News & notes

 For the 2nd straight season, the Federation Tournament of Champions basketball tournament has been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19. This year's event was to be contested at Fordham University, which won the right to host the tournament beginning this year.

As it stands now, basketball season has yet to begin in New York, and there are concerns that it might not happen at all. If play does begin the week of February 1, it would be a very short season, with no sectional tournaments, previously cancelled on the docket. The winter season is supposed to end at the end of February, meaning that schools would be looking at a minimum 8 game schedule, if they play 2 games a week.

Add to that the fact that there is at least one, and maybe multiple petitions being circulated to convince Governor Andrew Cuomo to let the kids play high risk sports such as basketball & hockey.

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It seems as though the Suburban Council has caught up with the combined CBA-Troy High men's swimming & diving team.

The Flying Brothers are 0-3 after a 179-96 drubbing at the hands of Niskayuna Tuesday afternoon. There is no risk for the weary, however, as the Flying Brothers are back in the pool tomorrow to host Schenectady.

Meanwhile, Troy's bowling team is back on the lanes today, and will begin a stretch where they'll have five matches in nine days, starting with a home match vs. Niskayuna at Uncle Sam Lanes. Tomorrow, Columbia comes in, and then, Guilderland is in Monday for a makeup from a postponed match. Everything gets underway at 4:15 pm. Check with Uncle Sam Lanes about whether or not you can attend as a fan.

News & notes

 Earlier today, the Atlanta Hawks downed the Minnesota Timberwolves, 108-97. Kevin Huerter, in his 2nd start, scored 17 points, as all 5 Hawks starters were in double figures.

Of course, it'd be nice if local radio showed some love for Huerter, not just when the Hawks plays Boston, Brooklyn, or the Knicks.

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Antonio Rizzuto scored a season high 19 points to lift UAlbany over NJIT, 83-71, to complete a series sweep on Sunday.

It might be a good idea, though, if coach Will Brown could help his counterpart on the women's side, Colleen Mullen, get the Lady Danes into the win column. Maine completed a weekend sweep Sunday, 63-47. Kyara Frames led UAlbany with 16 points. Lucia DeCortes added 14. Grace Heeps, still having a difficult time adjusting to the America East conference, had just 2 points.

I've a feeling that if things don't change soon, Ms. Heeps will find herself out of the starting lineup. Just sayin'.

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In a show of respect to a fallen opponent, Buffalo Bills fans, which would include fans here in the 518, have contributed a total of $360,000---and counting----to a charity run by Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson after Jackson left Saturday's playoff game at Buffalo with a concussion. 

The message? Get well soon. Much love & respect to one of the best in the game today.

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WTMM-FM (104.5) made a last minute decision and terminated the contract of afternoon co-host Tom Goslowski, 1/2 of Levack & Goz, their long-running afternoon drive talk show, according to the Daily Gazette. Goslowski, from the looks of things, appeared to have been blindsided by the decision by station owner Townsquare Media.

We should have more information on this next time.

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Former Tri-City Valleycats pitcher Joe Musgrove is on the move again.

Musgrove is being traded from Pittsburgh to San Diego for prospects, allowing the left-hander to play for his hometown team. Houston had traded Musgrove to Pittsburgh a few years back,

News & notes

 Kevin Huerter got his first start for Atlanta on Saturday night at Portland. Huerter had 13 points, but the Hawks lost to the Trail Blazers, 112-106.

Atlanta, at least, kept it close, unlike on Friday when Utah thumped the Hawks, 116-92. Huerter had 10 points off the bench in that game.

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Siena hasn't missed a beat since Jalen Pickett went down with a hamstring injury 9 days ago.

In his place, Jordan King has been, as they saying goes, en fuego. The Rider Broncs would be happy if they didn't see him again this season.

The CBA graduate had 21 points Friday in a 78-69 win, leading all scorers. Saturday night was a nail-biter, but King, for the fourth straight game, carded a career best point total, upping it to 22, as Siena completed the sweep, 74-72.

The Saints return home Friday to play St. Peter's, with the game airing on ESPNU. As Dan Patrick, now with NBC Sports Network, would say, you can't stop King. You can only hope to contain him.

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After a 3 1/2 week layoff, the UAlbany women hosted Maine Saturday in the first half of a men's/women's doubleheader at SEFCU Arena. Unfortunately, there was too much rust on Colleen Mullen's squad, and it showed, as the Lady Bears beat the Lady Danes, 66-48. Lucia DeCortes led Albany with 12 points. Helene Haegerstrand added 10. Grace Heeps contributed 3 points.

The second game in the series is going on at press time.

The men, meanwhile, dispatched New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), 83-75. Jamel Horton led the Danes with 18 points, while Antonio Rizzuto, newly named captain of the Danes, added 16.

The second game in this series will be played later today.

News & notes

 The spectre of coronavirus continues to haunt two schools in the 518.

Troy High had three bowling matches scheduled this week, two of them at home. All three have since been postponed, the latest being Thursday's match vs. Shaker at Spare Time Latham (formerly Latham Bowl), now rescheduled for Wednesday, February 10. We're still waiting on a make-up date for a home match vs. Ballston Spa, which was originally booked for January 11.

Meanwhile, Siena College's women's basketball team was supposed to travel to Quinnipiac for a series starting today, but another positive COVID-19 test has postponed that series.

The Lady Saints (2-2) just can't buy a break. Here is the official statement from Siena's Twitter page:

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The Albany Times-Union is reporting that the Tri-City Valleycats, following the lead of other teams in the now-defunct NY-Penn League, has filed suit against their former parent club, the Houston Astros, and Major League Baseball to the tune of $15 million.

The suit comes just a week after the team had inked a deal to join the Frontier League, and comes on the heels of the Staten Island Yankees doing the same thing after the NY Yankees decided to ankle them and take over the Hudson Valley Renegades, who will now play in the Atlantic League.

Stay tuned.

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UAlbany's women's basketball team was to travel to play the New Jersey Institute of Technology this weekend, while the schools' men's teams play at SEFCU Arena. However, due to some coronavirus issues involving the Vermont women's team, the road trip to New Jersey has been postponed, and the Lady Danes will play Maine at SEFCU arena this weekend, creating a men's/women's doubleheader at the campus arena.

The women will tip off at 12 noon (radio coverage on WCDB) both days, while the men's games tip off at 5 pm. Sunday's men's game is being pushed back 2 hours from its original 3 pm tip time to allow for complete sanitizing of the arena between games.

Radio coverage of the men's games is supposed to be on WTMM (ESPN radio 104.5 FM), but the station could be running into conflicts with NFL football for the 2nd straight weekend. Check your listings in tomorrow's papers.

News & notes

 Siena College announced Tuesday that the January 22 game vs. St. Peter's at the Alumni Recreation Center will be telecast on ESPNU (Spectrum Cable channel 370), with a 7 pm tip. This might not be the only nationally televised game for Siena this year, at the rate things are going, with the Saints at 4-0 headed into this weekend's road series at Rider.

Also, due to coronavirus surges in Albany County, fans will continue to be prohibited from attending men's & women's home games at the ARC. Doesn't look like the men will see the inside of Times-Union Center any time soon.

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Ballston Spa's men's swimming & diving team overcame an early deficit, winning the 200 meter breastroke relay to lift the Scotties past CBA/Troy High, 82-78.

The Flying Brothers fall to 0-2 on the season, and will travel to Niskayuna next Tuesday.

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Two former Section II stars met on the court Tuesday night, as Syracuse visited North Carolina on the ACC Network.

Joseph Girard III (Glens Falls) was held to 6 points on 2 second half 3 pointers. Andrew Platek, formerly of Guilderland, tallied 7 points coming off the bench, as the Tar Heels held off the Orange, 81-75. The two teams will meet again at the Carrier Dome later this season.

News & notes

 COVID-19 issues forced a last minute postponement of Monday's scheduled bowling match between Troy High and Ballston Spa at Uncle Sam Lanes. The Flying Horses' Wednesday match vs. Guilderland, also at Uncle Sam Lanes, has also been postponed, and has already been rescheduled for January 25. No makeup date has been set at press time for the Ballston Spa match. Not a good start to the season for Troy, which was one of the most improved teams in the Suburban Council last season.

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No Pickett, no problem.

Freshman Aiden Carpenter led Siena with 19 points. Manny Camper added 17, and Jordan King bested his career best from a week earlier by scoring 18 points, as the Saints completed a weekend sweep of Fairfield on Sunday, 75=68.

Siena (4-0) now heads to New Jersey to play Rider this weekend. Jalen Pickett is day-to-day with a leg injury sustained on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Lady Saints squared their record at 2-2 by sweeping Rider, 69-60. Margo Peterson led the way with 21 points. They'll be on the road, too, this weekend, at Quinnipiac.

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UAlbany's men & women will face New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) this weekend. The men are home at SEFCU Arena, while the ladies are on the road.

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Shenendehowa alumnus Kevin Huerter scored 8 points off the bench in support of Trae Young's team-high 26 points as Atlanta beat Philadelphia, 112-94, on Monday, evening their record at 5-5. Huerter had scored 10 in a loss to Charlotte on Saturday.

News & notes

 To update an earlier story, former Yankee and Shaker High grad Tommy Kahnle, now with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, might not see a mound until 2022 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery last summer that ended his 2020 campaign with the Yanks a wee bit early. Kahnle, back home in Latham, was interviewed for today's Albany Times-Union.

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UAlbany wilted under the bright lights of a national television audience, what little was there, anyway, on Saturday night as they dropped a 67-64 decision to St. Joseph's in Philadelphia. The Danes (1-5) were led by Jarvis Doles, who had 13 points. UAlbany returns home next weekend to play New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

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Jalen Pickett wasted little time scoring his 1,000th career point Saturday, but it was a bittersweet end to the night as Pickett limped off the court with a leg injury late in the second half.

However, undefeated Siena (3-0) had the game won by that point, as they beat Fairfield, 74-56, in the first of a 2 game series in Connecticut. Pickett and Jackson Stormo led Siena with 15 points each. Jordan King (CBA) added 8. The two teams meet again this afternoon at 4 pm.

Back at home, Isis Young scored 23 points to lift the Lady Saints to their first win of the season, 73-64, over Rider. Ahniysha Jackson (Albany High) had 4 points in limited action for Siena (1-2). They'll play the Lady Broncs again today at 1.