Greg Washington ended his senior year at Hofstra in 2010-11 with a school-record 275 career shot blocks./AP Photo.

When the Rio Grande Valley Vipers made Greg Washington their final cut in training camp, he didn’t wear that as a badge of honor.

“At that point, I was at my lowest,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect next. Speaking with my agent, he said he was going to do his best to find me another team.”

Enter the Erie BayHawks.

Erie picked Washington out of the D-League player pool and he had his first practice with the BayHawks earlier today.

“Thank God I was still packed,” Washinton said. “My mindset was still as positive as anybody’s. I’m blessed to be here. I’m ready to work.”

The BayHawks are trying to get the rail thin 6-10 center ready for Friday’s game against expansion Canton at Tullio Arena. Washington has the school record for shot blocks at Hofstra with 275.

Read the rest of this entry »

Chris Daniels/Photo by Rob Engelhardt/Erie Times-News

The Erie BayHawks closed out Saturday’s three-team exhibition with a convincing 57-42 win against expansion Canton at Penn State Behrend.

Center Chris Daniels had 19 points while forward Tirrell Baines added 16 as the BayHawks shot 62.2 percent from the field.

Erie won its earlier game, 43-39, against Fort Wayne, which beat Canton in the opening game, 49-41. The three games were only two quarters long. Forward D.J. Kennedy (knee) and point guard Al Nolen (foot) didn’t play for Erie.

Look for the Bayhawks to make some cuts in the next day or so. The BayHawks have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 23 to reach the 10-man roster limit. Before looking at the BayHawks, here’s a quick observation of Fort Wayne and Canton.

Fort Wayne is experienced. Has key returnees in Ron Howard and Walker Russell. Got some solid pick ups in former Michigan State forward Antonio Smith and Marvin Phillips, who was a key contributor for the Iowa Energy.

However, the biggest force the Mad Ants have – Chris Hunter – was in street clothes. The big fella was nearly unstoppable in the D-League. With him, Fort Wayne could be be scary.

Canton – The Charge didn’t finish their second scrimmage with Erie well. Got pretty good talent, but they’re young and didn’t play like a cohesive unit down the stretch against Erie.

Now to the BayHawks.

Read the rest of this entry »

Donald Sloan hit the game winner in the scrimmage.

Just got back from Geneva, Ohio where the Erie BayHawks beat the expansion Canton Charge in an exhibition game at the SPIRE Institute.

First off, the SPIRE Institute is a magnificent facility. Took a tour with the BayHawks there before the scrimmage. Very nice facility.

Now let’s talk hoops.

Erie won, 105-103, but Erie coach Jay Larranaga said, “We got a lot of work to do” afterward.

It’ll be interesting if the BayHawks show improvement in their defense in terms of defending dribble penetration in Saturday’s three-team scrimmage with the Charge and Fort Wayne at Penn State Behrend’s Junker Center.

As far as Wednesday goes, the game was close throughout but three guys came to the front when the game was on the line for the BayHawks.

1. Donald Sloan – Hit the game-winner with 19 seconds left after breaking the defense down with the dribble. This guy can get in the lane, has a nice runner and is automatic from the line.

Read the rest of this entry »

The BayHawks traded veteran point guard Blake Ahearn for Donald Sloan (15)./AP Photo

Several players vying to make the final 10-man roster of the Erie BayHawks made a lasting impression the team’s general manager of basketball operations – Allan Houston.

The assistant general manager of the New York Knicks came to Erie on Sunday for training camp and left Monday afternoon. Here’s a list of the players Houston named when asked who stood out to him while he was at training camp.

Donald Sloan (23 years old, 6-3, 205, Texas A&M) – “I saw it in the Pan-Am trials. Didn’t get to see much of him last year (playing for the Reno Bighorns), but he’s a real point guard. The more and more I talk to other personnel and people throughout the league, a lot of guys come into this league and they have to be combos. A lot of guys who are twos trying to be ones because of their size, but he’s a real point guard. I like his demeanor. Athletic, explosive and he sees the floor well.”

Chris Daniels (27 years old, 7-0, 265, Texas A&M Corpus Christi) – “I like Chris’ skill level.”

Cory Higgins (22 years old, 6-5, 180, Colorado) – “Cory is very efficient. Like we thought, he handles the ball well. Good mid-range shooter. Good defender. He’s probably going to have to get a little bit stronger, but that’s natural for when you come out of college.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Allan Houston is running Erie's b-ball show./NYK.

The 2011-12 D-League season hasn’t started yet and the Erie BayHawks have already made three roster moves.

Fortunately for the BayHawks, the D-League increased roster moves from 10 to 12 this season.

Let’s take a look at the latest one, which may give a good indication of how things are going to be for the BayHawks being in a hybrid partnership with the New York Knicks, who led by Allan Houston is running their basketball operations.

A former star guard with the Knicks, Houston is their assistant general manager.

A day after the draft, Erie traded veteran point guard Blake Ahearn and second-round pick Taj McCullough, a small forward, to Reno for point guard Donald Sloan and its seventh-round pick, veteran forward/center Joe Kennerly III.

Let’s start with the appetizer part of the trade.

Read the rest of this entry »