The New York State Professional Basketball League (NYSPL) was a professional basketball circuit based in New York. The league was founded in 1946 and dissolved after three seasons in 1949.
The league formed in 1946 as an eight-team circuit. The first game was on November 20, 1946 in Albany, New York at the Washington Avenue Armory between the Albany Senators and the Cohoes Mastodons.[1] Albany lost their first two games, which led them to replace their head coach George Duke for Barney Sedran.[2]
On December 28, 1947, league commissioner Frank Basloe announced an Oswego–Cohoes game was fortified by the latter team. Cohoes players were stranded in New York City during a snow storm and were unable to make the game on time.[3] The league wrapped its first half season on January 2, 1948.[3] The Mohawk Royals set a league-high for points scored during a game on January 8, 1948 with 112 in victory over the Oswego Pontiacs. On January 21, 1948 the league assembled a New York State Professional Basketball League All-Star team to play the Utica Olympics.[3] Jerry Rizzo joined the NYSPL Saratoga Indians following a suspension from the National Basketball League for a physical altercation with a referee.[4]
Before the 1948–49 season the Utica Olympics announced their local fire department would not permit the team to play at the Utica Armory. The fire department eventually accepted plans by the team to admit a limited number of spectators to the venue.[5] The 1949 championship series between the Mohawk Redskins and the Cohoes Mastodons was never completed. Players for both teams failed to report to the first championship game and several players for Mohawk and their coach Bernard Sarachek had signed with American Basketball League teams.[6] League officials vowed to return for the 1949–1950 season, but it eventually disbanded due to high operating costs. The 1948–49 championship was awarded to the Cohoes Mastadons, who had the best regular season record.[7]
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohoes Mastodons | 25 | 8 | .758 | ||
| Albany Senators/Red Devils | 20 | 13 | .606 | 5 | |
| Saratoga Indians | 19 | 15 | .558 | 6.5 | |
| Troy Whirlwinds § | 2 | 32 | .143 | ||
| Utica Olympics | 25 | 9 | .735 | ||
| Mohawk Redskins | 24 | 10 | .706 | 1 | |
| Schenectady Comets | 17 | 17 | .500 | 8 | |
| Gloversville § | 0 | 34 | .000 | ||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohoes Mastodons | 29 | 7 | .805 | ||
| Saratoga Indians | 26 | 10 | .722 | 3 | |
| Albany-Troy Celtics/Glen Falls Commodores | 22 | 14 | .611 | 7 | |
| Oswego Pontiacs | 2 | 34 | .055 | 27 | |
| Utica Olympics | 18 | 18 | .500 | ||
| Mohawk Redskins | 17 | 19 | .472 | 1 | |
| Schenectady Comets | 12 | 24 | .333 | 6 | |
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohoes Mastodons | 20 | 9 | .690 | ||
| Mohawk Redskins | 18 | 9 | .667 | 0.5 | |
| Glens Falls Commodores | 19 | 10 | .655 | 1 | |
| Schenectady Packers | 15 | 12 | .556 | 3 | |
| Harlem Yankees | 12 | 14 | .462 | 6.5 | |
| Saratoga Indians | 6 | 25 | .194 | 15 | |
| Utica Olympics § | 6 | 14 | .300 | ||
| Troy Celtics § | 1 | 3 | .250 |