Albany Patroons
| Albany Patroons | |
 |
|
| Founded | 1982 |
| League | CBA 1982-1992 CBA 2005-Present USBL 2006-2007 |
| Team History | Albany Patroons 1982-1992 Capital Region Pontiacs 1992-1993 Albany Patroons 2005-present |
| Arena | Washington Avenue Armory |
|---|---|
| Based in | Albany, New York |
| Team Colors | Gold & Kelly Green |
| Owner | Ben Fernandez |
| Head Coach | Vincent Askew |
| Championships | 2 (1984, 1988) |
| Division Titles | 6 (1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2007) |
| Dancers | Emeralds |
| Mascot | Lido the Panda |
The Albany Patroons are a basketball team that play in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (and played in the United States Basketball League (USBL) from 2006 until 2007).
The Patroons' home arena is 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.
Current roster
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. 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 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 1 1/2 years as the Hartford Hellcats.
As of July 10th, former Albany Patroons player Jamario Moon was signed to the Toronto Raptors.
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 pints 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
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.[5]
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 |
References
- ^ 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 Official site
- CBA League Website
- USBL League Website
- USBL Patroons - Discussion Forum
| Continental Basketball Association (current alignment) | |||||||||||||
| AMERICAN | Albany Patroons | Atlanta Krunk | East Kentucky Miners | Minot SkyRockets | Pittsburgh Xplosion | ||||||||
| NATIONAL | Butte Daredevils | Great Falls Explorers | Oklahoma Cavalry | Rio Grande Valley Silverados | Yakama Sun Kings | ||||||||
| EXPANSION/INACTIVE | Indiana Alley Cats | Vancouver Dragons | |||||||||||
| United States Basketball League | ||||
| Midwest Division | Eastern Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge City Legend | Gary Steelheads | Kansas Cagerz | Oklahoma Storm | Albany Patroons | Brooklyn Kings | Delaware Stars | |||
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