RazorSharks sign first three players

Published on August 27, 2005 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
Rochester RazorSharks News Release


Rochester, NY. The ABA Rochester RazorSharks professional basketball team announced the signing of the first three players in the history of team, welcoming two Rochester natives and a former Syracuse University star to the expansion team for the 2005-2006 season.

The RazorSharks signed Demond Stewart, a 6'3" guard from Greece Olympia High School and a four-year veteran of professional basketball in Europe; Lazarus Sims, a 6'4" guard who led Syracuse to the NCAA Championship Game in 1996 and Eric Coley, a 6'5" guard/forward who was born in Rochester but played his high school basketball in Oklahoma. The three players will be the cornerstone of the team when the RazorSharks begin play in November.

"This is a proud day in the history of the RazorSharks," said Orest Hrywnak, Chief Operating Officer and GM of the team. "It is important that we have three signature players from this basketball-starved region on our roster as well as great community ambassadors. It's an exciting moment as the team begins to take shape for the upcoming season."

Stewart, a native of Rochester, starred at Greece Olympia High School and went on to play for Niagara University where he was the MAAC Conference Player of the Year 2000-2001. The 28 year-old played professional basketball last season in The Netherlands for Cape Holland Den Helder where he averaged 12 points per game.

Sims (pronounced la-ZAR-us sims) played last season in Venezuela averaging 4.9 points before going to Dodge City in the USBL and averaged 9.5 points. The native of Syracuse played four seasons for the Orangemen averaging 6.3 points per game his senior year as SU went to the final four. He has also played internationally for Poland and for the Harlem Globetrotters. He also played professionally for Phoenix in the ABA.

Coley (pronounced COAL-lee) was born in Rochester but moved to Oklahoma as a youngster. Coley played 131 career college games at Tulsa University, the most in school history and led the team to the Elite Eight in the 2000 NCAA Tournament and is the all-time Western Athletic Conference career steals leader. The 27 year-old recently completed his third season with the Oklahoma Storm of the USBL and has played in other pro leagues.

"Demond gives us a wealth of professional experience after playing four seasons in very competitive leagues in Europe," said Brendan Rooney, the RazorSharks Director of Player Personnel. "He is not just a shooter, he can handle the ball and he has a nose for the basket. He can score from every area on the floor. Lazurus is a winner...period. he is a great playmaker and floor leader and makes everyone around him a better player while controlling the tempo of the game. He will be an entertaining player for the fans and will be a joy to watch. Eric is as good an athlete as you will find in the ABA. He has great quickness, strength and jumping ability and is quick off his feet. He is a shutdown defender capable of taking out the other team's best offensive player."

All three players will be in training camp in October as the team begins its inaugural season. The home opener at The Blue Cross Arena is scheduled for November 6th, the first of an 18 game home schedule. For more information, contact razorsharks@aol.com or call 585 232 9190 or visit www.abalive.com.

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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