Rochester Razorsharks

Rochester Razorsharks
Founded 2005
League ABA 2005–2007
PBL 2008–present
Team history Rochester RazorSharks
2005–present
Based in Rochester, New York
Arena Blue Cross Arena
Colors Gray, Blue, & Black
Owner(s) Dr. Sev Hrywnak
Head coach Chris Iversen
Championships 7 (2006 ABA, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 PBL)
Division titles 8 (2006 ABA Blue, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 PBL East Division)
Dancers LadySharks
Mascot Finley

The Rochester RazorSharks are a professional basketball team based in Rochester, New York. They are members of the Premier Basketball League and play their home games at the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester. The RazorSharks were founded in 2005 as a member of the American Basketball Association. They remained in the ABA until 2007, leaving the league to become founding members of the PBL. The RazorSharks have won seven championships to date – the 2006 ABA championship and PBL titles in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 & 2016.

History

2005–2006

The Rochester RazorSharks were founded in 2005 as an American Basketball Association expansion team. The RazorSharks had much success during their first season, as they finished their inaugural regular season at 26–4, ranked #1 in the ABA Pit Bull Power Rankings, and were named as one of ProBasketBallNews.com's Top 10 Minor League teams. They also led the ABA in attendance. Their regular season high was 6,192 against Indiana. Due to their success at the gate, Rochester hosted the 2006 ABA Great Eight Tournament. On March 26, the RazorSharks won the ABA championship, defeating the SoCal Legends 117–114 in front of a then franchise record crowd of 6,377.

The RazorSharks won a league title in their first season, which continued a Rochester basketball tradition: a league title in a team's first season. The Rochester Royals won the 1950–51 National Basketball League championship and the Rochester Zeniths captured the 1978–79 Continental Basketball Association title.

2006–2007

During the team's first off-season, the RazorSharks re-signed head coach Rod Baker. The deal was a two-year contract, keeping the 2005–06 ABA Coach of the Year in Rochester until the end of the 2007–2008 season. Despite the loss of 2006 ABA MVP Chris Carrawell, the RazorSharks reloaded by signing key players such as C/F Mike Mackell and including the mid-season pickup of G/F Ricky Price.

The team opened the season with two wins on the road, returning to Rochester for their 2006 home opener on November 16, a 107–93 win over the rival Buffalo Silverbacks. Two days later on November 18, ABA Commissioner John Salley presented the players and staff with their championship rings, and helped hoist the 2005–06 ABA Championship banner to the rafters of the Blue Cross Arena. A 124–114 win over the Maryland Nighthawks followed the ceremony.

On December 28, the RazorSharks beat the Cape Cod Frenzy 92–88. The win was the franchise's 24th consecutive home victory, eclipsing the local pro basketball record set by the 1949–50 Rochester Royals and the 1978–79 Rochester Zeniths. The announced attendance of 7,858 was not only a franchise high, but a local high for a pro basketball game. The RazorSharks finished the regular season with an 18–0 home record, extending their home win streak to 35 consecutive wins in the process. It had been over a year since the franchise's last home loss. The Niagara DareDevils had beaten Rochester on November 24, 2005.

On March 22, the RazorSharks announced they were leaving the ABA to help form the new Premier Basketball League.[1]

2008

The team's first year in the PBL was very successful, finishing with an 18–2 record and the top seed in the league playoffs. Following first and second-round byes, they defeated the Reading Railers 100–76 for a berth in the championship game. Rochester's success came despite a large turnover of players, as there were only four holdovers from the 2007 team (James Reaves, John Halas, Demond Stewart, and Keith Friel).

On March 30, the RazorSharks won the PBL's inaugural championship, defeating the Arkansas Impact 142–112. Another notable incident in the title game was forward Sammy Monroe grabbing the rim for a rebound and shattering the backboard in the process. The glass shrapnel injured teammate James "Mook" Reaves and delayed the game for 45 minutes while the backboard was replaced and medical staff tended to Reaves' injuries. For the championship game Rochester had a record crowd with 9,717 in attendance, a record which still stands today.

2009

Reaves, Friel and Jerice Crouch returned to the Sharks in 2009, along with role players Ron Rollerson and Steve Hailey. Chris Iversen was promoted from the front office to assistant coach during the off-season.

The team struggled early, losing three of their first four games. On January 19, the Vermont Frost Heaves ended Rochester's 48-game home winning streak. However, the RazorSharks won all 15 remaining regular-season games to finish the regular season 17–3, winning the league's Eastern Division and the second seed in the PBL playoffs. The PBL semifinals pitted the RazorSharks against the third-seeded Manchester Millrats. The teams split the first two games of the best-of-three series, the visitor winning each game. Back at the BCA, the Sharks won Game 3 110–103 to advance to the PBL championship series.

Due to arena difficulties in Battle Creek, the PBL announced that the planned three-game series would instead be a single game held on April 19 in Rochester.[2] The RazorSharks won the game easily 152–115. Sammy Monroe shattered the backboard again delaying the games for 45 minutes in the first quarter.

2011

After starting the season 2–6, the RazorSharks finished the season 12–8, good for a third-place finish in the league. Rochester defeated Quebec and Lawton-Fort Sill in three-game series for the franchise's fourth title in six seasons.[3][4]

2013–14

In 2013–14 the RazorSharks would win their first PBL championship title in three years after finishing 17–1 during the regular season and defeating the Indianapolis Diesels two games to one. Jerice Crouch would be named the Playoff MVP.

2015

In a strong effort to win their first set of back-to-back titles since 2008 and 2009, the RazorSharks added new head coach, former scout of the Cleveland Cavaliers and 2010–'11 PBL Coach of the Year, Robert Spon. Also Chris Iversen, who has been with the RazorSharks every year since inception, minus the 2013–14 season will be returning as an assistant coach. The RazorSharks would go on to complete the perfect season after going undefeated (15–0) in the regular season and sweep the Lake Michigan Admirals in a close series to win the league's 2015 PBL Championship. This would mark the team's fifth Premier Basketball League title and sixth overall in history.

2016

In 2016, Rochester was able to turn around a disappointing 2–2 start by promoting long time assistant, Chris Iversen to the Head Coaching position. Iversen went undefeated for the remainder of the season, winning 16 straight regular season games, plus three postseason matchups, finishing with a sweep of the Lake Michigan Admirals in the best of three PBL Championship Series. The 2016 title was the 3rd straight PBL Championship for the RazorSharks, and their 7th total in team history.

Year-by-Year Results

The RazorSharks have made the championship series every year of their existence besides (2007). They boast a record of 7–3 in the championship.

Year W-L Season Finish Playoff Finish AVG. Attendance
For complete playoff results of past PBL seasons, see Premier Basketball League Playoff Results.
 2005–06 26–4 1st ABA Blue ABA Champions 3,241
2006–07 24–6 2nd ABA North withdrew 4,177
2007–08 18–2 1st PBL East PBL Champions 3,383
2008–09 17–3 1st PBL East PBL Champions 4,044
2009–10 16–4 2nd PBL Runner-up 4,699
2010–11 12–8 3rd PBL PBL Champions 5,592
2011–12 17–2 1st PBL East Runner-up 4,717
2012–13 17–2 1st PBL Runner-up 2,220
2013–14 17–1 1st PBL East PBL Champions n/a
2014–15 15–0 1st PBL PBL Champions n/a
2015–16 18–2 1st PBL Northeast PBL Champions n/a

Retired numbers

Rochester RazorSharks Retired Numbers
No Player Position Career Number retirement
3 Lazarus Sims G 2005–07 January 24, 2008
13 Keith Friel G 2005–13 April 10, 2016

2012–13 roster

Head Coach: Cliff Levingston Assistant Coach: Chris Iversen

# Pos. Ht. Player Acquired College
4 United States 6'0 Jerice Crouch 2008 Chattanooga
11 United States 5'9 Marcel Anderson 2012 Harris-Stowe
34 United States 7'0 Brian Barkdoll 2012 NW Nazarene
13 United States 6'4 Keith Friel 2005 Virginia
5 United States 6'1 Tony Bennett 2012 Bradley
23 United States 6'9 Malcolm Campbell 2012 Warner
10 United States 6'2 Kyle Downey 2012 Siena
21 United States 6'9 Jarhon Giddings 2008 Richmond
25 United States 6'10 Jessan Gray 2012 Iowa St.
20 United States 6'6 James Helton 2012 WV State
35 United States 6'8 James "Mook" Reaves 2005 Niagara
15 United States 6'4 Joel Smith 2012 Washington

2013–14 roster

Head Coach: Lawrence Moten Assistant Coach: Keith Friel

# Pos. Ht. Player Acquired College
10 United States 6'4 Dwayne Gland 2013 Gloucester
11 United States 6'4 Melvin Council 2008 Robert Morris
20 United States 6'4 Reggie Stallings 2013 Central Missouri
25 United States 6'6 Dane Miller 2013 Rutgers
30 United States 6'4 Terrell Williams 2013 Lincoln
33 United States 6'6 Louie McCrosky 2013 Marist
35 United States 6'7 Darren Moore 2013 Cardinal Stritch
40 United States 6'7 Aaron Williams 2010 West Chester
55 Nigeria 6'10 Ayodele Coker 2013 St. John's
5 United States 6'0 Jerice Crouch 2008 Chattanooga
15 United States 6'11 Chaz Crawford 2013 Drexel

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2015 season.

# Name Term[b] GC W L Win% GC W L Win% Achievements/Notes
Regular season Playoffs
1 Rod Baker 2005–2012 159 130 29 .818 25 18 7 .720 4 Championships, Three time Coach of the Year
2 Cliff Levingston 2013 19 17 2 .895 4 2 2 .500
3 Lawrence Moten 2014 18 17 1 .944 3 2 1 .667 1 Championship
4 Robert Spon 2015 15 15 0 1.000 2 2 0 1.000 1 Championship, Coach of the Year
5 Chris Daleo 2016 4 2 2 .500 0 0 0 N/A Fired Mid-season
6 Chris Iversen 2016 16 16 0 1.000 3 3 0 1.000 1 Championship
All-Time All-Time 2005–2016 231 197 34 .853 37 27 10 .730 7 Championships

References

  1. ↑ George, Rachel (2007-03-24), Sea Dawgs are unlikely hosts, Wilmington Star News, retrieved 2009-12-17
  2. ↑ http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3806661
  3. ↑ http://deadspin.com/5793619/how-to-deal-with-crappy-refereeing-quit-the-league
  4. ↑ http://www.mpnnow.com/localprosports/x1274369283/Puckos-Perspective-With-integrity-at-stake-its-time-for-the-PBL-to-act?mobRedir=false
East Division Buffalo 716ers Erie Hurricane Fayetteville Shipmen Lynchburg Titans Pee Dee Vipers Rochester Razorsharks West Virginia Angels
Midwest Division Bloomington Flex Chicago Tide Indianapolis Diesels Lake Michigan Admirals Louisiana Soul Lima Express
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