The Rochester Razorsharks
are a professional basketball team based in Rochester, New York. They are members of the East Division 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, when they left the league to become a founding member of the PBL. The Razorsharks won the 2006 ABA championship and are the defending PBL champions.
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ROCHESTER RAZORSHARKS TICKETS
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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 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 gates, Rochester hosted the 2006 ABA
Great Eight Tournament playoffs. At their home arena, the Razorsharks, on March 26, won the ABA championship 117-114 in front of a franchise record crowd of 6,377.
The Razorsharks' championship continued what has become a Rochester basketball tradition: The
Rochester Royals won the
National Basketball League championship in their first season, 1945-46, and the
Rochester Zeniths captured the
Continental Basketball Association crown in their maiden campaign in 1978-79.
2006-2007
During the team's first "off-season," the RazorSharks took a major step towards repeating as ABA Champions, as well as establishing plans for the future, by re-signing head coach Rod Baker to a multi-year contract. The deal was reported to be 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 key player and 2006 ABA MVP
Chris Carrawell, the RazorSharks reloaded well for the start of the next season, 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, and returned home on Thursday, November 16 for their 2006 home opener, a 107-93 win over the rival
Buffalo Silverbacks.
On Saturday, 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. The Razorsharks won that game, 124-114 over the
Maryland Nighthawks.
On Thursday, December 28, 2006 the Rochester RazorSharks beat the
Cape Cod Frenzy 92-88 and set a record 24th professional basketball consecutive home victory record topping the 1949-50 NBA Rochester Royals and the 1978-79 CBA Rochester Zeniths. A franchise attendance record was also set at this game with an announced attendance of 7,858. The crowd was also the largest ever to see a pro basketball game featuring a Rochester team. The RazorSharks finished the 2006-2007 regular season with an 18-0 home record extending their home win streak to 35 consecutive wins, and counting. The RazorSharks' last home loss came on November 24, 2005 to the
Niagara DareDevils.
On Thursday, March 22, 2007, the RazorSharks announced they were leaving the ABA to help form the new Premier Basketball League.
2008
The team's first year in the PBL was very successful, compiling an 18-2 record which was the best in the league and earned them the first seed in the playoffs. Following first and second-round byes, they defeated the
Reading Railers 100-76 for a berth in the championship game. All of this came despite just a four-player holdover from the previous year. Only James Reaves, John Halas, Demond Stewart, and Keith Friel were players for the RazorSharks in years past, and only three of them, Reaves, Stewart, and Friel were on the 2006 ABA Championship team.
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 the backboard shattering following forward
Sammy Monroe grabbing the rim for a rebound. The glass shrapnel injured teammate
James "Mook" Reaves and delayed the game for 45 minutes while arena staff replaced the backboard and medical staff tended to Reaves' injuries.
2009
Reaves, Friel and Crouch returned to the Sharks in 2009, as did role-players Ron Rollerson and Steve Hailey. Chris Iversen was promoted from the front office to assistant coach during the off-season.
The team's early performance lagged expectations. The RazorSharks lost three of their first four games, and on January 19, 2009, the
Vermont Frost Heaves ended Rochester's 48-game home winning streak, which dated back three seasons. However, the RazorSharks won all 15 remaining regular-season games to finish the regular season 16-3, capture the championship of the Eastern Division, and earn 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.
The PBL Finals pitted the Razorsharks against the Battle Creek Knights..The Razorsharks won their second straight title 152-115 and Sammy Monroe shattered the backboard again delaying the games for 45 minutes in the first quarter.
Year-By-Year Results
2005-2006 Final Record
| Regular Season
|
| Wins
| Losses
| Percentage
| League Ranking
| Division Ranking
|
| 26
| 4
| .867
| 1st - ABA
| 1st - Connie Hawkins
|
| Playoffs
|
| Wins
| Losses
| Percentage
| Finish
|
| 4
| 0
| 1.000
| Won ABA Championship (beat SoCal Legends)
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Team Leaders
-Points Per Game: James Reaves: 18.4
-Rebounds Per Game: James Reaves: 7.6
-Assists Per Game: Lazarus Sims: 6.2
2006-2007 Record
| Wins
| Losses
| Percentage
|
| 24
| 6
| .800
|
The RazorSharks received a final ABA PLAYOFF RANKING of 4 (of 37 teams) earning them a bye in the first round of the ABA playoffs.
Current roster
Head Coach:
Rod Baker
Assistant Coach:
Chris Iversen
| #
|
| Pos.
| Ht.
| Player
| Acquired
| College
|
| 4
|
| PG
| 6'0
| Jerice Crouch
| 2008
| Chattanooga
|
| 5
|
| PG
| 6'3
| John Halas
| 2006
| Trinity College (CT)
|
| 10
|
| PG
| 6'2
| Steve Hailey
| 2008
| Boston College
|
| 13
|
| SG
| 6'4
| Keith Friel
| 2005
| Virginia
|
| 15
|
| SG
| 6'4
| Derik Hollyfield
| 2008
| Eastern Illinois
|
| 20
|
| PG
| 6'3
| Demond Stewart
| 2005
| Niagara
|
| 21
|
| SF
| 6'6
| Sammy Monroe
| 2008
| Newberry College
|
| 24
|
| PF
| 6'4
| Marlin Johnson
| 2008
| Monroe CC
|
| 25
|
| PF
| 6'6
| Vidal Massah
| 2008
| St. Bonaventure
|
| 33
|
| SF
| 6'11
| Jermaine Bell
| 2008
| Indian Hills CC
|
| 34
|
| PF
| 6'8
| Arthur Barclay
| 2008
| Memphis
|
| 35
|
| PF
| 6'8
| James "Mook" Reaves
| 2005
| Niagara
|
| 55
|
| PF
| 6'11
| Ron Rollerson
| 2008
| Temple
|
2009 Season Schedule
| Date
| Opponent
| Home/Away
| Score
| High points
| High rebounds
| High assists
| Location/Attendance
| Record
|
| January 3
| Augusta Groove
| Away
| 116-127
| James Reaves (32)
| James Reaves (6)
| Steve Hailey (3)
| Richmond Academy
| 0-1
|
| January 10
| Buffalo Stampede
| Home
| 120-100
| James Reaves (27)
| James Reaves (14)
| Jerice Crouch (6)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 1-1
|
| January 15
| Wilmington Sea Dawgs
| Away
| 101-111
| Keith Friel (22)
| James Reaves (11)
| Jerice Crouch (3)
| Schwartz Center
| 1-2
|
| January 19
| Vermont Frost Heaves
| Home
| 110-113
| James Reaves (26)
| James Reaves (9)
| James Reaves (5)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 1-3
|
| January 24
| Chicago Throwbacks
| Away
| 112-83
| James Reaves (23)
| James Reaves (11)
| Marlin Johnson (2)
| Attack Athletics
| 2-3
|
| January 25
| Wilmington Sea Dawgs
| Away
| 99-87
| Keith Friel (22)
| James Reaves (11)
| Jerice Crouch (2)
| Schwartz Center
| 3-3
|
| January 29
| Mid-Michigan Destroyers
| Away
| 119-82
| James Reaves (20)
| Aaron Williams (10)
| Keith Friel (2)
| Bay City Western High School
| 4-3
|
| February 1
| Wilmington Sea Dawgs
| Home
| 115-95
| Sammy Monroe (19)
| Ron Rollerson (11)
| Steve Hailey (9)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 5-3
|
| February 7
| Mid-Michigan Destroyers
| Home
| 141-86
| Jerice Crouch (25)
| James Reaves (12)
| Steve Hailey (7)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 6-3
|
| February 14
| Vermont Frost Heaves
| Away
| 113-103
| Keith Friel (33)
| Marlin Johnson (13)
| Sammy Monroe & Marlin Johnson (2)
| Barre Auditorium
| 7-3
|
| February 16
| Augusta Groove
| Home
| 119-121
| Keith Friel (35)
| Aaron Williams (10)
| Jerice Crouch & Steve Hailey (4)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 8-3
|
| February 21
| Mid-Michigan Destroyers
| Home
| 110-123
| Aaron Williams (24)
| Jerice Crouch (9)
| Jerice Crouch (5)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 9-3
|
| March 8
| Augusta Groove
| Away
| 117-99
| Keith Friel (25)
| James Reaves (9)
| Derik Hollyfield, Steve Hailey, & Xavier Morton (2)
| Richmond Academy
| 10-3
|
| March 14
| Augusta Groove
| Home
| 109-123
| Sammy Monroe (22)
| Marlin Johnson (13)
| Jerice Crouch & Steve Hailey (5)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 11-3
|
| March 17
| Wilmington Sea Dawgs
| Home
| 105-121
| Sammy Monroe (21)
| Marlin Johnson & James Reaves (10)
| Steve Hailey (8)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 12-3
|
| March 20
| Buffalo Stampede
| Away
| 132-100
| Sammy Monroe (22)
| James Reaves (7)
| Jerice Crouch (9)
| Koessler Athletic Center
| 13-3
|
| March 22
| Buffalo Stampede
| Home
| 111-156
| Keith Friel (30)
| James Reaves (10)
| John Halas (7)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 14-3
|
| March 27
| Buffalo Stampede
| Away
| 123-92
| James Reaves (20)
| Marlin Johnson (9)
| Steve Hailey (10)
| Koessler Athletic Center
| 15-3
|
| March 28
| Chicago Throwbacks
| Home
| 96-176
| Keith Friel (36)
| James Reaves (12)
| Marlin Johnson (7)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 16-3
|
Playoffs
Semi-Final series
|
| April 2
| Manchester Millrats
| Away
| 125-110
| Sammy Monroe (26)
| James Reaves (10)
| Marlin Johnson (4)
| Southern New Hampshire Fieldhouse
| 17-3
|
| April 5
| Manchester Millrats
| Home
| 116-110
| Keith Friel (27)
| James Reaves (8)
| Steve Hailey (5)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 17-4
|
| April 7
| Manchester Millrats
| Home
| 152-115
| Keith Friel (28)
| Xavier Morton (16)
| Jerice Crouch & Steve Hailey (7)
| Blue Cross Arena
| 18-4
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