BLACK HISTORY MONTH: GAME-CHANGERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT - HOOPS
In honor of Black History month on The Scoreboard, we’re recognizing game-changers within the local sports community both of the past and of today.
Buffalo has been a basketball hotbed for over 50 years, going back to the days of Bob McAdoo and the Buffalo Braves. Throughout the years, there have been countless players to take off from WNY and advance their careers beyond this region, heading to the pros both in American and overseas.
A graduate of Buffalo Traditional High School, Jason Rowe has become a game-changer in the Black community, through sport, both as a standout professional player, but even more so as a leader of young men today. Rowe is now the Head Coach at Bishop Timon St. Jude High School in the city of Buffalo, having led the Tigers to back-to-back Monsignor Martin Championships in the last two seasons. Jason Rowe has helped develop student-athletes into collegiate players, helping countless high schoolers from this area find their way to a collegiate scholarship to play ball at the next level. Rowe is our game-changer of today in the basketball community.
CLARA STRACK SETS KENTUCKY PROGRAM BLOCKS RECORD
On Monday night, former Hamburg High School Graduate Clara Strack set a new program record for University at Kentucky for blocks in a game. Strack posted eight blocks in the #8 ranked Wildcats’ loss to Ole Miss, breaking a program record that had stood since 2013.
This achievement comes just days after Strack was named a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award. After transferring from Virginia Tech, following Head Coach Kenny Brooks to Lexington, Strack, a 6’5 Sophomore, is averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks per game in conference play. Strack ranks second in the SEC in rebounds and first in blocks in what some call the most competitive basketball conference in the country.
Strack and the #8 ranked Kentucky Wildcats have a must-see matchup with #3 ranked Texas, who just knocked off South Carolina, tomorrow night, at 7PM. That game will air nationally on ESPN2.
DANI HASKELL’S JERSEY RETIRED AT FRANKLINVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Monday night, the Franklinville Panthers honored one of the best girls basketball players to don the blue and gold. Dani Haskell, a Miss Basketball Finalist in NYS in 2020, had her #22 jersey retired at Franklinville High School. Haskell, surrounded by her current teammates at St. Bonaventure, was honored by her former Head Coach, now Athletic Director at Franklinville, Allan Dunlap, who delivered a speech acknowledging all of the individual and team accomplishments Haskell amassed during her time with the Panthers. By the time she graduated from Franklinville, Haskell had become the all-time leading scorer in WNY girls basketball history, capping off a career that saw her named State Player Of The Year three times.
BIG BOYS HOOPS GAMES COMING UP IN HIGH SCHOOL
Tonight at 7:30 - Forestville at Franklinville, Divisional Title on the line
Friday 2/14 at 6:30 - #1 St. Joe’s vs #2 Canisius, perhaps a MMAA Championship Preview
Monday 2/17 at 2:30 - #5 Jamestown vs #4 Timon, last top-10 private vs public game of the season
WEDNESDAY WHIP-AROUND
Time to check in on the local college basketball scene with the ‘Wednesday Whip-Around’:
DIVISION I
Buffalo Bulls MBB: 9-16 (4-8), UB picked up just their fourth road win of the season last night with a 73-67 victory over the Huskies of Northern Illinois. The Bulls host Bowling Green on Saturday at 2PM for what feels like a must win for UB if they want to make the MAC Tournament.
Buffalo Bulls WBB: 19-4 (8-3), For the first time all season, the Bulls dropped back-to-back games after a gut punch, 58-55 loss to Toledo on Wednesday, before falling at Coastal Carolina on Saturday in a non-conference battle. Last Wednesday morning was Education Day, which saw a record crowd of over 4,900 were in attendance for their game vs Toledo, the largest crowd ever for a UB WBB game in program history.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies MBB: 17-8 (5-7), BONA lost to George Washington, 62-52, on Sunday. The Bonnies are at Rhode Island tonight before heading to UMass on Saturday.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies WBB: 5-19 (1-12), St. Bonaventure hasn’t won a league game since January 8th, having lost their last nine. The brown and white return to action at Davidson on Sunday afternoon.
Canisius Golden Griffins MBB: 2-21 (2-10), Having lost five straight, the Griffs look to avenge their loss to their rivals from Niagara that ended the month of January, when the two meet again for the Battle of the Bridge tonight at 6:30 at NU.
Canisius Golden Griffins WBB: 7-16 (6-7), Canisius defeated Niagara in the Battle of the Bridge last night, 48-46. It was the Griffs’ Play4Kay game, honoring Kay Yow and all of those who have battled breast cancer. With the win, Canisius sweeps the season series vs the Purple Eagles. The Griffs are at Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday.
Niagara Purple Eagles MBB: 9-14 (4-8), Coming off a 76-75 win at top-ranked Quinnipiac, the Purple Eagles host their rivals, Canisius, for the Battle of the Bridge tonight at 6:30, before NU welcomes Mount St. Mary’s to the Gallagher Center on Friday night.
Niagara Purple Eagles WBB: 1-20 (0-13)
DIVISION II
#2 Daemen Wildcats MBB: 21-0 (12-0); WBB 16-6 (12-0), Overall, the most dominant school in WNY hoops this season and it’s not even close; Daemen as a school hasn’t lost a game since January 3rd. Both teams host Molloy on Friday and Queens on Sunday for a pair of league games.
D’Youville Saints MBB: 6-15 (4-8); WBB 6-15 (4-8), The Saints’ men’s four game winning streak came to an end on Sunday with a loss at STAC. The DYU women have won two of their last four games. Both teams host Queens and Molloy this weekend.
DIVISION III
Hilbert Hawks MBB: 13-9 (6-7); WBB 1-21 (1-12) The Hawks men had multiple chances to upset undefeated Pitt-Bradford, but fell to the Panthers 132-125 in triple overtime last Wednesday. 125 points was the most scored in a game in Hawks program history, breaking the 117 point record set back in 2006. The men host Penn State Behrend tonight at 7PM.
Buffalo State Bengals MBB 7-15 (5-10); WBB 5-17 (2-13) Both teams host Fredonia on Friday night for their final home game of the season with the Battle By The Lake.
Fredonia State Blue Devils MBB 6-16 (4-11); WBB 7-14 (4-11) In their final home games of the season, the Fredonia men lost to SUNY Morrisville last night 74-71, and the Blue Devil women fell to Morrisville 61-56. Both teams head to Buffalo State Friday for the Battle By The Lake.
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