Buffalo Blue Hawks

Last updated
Buffalo Blue Hawks
Logo of the defunct Buffalo Blue Hawks ABA basketball team.jpg
Founded2015;9 years ago (2015)
Folded2019;5 years ago (2019)
League ABA
2015–2017
NABL
2019
DivisionNortheast
Team historyBuffalo Blue Hawks
2015–2019
Buff City Braves
2019
Based in Buffalo, New York
Arena Bishop Timon – St. Jude
2015–2017
Delavan Grider Community Center
2019
ColorsBlue, blue, white
   
OwnerFranklin Jackson
2015–2019
Robert Cornelius
2019
Head coachFranklin Jackson
2015–2017
Darel Goodwin
2019
Robert Cornelius
2019
CaptainPrince Knight
2019
Overall record3–15 (.167)
Playoff berths1 (2019)

The Buffalo Blue Hawks were a basketball team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the American Basketball Association from 2015 to 2017, and later the North American Basketball League in 2019.

Contents

History

2011–2014: Franchise acquisition

The Buffalo Stampede played their final season in 2010–11 as part of the American Professional Basketball League (ACPBL) before folding, leaving the city without a professional team. [1]

Franklin Jackson founded a new ACPBL franchise called the Buffalo Warriors, but his team folded midway through the 2011–12 season. [2]

Jackson then partnered with Tawan Slaughter to purchase an American Basketball Association (ABA) franchise for the city in November 2012. [3] Slaughter went on to found the Buffalo 716ers in the Premier Basketball League after Jackson left the partnership. [3]

Amateur teams were fielded by Jackson under the Buffalo Blue Hawks name beginning in 2013, and in December 2015 the club began play as part of the ABA's Northeast D2 Division. [4] Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School was chosen as the teams home venue.

2015–2017: Failed seasons in ABA

In its inaugural game of the 2015–16 ABA season, the team lost on the road to the Steel City Yellow Jackets by a score of 61–147 on December 12, 2015. [5] Franklin Jackson coached the team to a 0–2 record, at which point their season ended prematurely in January 2016. [5]

The team played in the Northeast Division for the 2016–17 ABA season, and in January 2017 their campaign once again ended early after an 0–7 start. [6]

2019: Final season in NABL

The team was awarded entry into the North American Basketball League (NABL) in January 2018, and began play in the Northeast Division of the East Conference for the 2019 NABL season. [7] Darel Goodwin was hired as head coach, and Delavan Grider Community Center was named as their new home venue.

Franklin Jackson sold the club mid-season to Robert Cornelius in April 2019 after the team started 0–4, leading to Cornelius taking over as head coach and changing the roster. [8]

Lovell Smith was named NABL Player of the Week after scoring a triple-double in the team's 113–106 victory over the Lancaster Thunder on May 18, 2019. [9] Smith was again named NABL Player of the Week after scoring 38 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 assists in the team's 135–102 victory over the Detroit Cobras on June 1, 2019. [10]

The team's late-season success led them to qualify for the playoffs with a 3–5 record, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinal round by the Lancaster Thunder. [11]

Dialo Rivera-Stevens was named to the 2009 All-NABL Team for his performance during the season. [12]

Robert Cornelius announced in October 2019 that the franchise would rebrand as the Buff City Braves and once again join the American Basketball Association (ABA), but instead the team was folded. [13] Lovell Smith and Jamaal Carter would go on to play for the Buffalo eXtreme, an ABA team that formed in 2023. [14]

Personnel

2015–2016

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 3 Allen, Damone 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)200 lb (91 kg)1985-11-?? Seneca
F 12 Alls, Raymone 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)235 lb (107 kg)1989-??-?? Kenmore West
F 24 Alls, Reggie 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)210 lb (95 kg)1986-09-19 Bennett
SF 1 Brown, Jean-Rene 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)198 lb (90 kg)1990-10-18 Jamestown CC
G 9 Dash, Jiaqwan 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)190 lb (86 kg)1994-??-??Lyndonville Central
SF 7 Garcia, D'andre 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)215 lb (98 kg)1991-??-?? Riverside
F/C 30 Reed, Julian 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)205 lb (93 kg)1993-??-?? D'Youville
G 4 Sullivan, Moses 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)1993-??-?? Steubenville
G 2 Tarver, Eugene 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)1987-06-18 Seneca
Head coach
  • Franklin Jackson
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Roster

2016–2017

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F 12 Alls, Raymone 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)235 lb (107 kg)1989-??-?? Kenmore West
G 9 Dash, Jiaqwan 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)190 lb (86 kg)1994-??-??Lyndonville Central
SF 7 Garcia, D'andre 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)215 lb (98 kg)1991-??-?? Riverside
F 30 Reed, Julian 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)205 lb (93 kg)1993-??-?? D'Youville
G 4 Sullivan, Moses 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)1993-??-?? Steubenville
Head coach
  • Franklin Jackson
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Roster

2019

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
SF 1 Alls, Raymone 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)235 lb (107 kg)1989-??-?? Kenmore West
C/G Carter, Jamaal 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)189 lb (86 kg)1994-07-26 Lindenwood
F 5 Fuller, Denzel 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg)1998-??-?? Louisburg
PG 23 Jarmond, Schwartzen 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)160 lb (73 kg)1994-08-28 Finlandia
PG 22 Knight, Prince  (C)6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)136 lb (62 kg)1994-??-?? Lockport
SG 34 Rivera-Stevens, Dialo 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)2000-03-?? Tougaloo
G/F 2 Smith, Lovell 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)169 lb (77 kg)1995-01-04 Buffalo State
F Smith, Marquavious 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)189 lb (86 kg)1994-01-01 Tougaloo
G Sotero, Richard 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)1995-11-28 Erie CC
F Terrell, DeOndre 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)190 lb (86 kg)1993-12-06 Clarion
Head coach
  • Robert Cornelius
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Roster
Last transaction: May 4, 2019

Season-by-season record

League championsConference championsDivision championsPlayoff berth
Season Conference Finish Division FinishWinsLosses Win% GB PlayoffsAwardsHead coachRef.
2015-16 ——Northeast D23rd02.000—Did not qualify.Franklin Jackson [4]
2016-17——Northeast11th07.000—Did not qualify.Franklin Jackson [6]
2019East6thNortheast4th35.375—Lost quarterfinal (Thunder) 99–121Dialo Rivera-Stevens (All-NABL)Darel Goodwin
Robert Cornelius		 [11]

Game log

2015–2016

Regular season

2015–16 game log
Total: 0–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–1)
December: 0–1 (home: 0–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1December 12@ Steel City L 61–147Greentree Sportsplex0–1
January: 0–1 (home: 0–1; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
2January 9BronxL 111–113 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–2

2016–2017

Regular season

2016–17 game log
Total: 0–7 (Home: 0–4; Road: 0–3)
November: 0–2 (home: 0–1; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1November 5@ RochesterL 132–139Thomas P. Ryan, Jr. Community Center0–1
2November 19RochesterL 85–115 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–2
December: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
3December 3Western New YorkL 101–110 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–3
4December 10@ ElmiraL 112–155Family Fitness Center0–4
5December 11@ Western New YorkL 107–126 Niagara Catholic High School 0–5
January: 0–2 (home: 0–2; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
6January 15ElmiraL 113–128 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–6
7January 28Atlantic CoastL 116–123 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–7

2019

Regular season

2018–19 game log
Total: 3–5 (Home: 3–1; Road: 0–4)
March: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1March 9@ DuBoisL 59–137 Central Catholic High School 0–1
2March 16@ KentuckyL 59–143 Thomas More University 0–2
3March 23 Chautauqua L 76–138Delavan Grider Community Center0–3
April: 0–2 (home: 0–0; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
4April 6@ Chautauqua L 84–104Brocton Central School0–4
5April 27@ DuBoisL 84–104 Central Catholic High School 0–5
May: 2–0 (home: 2–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
6May 4DuBoisW 103–100Lovell Smith (23)Lovell Smith (10)Delavan Grider Community Center1–5
7May 18LancasterW 113–106Lovell Smith (33)Lovell Smith (15)Lovell Smith (10)Delavan Grider Community Center2–5
June: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
8June 1DetroitW 135–102Lovell Smith (39)Lovell Smith (16)Jamaal Carter (12)Delavan Grider Community Center3–5

Playoffs

2019 playoff game log
Total: 0–1 (home: 0–0; road: 0–1)
Quarterfinals: 0–1 (home: 0–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1June 22@ LancasterL 99–121 Lancaster High School 0–1

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References

  1. ↑ "Buffalo Stampede Join the ACPBL". OurSports Central. August 10, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Dill's Warriors pull out of league". royalgazette.com. April 18, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  3. 1 2 McKissic, Rodney (May 10, 2023). "Hoops team owner Slaughter makes nothing but net gains". Buffalo News. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "American Basketball Association 2016, News, Teams, Scores, Stats, Standings, Awards". usbasket. May 3, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Live Stats by 805stats.com". 805stats.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "American Basketball Association 2017, News, Teams, Scores, Stats, Standings, Awards". usbasket. April 2, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". OurSports Central. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Facebook". facebook.com. May 2, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Facebook". facebook.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Facebook". facebook.com. June 6, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  11. 1 2 "North American Basketball League 2019, News, Teams, Scores, Stats, Standings, Awards". usbasket. July 16, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Facebook". facebook.com. July 30, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ "BUFF CITY BRAVES ADDED TO ABA EXPANSION -". Keep The Dream Alive. October 16, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  14. ↑ Bronstein, Jonah (November 4, 2023). "Darren Fenn's eXtreme Buffalo basketball venture: 'We don't want to be a flash in the pan'". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
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