IBL: Albany Legends Start Off Season With a Win

The Albany Legends of the IBL have kicked off their second season with a win at home against the Kankakee Soldiers. The Christian Brothers Academy gymnasium was packed with fans and the Legends did not disappoint. If you want to see the highlights from last night's game, CLICK HERE. My prediction is that the Legends will repeat this season and win the IBL championship like they did last season. Now let me break down the team this season:

Returning players include Scott McRae, Lloyd Johnson, Damone Morris, Chris Grant, and the 2010 IBL Championship MVP DeAndre Thomas. New additions to the team include Adam Abdourhamane, Scott Morton, Prince Jackson, Lucious Jordan, EJ Gallup, Anthony Bruin, and Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben.

Players who won't be returning to the team this year will be Gordon Klaiber (who led the team in points per game last season), former NBA player Kenny Satterfield (who led the team in assists per game last season), Jermaine Tate (who led the team in rebounds per game last season), Lloyd Clinton (who averaged 11.5 points a game last season), Evan Lane (who honestly wasn't that good), and Charles Henson (who only played 3 games with the team last season).
Damone Morris: This guy is good, a very talented player. If I could compare him to an NBA player, I would say Dwyane Wade meets Shannon Brown. He played a key role in helping the Legends win the title last season and can get above the rim and jam it. Look for him to be one of the go-to-guys on the team this season.
DeAndre Thomas: This center's NBA comparison would be Shaquille O'Neal. They're both massive and are beasts in the paint. He played a major role in the Legends' championship run last season and was named MVP of the championship game. He should be a major contributor for the team this season.
Chris Grant: Grant may be the most versatile player on the team. At 6-5, he can play point guard, shooting guard, and small forward. He should play a key role on the team this season.
Lloyd Johnson: He's undersized at 5-11, but can play on and off the ball and can even dunk! Not only that, but he can shoot the 3 do whatever needs to be done on the court....except maybe posting up. His NBA comparison would probably be Nate Robinson meets Chris Paul.
Scotty McRae: This 6-8 forward from UAlbany showed off his jumpshot during the first game of the season and finished the game with 13 points. I'd say his NBA comparison would be Jeff Green meets Al Harrington. If his jumper stays consistent and he can continue to grab rebounds, I'd look for him to get a lot of minutes this year.
EJ Gallup: Gallup's NBA comparison would be JJ Redick on the count of both of them being white and really knowing how to shoot the 3. During the first game of the season, he showed off his long-range stroke and made three 3-pointers. I'd look for him to keep making threes and maybe even hit a couple of big shots during the course of the season.
Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben: Mayben is definitely one of the most talented players on the team this year. He played Division 1 college basketball at UMass and Binghamton, and he might be in the NBA right now if it wasn't for legal troubles. I'm glad the Legends are giving him a chance and he should fill the void left by Kenny Satterfield's departure. Look for him be the team's main point guard and really show his skills.

The other players on the team should prove to be solid role players and help them win games.
As for the new head coach Ben Smith, I really don't know much about him, but if he's anywhere near as good of a coach as Derrick Rowland was last season, he should do fine.

Well, lets hope that the Legends do well this season. I'm out.

Have any thoughts on the Albany Legends that you would like to share. Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.