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*** NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE MAIN PAGE ***
 | The Bulldogs move to EBA | |
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| |  | According with some statements from team Owner and coach James R. Schutz, Usbasket.com can announce that the Elmira Bulldogs will be playing in the EBA in 2009. The main reason is that the EBA league runs its season during winter, and the Bulldogs management found out last season, while playing in the NPBL, that their team had a drop off in attendence when the weather started to warm up. They were able to generate 700 fans for the NPBL championship game in Elmira on June 28th, but that was only because the Bulldogs fan's from March and April returned due to the hampionship game buzz. The same, Mr. Schultz stated to us that he have not ruled out a return to the NPBL in spring of 2009, as it has become common for teams to play in both the EBA and NPBL such as the Delaware Destroyers and Alexandria Avengers did last season. |
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| NPBL All-Star Game announced | |
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The NPBL has scheduled its 2008 All-Star game for August, and the league officials have yet named the team rosters, as follows:
All-Star North Players
MacKenzie Clark (6'9''-C-83, college: Auburn-Montgomery) (Bulldogs)
David Ruffin (6'4''-G/F-84, agency: Rice and Rice, college: Hartford) (Bulldogs)
Darwin Young (6'2''-G-85, college: Buffalo) (Bulldogs)
Lester McNair (6'2''-G, college: Buffalo St.) (Bulldogs)
Willie Coleman (6'0''-G-84) (Hawks)
Tay Fisher (5'9''-G-86, college: Siena) (Hawks)
Amseshem Foluke-Henderson (6'6''-G/F-84, college: New Paltz St.) (Hawks)
Dayshawn Wright (6'6''-F-85, college: Mountain St.) (Hawks)
Telron Spell (6'4''-G/F-82, college: Bridgeport) (Monarchs)
Henri Burford (6'2''-G-80, college: Mt. St. Vincent College) (Monarchs)
Christopher Jean (5'7''-G-84, agency: Stefanou Sports Agency, college: Rensselaer Poly) (Monarchs)
Robert Rogers (6'4''-F) (Monarchs)
All-Star South Players
Brandon Weldon (6'0''-G-84, college: Mt.St.Mary) (Strikeforce)
Michael Parker (6'4''-G-80, college: Springfield) (Strikeforce)
Carl Lee (6'6''-F-82, college: Utah Valley St.) (Strikeforce)
Terrell Taylor |
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| NPBL PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT ON THE LEAGUE | |
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Q: How would you asses the season in terms of the overall health of the league?
A: The league is being built on teams being stable and working towards that goal with a five year development plan. No league can be built solid overnight.
Q: Do you think the league is a good opportunity for a small buisnessman?
A: Yes,a small businessman must be willing to make a small investment in their team and the league and grow their business over a five year period. This is a business and it will take time.
Q: Do you think bigger leagues will take notice of you and more players will move up?
A: Yes, they have taken notice already. The big leagues such as the D-league,and the major over seas leagues will take notice once we have mastered our games, be stable in our communities and develop at least one player at a time.
Q: Will you offer games on the net for free to build an interest in the league?
A: Yes, thats being developed for the 2009 season.
Q: Do you think your league is a throw back to the early days of pro basketball when crowds were small and regional rivalaries developed?
A: I dont consider this league a throw back. This league is an opportunity for players,coaches and staff members to strengthen their skills in hopes of an opportunity with the D-league, NBA, and major overseas leagues. Its about everyone,all involved working together. We are going into our 3rd season slow and steady just the way we like it.
Q: What cities do you think might join the league for 2009,are you optimistic about the leagues future?
A: We had a lot of inquiries from cities all over. We plan on where we want teams. Markets outside areas where we would like to be are referred to other leagues to better suit them. We are very optimistic. We know are limitations, strenghts,and weaknesses. What we do well we continue,we recognize are short coming and turn them into strenghts Thats how the big boys tarted out.
Interview made by John F Gary |
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| Delaware wins the NPBL title | |
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| | | In front of a record crowd of 700 fans, the Elmira Bulldogs felt to the Delaware Destroyers, 105-119 in NPBL Title Game on Saturday night. The game of the Bulldogs was conditioned by the loss of NPBL All-Star Lester McNair (6'2''-G, college: Buffalo St.), who suffered a game ending injury just a few minutes into the 1st quarter. Also, David Ruffin (6'4''-G/F-84, agency: Rice and Rice, college: Hartford), missed almost the entire 3rd quarter with leg cramping. The same, Ruffin finished with 33 points to be the game top scorer in losing effort. The Destroyers played a very good game, leading at the halftime by 2 points and keeping the head of the score for almost al the second part of the game. Their main performer was recent addition Sami Wylie (5'11''-G-84) who scored 27 points including five 3-point makes. |
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| Snow gets D-League tryout | |
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| | | Only some days before the NPBL Championship Game, the Elmira Bulldogs have lost one of their best players. Tychicus Snow (5'7''-G, college: Miss.Valley St.) will skip Saturday's title game, after being selected for the NBA Developmental League's tryout camp. Snow is one of only 200 players picked to try out. Last year, 33 of the 200 earned D-League contracts. Despite standing just 5-7, Snow stood pretty tall in Elmira, scoring more than 12 points a game, along with four assists. He even dunked off an ally-oop in a game, wowing fans and teammates alike. The D-League is hosting the three-day tryout in Georgia this weekend, during the NPBL's title game, set for Saturday at 7pm from the Chemung County YMCA. |
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| Bulldogs and Destroyers to play the Championship Game | |
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| | | The Elmira Bulldogs defeated the Hudson Valley Hawks 126-113 advancing to the 2008 NPBL Championship Game. David Ruffin (6'4''-G/F-84, agency: Rice and Rice, college: Hartford), the 2008 NPBL scoring champion, led the Bulldogs with 25 points. Marlin Johnson (6'4''-F-75, college: Monroe CC) scored 17 points and hauled in 12 rebounds while Brandon Lawley (6'6''-F-85, college: Mansfield (PA)) scored 14 points and hauled in 14 rebounds. MacKenzie Clark (6'9''-C-83, college: Auburn-Montgomery) finished with 15 points in the win, and the Hudson Valley Hawks were led by Tay Fisher (5'9''-G-86, college: Siena) who finished with 19 points. Whiule everyone was waiting for the Maryland Bayraiders, the Delaware Destroyers produced a big upset, defeating that team, 149-139 on the road, and will challenge Elmira for the NPBL title on next weekend. |
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| Bulldogs and Hawks to play the North Division Championship game | |
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| | | The Elmira Bulldogs, winner's of 10 straight games and NPBL regular season Champions, will meet on June 21 the NPBL defending champion Hudson Valley Hawks on June 21 in the North Division Championship game in Elmira, NY. The Hawks defeated the Westchester Monarchs 126-110 in NPBL 1st round playoff action on the past weekend. Leading scorer for the Hawks was Tay Fisher (5'9''-G-86, college: Siena) with 36 points. Willie Coleman (6'0''-G-84) and Justin Skipwith (6'1''-G-83, college: Post) also had big games for the Hawks with 21 points a piece. Leading scorers for the Monarchs were Darren Travis (6'3''-G-84, agency: Tank Sports, college: Columbia Union) with 25 points, Telron Spell (6'4''-G/F-82, college: Bridgeport) with 23 points, and Henri Burford (6'2''-G-80) with 14 points. |
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| Week 12 results | |
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| | | The Elmira Bulldogs confirmed their supremacy winning the last two games of the NPBL regular season: on Friday night, they overcame the NY StrikeForce 140-110 in front of a new franchise attendance record of 500 fans. Once again, Elmira was led by the league's leading scorer David Ruffin (6'4''-G/F-84, college: Hartford) who finished with 28 points, followed by tiny Tychicus Snow (5'7''-G) who had a very impressive 23 points including an alley-oop dunk that brought all the fans to their feet. The best player in the StrikeForce was Carl Lee (6'6''-F-82, college: Utah Valley St.) who finished the game with 23 points. Two nights after, the Bulldogs defeated on teh road the Hudson Valley Hawks 133-128. The Hawks drop to 4-9 on the season and the Bulldogs improve to 10-3 and sit on top of the NPBL as the league prepares for post season play. Leading scorer for the Bulldogs were again David Ruffin with 40 points and Tychicus Snow with 27 points. Hawks leading scorers were Tay Fisher (5'9''-G-86, college: Siena) with 27 points 9 steals, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds, Dayshawn Wright (6'6''-F-85, college: Mountain St.) 23 points, and Robert Patterson-Brown (6'2''-G) with 18 points, and 5 assists. The main challenger of the Bulldogs for the league title should be the Meryland Bayraiders, winners over the weekend over the Avengers 116-97 to grab the South Division title. Darnell Sneed (6'2''-G-70, college: Charleston So.) led Maryland in scoring, ending the game at 45 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists and 8 steals. Javes Wiggins (6'7''-F-80, college: Md-Eastern Shore) played a a monster game of 30 points and 30 rebounds and Rick Lewis (6'7''-F, college: Benedict) played a solid game in defense |
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| Week 11 results | |
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