Area Senior Leagues looking to expand, build off of 2010-2011 season that saw 31 teams take part

The Albany/Troy 9-10 Senior League, the Schenectady 9-10 Senior League and the Capital District 11-12 Senior League provide players who have graduated from CYO programs or any other Capital District Region youth basketball league but are not participating with their respective high school teams an opportunity to continue their hoop careers in a healthy, competitive atmosphere.

During the 2010-2011 season there were 10 teams in the Albany/Troy 9-10 Senior League, nine teams in the Schenectady 9-10 Senior League and 12 teams in the Capital District 11-12 Senior League.

The majority of games in the league are played on weekends on some of the very same gym floors that high school freshmen, JV and varsity teams compete on. League entry fees are determined by the number of teams in each league and the number of games that are scheduled.

Last year, St. Paul’s of Schenectady put together a perfect 19-0 season to win the Schenectady 9-10 Senior League regular season title. St. Paul’s also was crowned the league’s post-season champion, beating St. Helen’s of Niskayuna in the championship game that was played at Shen High School East.

Other teams that took part in that league during the 2010-2011 campaign were two teams from St. Gabriel’s of Rotterdam, two teams from St. Clare’s in Colonie, IC Glenville of Scotia, Guilderland and Our Lady Queen of Peace of Rotterdam.
Over in the Albany/Troy 9-10 Senior Basketball League, the regular-season title was won by Clifton Park Orange which put together a solid 15-3 record. Clifton Park Orange also won the post-season tournament in the Upper Division playoffs, beating out Troy CYO, the Schenectady Basketball Club and Clifton Park Black.

The rest of the league was broken up into two divisions for the post-season play. Albany JCC took home top honors in the Independent Division, beating out St. Catherine’s #2 and Christ The King of Guilderland. In the Lower Division playoffs, St. Catherine’s #1 won out over East Greenbush and Averill Park.

In the Capital District 11-12 Senior Basketball League, Clifton Park #1 and Clifton Park #2 finished first in the North and South Divisions, respectively, during the regular season. But both fell by the way side during the playoffs as Troy CYO #1 prevailed to take home the post-season tournament trophy.

Other teams that took part in the Capital District 11-12 Senior League were Albany JCC, St. John ‘s Valatie, Troy CYO #2, St, Mary’s of Ballston Spa, the Schenectady Basketball Club, The Clifton Park YMCA, St. Paul’s of Schenectady and East Greenbush #1 and East Greenbush #2.

Leagues for the 2011-2012 season will officially form as soon as possible after high school basketball tryouts have concluded in early November. The Senior League season begins in early December and ends in February. The season includes a mid-season tournament and playoffs.

Interested teams or perspective coaches should email Fuzzyjim111@aol.com or contact Senior League Commissioner Jim Fazzone at 281-0809 for more information about joining a Senior League. Informational meetings will be held at the Troy CYO Center and at St. Gabriel’s in Rotterdam in early November. Anyone interested in any of the leagues can also visit the following league web sites:
http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=albtroy
http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=schenectady
http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=cap