(Albany, NY - November 23, 2021) – The new Head Coach/GM Will Brown announces today the first 2 players added to the Albany Patroons roster for the upcoming season, set to begin early March. The Patroons play in The Basketball League (www.thebasketballleague.net) which has grown to 45 teams.
The first signing is Ja’Quan Newton, a 6’3, 185lb Combo Guard from Philadelphia who played 4 years at the University of Miami in the ACC from 2014 to 2018. ESPN analyst and broadcasting legend Dick Vitale once called Newton “the best 6th man in the country”. During his time in Miami, Newton scored 1,145 points, led in assists 2017-18, and led the Hurricanes to 3 NCAA Tournament appearances including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2015-16. He is a graduate of the legendary Neumann Goretti High School in Philadelphia, where was school’s as well as the leagues’ all-time leading scorer with 1,972 points.
Coach Brown says of Newton - “I am really excited to welcome Ja'Quan to the Albany Patroons. He has the ability to impact the game not only by scoring, but also by getting his teammates involved. He played at the highest level of NCAA D1 basketball, as well as European and NBA G League experience which will be very beneficial in the TBL. Ja'Quan brings the combination of talent and character that we want representing the Albany Patroons organization. I am confident that he will have a positive impact on our basketball team, our organization, and the local Albany community.” Ja’quan Newton most recently played in the NBA G League for the Greensboro Swarm.
The 2nd player signed by Coach Brown to join the Patroons 2022 roster is Thik Bol (pronounced Theek). Bol is a 6’9, 220lb Power Forward/Center from Omaha, Nebraska. Bol played 2 years at Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference from 2016-2019 and was 2nd in the Conference in blocked shots. Bol was named All-Defensive team in 2016-17. Bol also led the nation in blocked shots during his freshman year at Iowa Western College. Both years at Iowa Western, he led the ICCAC and Region 11 in blocked shots.
Coach Brown on Bol - “Thik is an incredible athlete and defensive presence. He is the type of player that will be able to anchor our defense while he is on the court. Offensively he finishes above the rim with exciting highlight reel dunks and will be a fan favorite. He has valuable professional experience playing in a very competitive league in Spain. We’re excited to welcome Thik to the organization.” Thik Bol last played during the 2019-20 season in Spain for CB Benicarlo in the LEB Silver.