Sage Men's Basketball History
Program started: JCA—2003, SAGE-- 2009-2010 to present.
First coach of program: Howie Smith (1978-1982), Bill Toomey (1982-1990, .634), Mike Long (1990-2003, .610), Brian Barnes (2009-present)
Top Seasons
2001-02 (Mike Long) went 27-4 (.871%)—highest season winning percentage to date. JCS coach from 1990-2003 (13 seasons)
Brian Barnes (here since 2009-2010 season—first coach after Sage merge)
2014-2015 season most successful in program history as the team won first Skyline Conference championship, first NCAA bid, undefeated at home, most wins in a season (23), most Skyline wins (15), longest win streak (11);
Barnes was NABA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year; Skyline Coach of the Year, ECAC Coach of the Year.
Senior captain Kai Deans named 2015 NABC All-America Third Team, first All-American in Sage history.
Coach Brian Barnes won his 100th career game on December 7, 2016 as Sage beat Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 102-46.
The 2016-2017 Sage men's basketball team was the Skyline Conference Tournament runner-up. The Gators wrap their season with an impressive 17-10 showing, while capturing the Skyline Conference North Division Regular-Season Championship.
Notable Student-Athletes:
Chris Kidd: 2018-2019 Sage Male Athlete of the Year, 2018-2019 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball All-Star Second Team. Featured by D3Hoops.com in a story, The Old Men in Division III. Kidd, who has earned acclaim on the 2018-2019 season as the Gators' leading scorer on the campaign after averaging 12.8 ppg with 321 points and a team-best 8.3 rpg average. He collected 10 double-doubles as well on the year. In his Sage career he added 414 career points and is fourth all-time with his 13.4 career ppg average. A 1,000 point scorer over the course of his collegiate career, he was Sage's high scorer six times this year and also the high rebounder 12 times as well for the Gators. His career-high single-game performance was a 30-point game in the Gators' overtime victory over Utica, 95-89, while adding 14 rebounds against Elmira this year.
Marcus Patterson: Named the Gator of the Year as the team's most valuable player and was also tapped as the 2016-2017 Male Athlete of the Year. Patterson, who was a team co-captain and Skyline Conference All-Star First Team pick, capped his senior season having been ranked in 10 statistical categories nationally in Division III this past year. He was ranked 74th nationally in total field goals attempted (381) after wrapping his stellar athletic career 1,021 career points, the third highest total among all Sage men's basketball players. Patterson also stands second all-time with his 552 rebounds in 102 career games played, which is also tied for second best all-time at Sage. He finished his senior season with 477 points, which is the most points scored in a single-season in the history of the squad. Patterson surpassed the single-season total of 468 points held by All-American Kai Deans (2014-2015). He averaged a team-best 17.7 ppg with a 7.5 rpg average in his 30.5 minutes per game. He added 30 or more points three times, including a pair of 31 point showings. He earned seven selections to the Skyline Conference Weekly Honor Roll and scored double digits in all but three of his 27 games played and started this past season. He added eight double-doubles and was nationally ranked 111th with his double-doubles.
Melvin Ford: Ford earned 2015-2016 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team honor. Ford led the Gators to the 2014-2015 Skyline Conference regular-season and Skyline Conference Tournament Championship as well as the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2015 after a record setting campaign that saw Sage go 23-5. Over the course of his career at Sage, Ford helped the team to an impressive 67-40 record, while leading the team to the Skyline Conference Tournament all four seasons. He wrapped his stellar career as the program's all-time leading rebounder with 733 rebounds, while ranking No. 3 all-time in scoring with 976 points. He also finished third with his 61 career blocked shots in 102 games played, which is No. 2 in the program's record book.
Kai Deans: Sage Male Athlete of the Year (2014-15); Men’s Basketball Gator of the Year (2014-15) Named to NABC All-America Third Team, Skyline Conference Player of the Year, selection to ECAC Metro and D3Hoops Atlantic Region and NABC Atlantic Region First Team (2014-’15). Holds record for most points in a game record w/33 (1/31/15 vs. College of Mt. St. Vincent).
Travis Gill: Skyline Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2014-15) and (2015-16).
Andrew Robinson: Skyline Conference First Team, Skyline Conference Most Outstanding Player (2014-2015); #1 in single-game 3 pt record w/ 14 made 3-pointers (2014-2015).
Matt Farbotko: program’s 1st 1,000 point scorer (2009-13), Skyline Rookie of the Year, (2009-2010).
Mason Horne: Skyline Conference All-Star Second Team selection (2012-2013), program’s leading scorer (1,258 points) 2009-14).
Jeff Stopera: (2009-14) Set records for most career assists (567), steals (234), and games played (110); Skyline All-Star Second Team selection (2013-2014), Skyline Sportsmanship recipient 2014.
James Taylor: Hall of Fame Member—inducted ’10, JCA player ’87-’89, #1 in most blocked shots in a season (66), holds records in most career points, most career rebounds.
Chad Thomas: Hall of Fame Member—inducted 2010, JCA player 1993-95, #1 in career points scored (1,229), #1 in most career steals (230), #1 in most points scored in a season, #1 in highest scoring average in a season, #1 in most steals in a season and a game.
Rafael Salazar: Hall of Fame Member—inducted 2013, JCA player 1992-94, #2 in most career steals, record holder in steals and rebound in a single season, team MVP (1992-1994).
Sam Greco Jr: Hall of Fame Member—inducted 2015, JCA player 1962-64, team MVP (1964), team captain, team’s leading scorer in 1963-’64 season.
Dwayne Barnes: Hall of Fame Member—inducted 2015, JCA player 1997-99, #3 in most points scored in a single season, #3 in highest scoring average in a single season, First-Team All-Region (1999), team MVP (1999).
Sage’s All-Time Men’s Basketball Empire 8 All-Stars and Awards Winners
2018-2019
Chris Kidd, Empire 8 Second Team
Frane Larose, Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Sportsmanship Team
2017-2018
Kevin Lenehan, 8 Empire 8 Honorable Mention Team
Barceem Dukes, Empire 8 Men's Basketball Sportsman of the Year Team.
Sage All-Time Men’s Basketball Skyline Conference Honorees
2016-2017
Marcus Patterson, First Team, F
2015-2016
Travis Gill, Defensive Player of the Year
Melvin Ford, First Team, F
Andre Robinson, Second Team, G
2014-2015
Kai Deans, First Team, F/C, Skyline Player of the Year
Travis Gill, Defensive Player of the Year
Andre Robinson, First Team, G, Skyline Tournament, Most Outstanding Player
Brian Barnes, Skyline Conference Coach of the Year
2013-2014
Jeff Stopera, Second Team, G
2012-2013
Mason Horne, Second Team, F
2009-2010
Matt Farbotko, Skyline Rookie of the Year
NABC Honors Court Honorees
2018-2019
Joshua Gonzalez
Anthony Mitchell
2016-2017
Alex Lilac
Frane Larose
2015-2016
Alex Lilac
Dan Schilde
2014-2015
Alex Lilac
2012-2013
Matt Farbotko
2011-2012
Matt Farbotko
Jeff Stopera