Buffalo Blue Hawks

Buffalo Blue Hawks

Founded	2015 (2015)
Folded	2019 (2019)
League	ABA 2015–2017 NABL 2019
Division	Northeast
Team history	Buffalo Blue Hawks 2015–2019 Buff City Braves 2019
Based in	Buffalo, New York
Arena	Bishop Timon – St. Jude 2015–2017 Delavan Grider Community Center 2019
Colors	Blue, blue, white
Owner	Franklin Jackson 2015–2019 Robert Cornelius 2019
Head coach	Franklin Jackson 2015–2017 Darel Goodwin 2019 Robert Cornelius 2019
Captain	Prince Knight 2019
Overall record	3–15 (.167)
Playoff berths	1 (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.

Franklin Jackson founded a new ACPBL franchise called the Buffalo Warriors, but his team folded midway through the 2011–12 season.

Jackson then partnered with Tawan Slaughter to purchase an American Basketball Association (ABA) franchise for the city in November 2012. Slaughter went on to found the Buffalo 716ers in the Premier Basketball League after Jackson left the partnership.

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. 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. Franklin Jackson coached the team to a 0–2 record, at which point their season ended prematurely in January 2016.

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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

Dialo Rivera-Stevens was named to the 2009 All-NABL Team for his performance during the season.

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. Lovell Smith and Jamaal Carter would go on to play for the Buffalo eXtreme, an ABA team that formed in 2023.

Personnel

2015–2016

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From 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 (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

2016–2017

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From 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 (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

2019

Buffalo Blue Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From 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 (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended 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
2016-17	—	—	Northeast	11th	0	7	.000	—	Did not qualify.		Franklin Jackson
2019	East	6th	Northeast	4th	3	5	.375	—	Lost quarterfinal (Thunder) 99–121	Dialo Rivera-Stevens (All-NABL)	Darel Goodwin Robert Cornelius

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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 December 12 @ Steel City L 61–147 Greentree Sportsplex 0–1
January: 0–1 (home: 0–1; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location 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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 June 22 @ Lancaster L 99–121 Lancaster High School 0–1