ALBANY — With its unique lighting and infrequently used hoops, the four-year-old Albany Capital Center received its brightest spotlight Saturday night with the start of an NCAA Division II basketball regional tournament.
The six-team event, which concludes with a regional championship game Tuesday night, is being held without fans, appropriate since there is no permanent seating in the arena. The facility's primary basketball function is to serve as a practice court when the neighboring Times Union Center lands the Division I tournament, which was scheduled to happen last March but was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A year later the NCAA returned in a different form. Fifth-seeded Caldwell (N.J.) became the first team to earn an NCAA victory in the Capital Center. outlasting fourth-seeded Dominican of Orangeburg (Rockland County) 65-62 in front of a few dozen College of Saint Rose officials (they're the tournament host) and media.
In the second game, No. 3 Bloomfield (N.J.) coasted to a 71-58 victory over No. 6 Nyack, setting up a meeting with second-seeded Daemen and its star center from Guilderland, Andrew Sischo, who leads Division II in rebounding and ranks third in scoring.
"They've got a big 6-9 All-American in the middle and a lot of shooters around him," Bloomfield coach Gerald Holmes said in his quick assessment of Daemen (8-5). It’s a very successful program, and it's going to be a tough game."
Daemen-Bloomfield will be the 8:45 p.m. game. In the opener, top-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas of Sparkill (Rockland County) will face Caldwell at 6 p.m. All games are streamed live at ncaa.com.
“It’s been a difficult time, that’s for sure," Caldwell coach Mark Corino said of the empty arenas. "I don't know if they got accustomed to it, but today seemed different to me. Even the court, the environment, the facility was different for our guys, but it is what it is. We're proud and happy to be here, and we're going to give it our best shot tomorrow, too."
After missing their first 11 shots, the Cougars (6-4) battled back behind 17 points and 10 rebounds of Anthony Cooper to take a 39-24 halftime lead. Dominican (4-4) got as close as two in the final minute but couldn't overtake its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference rival.
"It was weird, no fans," said Dominican coach Joseph Clinton, who played at Union College in the early 1980s. "We got to the gym and it was cold. Obviously, it warmed up as guys were playing, but it was definitely different with no fans or anything. That’s not an excuse for us. We’ve been off for two weeks. We didn’t play our best game."
Nyack (4-5) had an early five-point lead against Bloomfield, but the Bears gradually pulled away, leading by as many as 24.
"We executed that the way we wanted to, and fortunately we shot the ball well because there was no way to know after that long layoff," said Holmes, whose team, like all four CACC teams that played Saturday, hadn't had a game for two weeks.
Nyack was playing in the NCAAs for the first time, a year after earning its first winning record in 15 seasons.
"I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it," Nyack coach Valiant Jones said of the lack of spectators, "but guys brought their energy. I’m proud of that group, the way they fought the entire year being in quarantine multiple times and just kept fighting to have this season. I don't think I'll ever get used to playing with no fans, but I'm happy to be playing basketball. We're fortunate to get to this point."
The Albany Capital Center, site of a NCAA Division II basketball regional Saturday, March 13, 2021. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
The Albany Capital Center, site of a NCAA Division II basketball regional Saturday, March 13, 2021. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons
Caldwell's Anthony Cooper has his shot attempt blocked by Dominican's Jalen Burgess in a NCAA Division II basketball regional Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
Dominican's Jalen Burgess skies for a rebound between Caldwell defenders Gerald Blount (33) and Manley Dorme in a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons
Caldwell guard Anthony Cooper looks for his shot against Domincan defender Daniel Grant in a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons
Caldwell's Manley Dorme attempts a shot over Dominican's Donnell Hill in a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. Caldwell's Anthony Cooper is in the background. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons
Caldwell's Ty-Shon Pannell drives around Dominican's Joshuel White in a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
Dominican's Brandt Roundtree swats away a shot by Caldwell's Anthony Cooper in a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
Dominican's Daniel Dade Jr. (5) congratulates Caldwell's Manley Dorme after a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. Caldwell defeated Dominican, 65-62. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
Nyack's Marquis Copeland goes up for a dunk, his only two points in a 71-58 loss to Bloomfield in an NCAA Division II basketball regioonal game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
Robert Simmons/ACC
Bloomfield coach Gerald Holmes urges his team during a NCAA Division II basketball regional game Saturday, March 13, 2021, at the Albany Capital Center. (Robert Simmons/ACC)
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Albany Capital Center gets its NCAA baptism - Times Union
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