we can report that the 'Cats have joined the Frontier League.

The season will start sooner, in mid-May, and is longer than the NY-PL, 96 games as opposed to over 70, meaning a 48 game home schedule.

The only question that remains is who would be the 'Cats' manager? Wladimir Sutil was hired prior to the 2020 season, but the season was cancelled. If Sutil is still employed by the Astros instead of the Valleycats, then Tri-City would have to search for a new manager all over again.

Stay tuned.

Siena shuffles the schedule

 Siena College's men's basketball team was to wrap up a 4 game homestand this weekend at the Alumni Recreation Center vs. Canisius. Unfortunately, the Griffins have paused athletic activities, which forced a cancellation of a women's game on Sunday, and so the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has shuffled the schedule, sliding in a road trip to Fairfield, which had been postponed from last month, for this weekend. Game time is 4 pm Friday & Saturday, which now begins a 4 game road trip, as the Saints visit Rider next weekend.

Following is the official announcement from Siena.

That means WNYA, which picks up ESPN3's feed for Siena for the 2nd straight season, will have time to fill on Saturday. On Friday, they'll use their regular late afternoon schedule

Meanwhile, Rider's women's team will be at the ARC on Saturday & Sunday to face the Lady Saints, with a 1 pm tip both days.

The Lady Saints, however, are out one freshman from the 518.

The Albany Times-Union, among other media outlets, reported today that Grace Field has left the team after not playing in the Lady Saints' season opening series vs. Fairfield. Field has since transferred to a Division II school, Colorado Christian University. Field actually made her CCU debut on Sunday, getting her first collegiate points at the free throw line in a win over Adams State. Field made her decision to transfer after the Fairfield series, but the story wasn't picked up locally until three days after the CCU-Adams State game. CCU had recruited Field during last season at the Academy of Holy Names, but due to coronavirus concerns, Field felt it best to stay closer to home.

That said, it appears that Siena women's coach Ali Jacques' decision not to user her vs. Fairfield may have spurred Field's decision to leave halfway through her freshman academic season, and transfer to CCU. Since she was moving down in classification from Division I to Division II, Field was able to play right away. Best of luck to her as the season contnues.

The waiting game continues

 Per Schedule Galaxy, Section II hasn't received clearance from the state health department, due to recent surges in coronavirus cases in the state, to begin basketball/hockey season, which was to start next week. Now, the soonest basketball can begin, if at all, would be the week of February 1.

What this says is that there is more of a chance, given the present health situation, that there won't be any basketball or hockey this season. Players, coaches, and their families don't want to think about that, but it is still a realistic possibility.

All we can say for now is, stay tuned.

News & notes

 Winter sports season has finally begun at Troy High. That's the good news.

The bad news? Troy's men's swimming & diving team, merged with CBA for the 2nd season, dropped its opener, 61-30, to Bethlehem this afternoon.

A quick check of the roster shows one senior, three freshmen, and three 8th graders, along with the usual mix of sophomores & juniors. In other words, a mostly inexperienced team, even if it's partially CBA's team.

The Flying Brothers have a week off before beginning a 2 meet road trip next Tuesday at Ballston Spa.

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Shenendehowa alumnus Kevin Huerter had 9 points coming off the bench as Atlanta lost to the Knicks, 118-108, on Monday. Huerter, averaging almost 11 1/2 points a game, is nursing a slight ankle injury, and the Hawks are hoping he'll play tomorrow night vs. Charlotte.

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With a week to go before basketball season can begin, teams and parents are still waiting for clearance from the state health department. With a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Albany County, I'd not be surprised if the season was further delayed. Stay tuned.

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Siena completed a sweep of their series vs. Monmouth Monday night, blowing away the Hawks, 76-62. Jordan King (CBA) tallied a career high 15 points to back up leading scorer Jalen Pickett.

News & notes

 Siena's men's basketball team finally took the court Sunday in opening a 2 game series vs. Monmouth, winning, 78-77. The two teams meet again later today at the Alumni Recreation Center. Jordan King (CBA) had 2 points, while Jalen Pickett led the Saints with 20 points.

The women, meanwhile, had hoped to play Canisius on the road on Sunday, but that was postponed for the 3rd time this season. If at first you don't succeed.....!

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After two days off, the Atlanta Hawks will welcome the Knicks for the first meeting between the two teams this season. Atlanta split their two game series with Brooklyn last week, winning on Friday in convincing fashion. Shenendehowa grad Kevin Huerter scored 10 points off the bench for Atlanta, and will see action tonight vs. the Knicks.

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UAlbany's men's team split a weekend series vs. Vermont.

The Great Danes escaped with a 63-62 win on Saturday, only for the Catamounts to salvage the split on Sunday. Jackson Brown, son of coach Will Brown, has yet to get into a game this season.

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The Giants' season is over, so Albany Academy grad Dion Lewis is on his way home.

Lewis had 1 carry for 7 yards, and had 63 total return yards in Big Blue's win over Dallas on Sunday. As noted over at The Land of Whatever earlier today, there is some controversy surrounding Philadelphia's decision to pull QB Jalen Hurts in the 4th quarter of their game vs. Washington, and it's clear the Giants feel like they were screwed by their territorial rivals' decision to "tank" in the final frame. Wouldn't be surprised if the local press sought out Lewis for his take on things.

News & notes

 The "chess match", if you will, between local colleges and coronavirus continues.

UAlbany's women's basketball team has postponed their weekend series this week vs. Vermont, as well as next week vs. Stony Brook due to "tier 1" positive tests for the virus. No make up dates have been set as of press time.

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Barring any last minute positive tests, Troy High's winter sports season should get underway Tuesday with a home swimming & diving meet vs. Bethlehem. For the 2nd straight season, Troy's men's team will merge with CBA. The Flying Brothers, if you will, carded a 7-1 ledger in 2020.

The bowling season begins with a road match at Albany on January 7. Basketball season, pending approval from the state health department, will begin January 12 vs. Ballston Spa. Stay tuned.

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Kevin Huerter came off the bench and scored 7 points in a losing effort Wednesday, as the Atlanta Hawks suffered their first loss of the season at Brooklyn, 145-141. The Nets & Hawks will play again tonight at Barclays Center (Yes Network, Fox Sports Southeast, 7:30). There's a reason Huerter isn't starting, as ownership sees more value in Trae Young, who, like Huerter, was drafted in 2018. No fans will be admitted into the Barclays Center.

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In case you haven't heard, Governor Andrew Cuomo is giving the green light to Buffalo Bills fans to attend the team's 1st NFL playoff game next week, opponent to be named. That means Bills boosters from the 518 are packing their bags for Western NY for the wild card round (January 9-10), as the Bills are seeking to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the last of their 4 straight appearances in 1994.