Buffalo Blue Hawks
Founded2015 (2015)
Folded2019 (2019)
LeagueABA
2015–2017
NABL
2019
DivisionNortheast
Team historyBuffalo Blue Hawks
2015–2019
Buff City Braves
2019
Based inBuffalo, New York
ArenaBishop 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.

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 joined the American Basketball Association's Northeast D2 Division.[4] It was the second ABA franchise in city history, following the Buffalo Sharks.

Home games were to be played at Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School.

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
Players Coaches
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
  • Injured Injured

Roster

2016–2017

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster
Players Coaches
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
  • Injured Injured

Roster

2019

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster
Players Coaches
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
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: May 4, 2019

Season-by-season record

League champions Conference champions Division champions Playoff berth
Season Conference Finish Division Finish Wins Losses Win% GB Playoffs Awards Head coach Ref.
2015-16 — — Northeast D2 3rd 0 2 .000 — Did not qualify. Franklin Jackson [4]
2016-17 — — Northeast 11th 0 7 .000 — Did not qualify. Franklin Jackson [6]
2019 East 6th Northeast 4th 3 5 .375 — Lost quarterfinal (Thunder) 99–121 Dialo 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
1 December 12 @ Steel City L 61–147 Greentree Sportsplex 0–1
January: 0–1 (home: 0–1; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
2 January 9 Bronx L 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
1 November 5 @ Rochester L 132–139 Thomas P. Ryan, Jr. Community Center 0–1
2 November 19 Rochester L 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
3 December 3 Western New York L 101–110 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–3
4 December 10 @ Elmira L 112–155 Family Fitness Center 0–4
5 December 11 @ Western New York L 107–126 Niagara Catholic High School 0–5
January: 0–2 (home: 0–2; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
6 January 15 Elmira L 113–128 Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School 0–6
7 January 28 Atlantic Coast L 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
1 March 9 @ DuBois L 59–137 Central Catholic High School 0–1
2 March 16 @ Kentucky L 59–143 Thomas More University 0–2
3 March 23 Chautauqua L 76–138 Delavan Grider Community Center 0–3
April: 0–2 (home: 0–0; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
4 April 6 @ Chautauqua L 84–104 Brocton Central School 0–4
5 April 27 @ DuBois L 84–104 Central Catholic High School 0–5
May: 2–0 (home: 2–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
6 May 4 DuBois W 103–100 Lovell Smith (23) Lovell Smith (10) Delavan Grider Community Center 1–5
7 May 18 Lancaster W 113–106 Lovell Smith (33) Lovell Smith (15) Lovell Smith (10) Delavan Grider Community Center 2–5
June: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
8 June 1 Detroit W 135–102 Lovell Smith (39) Lovell Smith (16) Jamaal Carter (12) Delavan Grider Community Center 3–5

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
1 June 22 @ Lancaster L 99–121 Lancaster High School 0–1

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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