 | |
| Founded | 2010 |
|---|---|
| League | IBA |
| Team history | Albany Legends (2010-14) Schenectady Legends (2014-2017) |
| Based in | Schenectady, New York |
| Arena | Schenectady YMCA |
| Colors | Blue & Yellow |
| President | Steve Miller and Bob Hord |
| Head coach | Scott Knapp |
| Championships | 2 (2010, 2014) |
Formed in 2010, the Schenectady Legends were a semi-professional basketball team in the Independent Basketball Association (IBA). The franchise was originally known as the Albany Legends, changing their name in 2014 with a move to Schenectady. They folded in 2017 with the end of the Independent Basketball Association.
As a result of experiences gained while playing with the Legends, more than 80% of alumni and current players, including former NBAers have been promoted to top professional leagues on five continents, including: the NBA D-League (Kyle Cuffe, Springfield Armor 2010), Japan, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Thailand, Canada, England, Italy, Chile, France and Germany.
Some local capital region players playing abroad include Lloyd Johnson (Lucera, Italy), EJ Gallup (TBB Trier), Evan Lane (Tunisia, Africa), Will Harris (Denmark) and Scotty McRae (Chile and Italy) and Prince Jackson (Italy).
History
The team was established in April 2010 by an independent and locally owned organization, a year after the demise of the Albany Patroons. The team were part of the International Basketball League. The Legends finished off their inaugural season 19-3 and went on to win the IBL 2010 championship.
Albany finished with a 15–7 record in 2011, losing in the IBL semifinals to the Edmonton Energy.
After two seasons in the IBL, the Legends joined the Independent Basketball Association. Albany finished 12–5 in the 2012 spring season, coming up short in the IBA championship game.
In March 2014 the team announced they would be moving to Schenectady County,[1] and compete in the 2014-15 IBA Fall season. The Schenectady Legends played their home games in multiple venues throughout the Mohawk Valley, as a means to increase their local brand and recognition, while raising money for local charities. The team finished a perfect 11–0 in the IBA regular season.[2]
On September 4, 2014, the club announced the hiring of former Siena College player Scott Knapp,[3] as its head coach.
On December 14, 2014, the Legends completed a perfect 13–0 season by defeating the Kenosha Ballers 154–137 in the IBA championship game.[4] Legends player Lloyd Johnson was named the IBA Finals MVP after scoring 61 points in the championship game.[5][6]
Current roster
Head Coach: Scott Knapp
| # | Pos. | Ht. | Player | Acquired | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 |  |
G | 6'0" | Lloyd Johnson | 2010 | Schenectady County Community College |
| 5 | |
G | 6'4" | EJ Gallup | 2011 | Coastal Carolina |
| 8 | |
G | 6'0" | Shea Bromirski | 2010 | St. Rose College |
| 10 | |
G | 6'2" | T.J. Czeski | 2012 | Wagner College |
| 11 | |
G | 6'1" | Brian Ledbetter | 2014 | St. Rose College |
| 15 | |
G | 6'1" | Kareem Thomas | 2014 | St. Rose College |
| 20 | |
G | 6'2" | Andy Robinson | 2014 | University of Buffalo |
| 21 | |
F | 6'7" | Tyrone Butler | 2014 | Schenectady High School |
| 23 | |
F | 6'5" | Zach Bye | 2012 | St. Rose College |
| 24 | |
F | 6'5" | Sheldon Griffin | 2012 | St. Rose College |
| 32 | |
C | 6'7" | Anthony Bruin | 2014 | Iona College |
| 33 | |
F | 6'8" | Clayton Longmire | 2014 | St. Rose College |
| 42 | |
F | 7'0" | Brad Sheehan | 2014 | Georgia Tech |
Notable former players
Season results
| Season | Wins | Losses | Winning Percentage | Finish | Playoff Wins | Playoff Losses | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 19 | 3 | (.864) | 1st | 2 | 0 | IBL Champion |
| 2011 | 15 | 7 | (.682) | 2nd (tie) | 1 | 1 | IBL Semifinals |
| 2012 Spring | 12 | 5 | (.706) | 2nd | 2 | 1 | IBA Runner-up |
| 2014 Spring | 1 | 1 | (.500) | N/A | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 2014 Fall | 11 | 0 | (1.000) | 1st | 2 | 0 | IBA Champion |
| All-time | 58 | 16 | (.784) | -- | 7 | 2 | 2 championships |
Coaches
| # | Name | Term[b] | GC | W | L | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||
| 1 | Derek Rowland | 2010 | 22 | 19 | 3 | .864 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .1000 | IBL Championship |
| 2 | Ben Smith | 2011-2012,2014 | 26 | 18 | 8 | .692 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | |
| 3 | John Coffino | 2012 | 12 | 7 | 5 | .583 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 | |
| 4 | Nick Dean | 2012 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .1000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 5 | Scott Knapp | 2014 | 11 | 11 | 0 | .1000 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .1000 | IBA Championship |
| All-Time | 2010-2014 | 74 | 58 | 16 | .784 | 9 | 7 | 2 | .778 | 2 Championships | |
References
- ↑ "Legends Announce 2014 Spring Showcase" (PDF). Schenectady Legends. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ↑ "Legends close home schedule with win". The Leader-Herald. 7 December 2014.
- ↑ "Scott Knapp named head coach of the Schenectady Legends". USbasket. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ↑ "Schenectady Legends". Twitter. 14 December 2014.
- ↑ "IBA Basketball". Twitter. 14 December 2014.
- ↑ "Knapp goes undefeated in first season as coach". The Daily Gazette. 17 December 2014.
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