Richard Jacob Explained

Richard Jacob
Team:Buffalo eXtreme
Position:Head coach
League:ABA
Birth Date:24 September 1958
Birth Place:Niagara Falls, New York, U.S.
High School:Niagara Catholic
College:NCCC (1976–1978)
Career Start:1976
Career End:1978
Career Position:Point guard
Career Number:20
Coach Start:1980
Coach End:2024
Years1:1976–1978
Team1:NCCC
Cyears1:1980–1981
Cteam1:La Salle (JV)
Cyears2:1981–1982
Cteam2:Niagara (graduate assistant)
Cyears3:1982–1983
Cteam3:Daemen
Cyears4:1983–1987
Cteam4:University at Buffalo (assistant)
Cyears5:1987–1989
Cteam5:Daemen
Cyears6:1989–1991
Cteam6:Villa Maria
Cyears7:1993–1995
Cteam7:NCCC
Cyears8:1996–2004
Cteam8:Medaille
Cyears9:2004–2005
Cteam9:Buffalo State (assistant)
Cyears10:2005–2006
Cteam10:Buffalo Rapids
Cyears11:2008
Cteam11:Buffalo Sharks
Cyears12:2008
Cteam12:Buffalo Stampede
Cyears13:2010–2017
Cteam13:ECC (assistant)
Cyears14:2017–2021
Cteam14:Park School
Cyears15:2023–present
Cteam15:Buffalo eXtreme
Highlights:As player:
  • NJCAA Region III champion (1978)

As coach:

  • CHSAA Class A champion (2018, 2019)
  • New York State Class A champion (2018)
  • Centercourt Coach of the Year (2018)
  • NJCAA Region III champion (2011, 2012)
  • NEAC champion (2004)
  • NEAC Coach of the Year (2004)
  • NJCAA Penn-York Coach of the Year (1990)
Cstats League1:ABA
Cwin1:26
Closs1:21
Cstats League2:College
Cwin2:164
Closs2:230
Cstats League3:High school
Cwin3:68
Closs3:14

Richard L. Jacob (born September 24, 1958, in Niagara Falls, New York), is an American basketball coach and educator. He is head coach of the Buffalo eXtreme of the American Basketball Association, and also sport management consultant for Villa Maria College.

Jacob won an NEAC championship at the collegiate level, and has been awarded Coach of the Year honors by both NEAC and NJCAA. For his work at Medaille College, he was named NSCAA Athletic Director of the Year. At the high school level he captured the New York State Class A championship, multiple CHSAA championships, and was awarded Centercourt Coach of the Year.

Jacob was head coach of New York State's Western Region team, leading them to a silver medal in the Empire State Games.

Early life

Richard L. Jacob was born on September 24, 1958, in Niagara Falls, New York, son of Angeline (née Pullo) and restaurateur Joseph Jacob.[1]

He graduated from Niagara Catholic High School in 1976, where he played basketball and was teammates with Scott Layden.[2] [3] Jacob graduated from Niagara County Community College with an associate's degree in arts and social sciences, playing for their 1977–78 men's basketball team which fell one game shy of a perfect season after losing the 1978 NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.[4] [5] [6]

Jacob then graduated from Eisenhower College with a bachelor's degree in psychology, later obtaining master's degrees in educational counseling and physical education at Niagara University and Canisius College, respectively.[4] [7] He went on to receive his Doctor of Philosophy in counselor education from University at Buffalo.[7]

Coaching career

Jacob began his basketball coaching career as head coach of the junior varsity squad at La Salle High School.[2] He began his college coaching career at Niagara University as graduate assistant coach under Pete Lonergan in 1981.[8] He was head coach of Daemen College for their 1982–83 campaign.[9] Jacob then served as assistant coach for University at Buffalo under Dan Bazzani from 1983 to 1987.[5]

Jacob returned to Daemen College as head coach in 1987, replacing Nate Bliss mid-season.[10] He left that job to become athletic director and head coach of Villa Maria College, where he was named NJCAA Penn-York Conference Coach of the Year for 1989–90 after leading the team to a 12–6 record.[11] Jacob was head coach for the Western Region team of the Empire State Games from 1987 to 1990, leading his 1989 squad that included Duke University star Christian Laettner to a silver medal.[12] [13] In 1993, he became head coach at Niagara County Community College.[5]

Jacob was hired as athletic director of Medaille College in 1995, and was named 1996–97 NSCAA Athletic Director of the Year after expanding their program from one sport to twelve.[14] Jacob coached Medaille College from 1996 to 2004, with his 2003–04 team claiming the NEAC championship.[15] [16] He was consequently named 2003–04 NEAC Coach of the Year.[17] Jacob served as assistant coach of Buffalo State College under Dick Bihr during their 2004–05 season.[18]

In their inaugural season, Jacob coached the 2005–06 Buffalo Rapids to an American Basketball Association playoff berth.[19] He left before their second season to focus on his teaching career at Medaille College.[20] Jacob returned to the Rapids organization in 2008 (now renamed the Buffalo Sharks) and coached the team to an exhibition victory over the Italy men's national basketball team.[21] After being named head coach and general manager for the Buffalo Stampede of the Premier Basketball League, he resigned before their 2009 season began.[22] [23] He served as assistant coach for Erie Community College under Alexander Nwora from 2010 to 2017, winning consecutive NJCAA Region III championships in 2010–11 and 2011–12.[2] [24]

Jacob was head coach of The Park School of Buffalo from 2017 to 2021, with his 2017–18 squad winning the New York State Class A championship, and consecutive CHSAA Class A titles in 2017–18 and 2018–19.[25] He was named 2017–18 Centercourt Coach of the Year.[26]

In their inaugural season, Jacob coached the 2023–24 Buffalo eXtreme to an American Basketball Association playoff berth.[27] [28]

Personal life

Jacob is married to educator Rebecca Frandina and they have two children.[29] His brother Matthew Jacob is a member of the Niagara Sports Hall of Fame.[30] [31]

He has worked as a special education counselor for BOCES and as a volunteer for the Special Olympics.[32] [33]

Jacob is godfather to National Basketball Association player Jordan Nwora.[34] He serves on the Board of Directors for the Jordan Nwora Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children the game of basketball.[35] [36]

In 2017 he authored John Tavares: Soul to the Goal, a biography of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame inductee.[7]

Head coaching record

ABA

|-| style="text-align:left;"|Buffalo Rapids| style="text-align:left;"|2005–06| 28||11||17||.392|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Connie Hawkins||2||1||1||.500| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Quarterfinals|-| style="text-align:left;"|Buffalo eXtreme| style="text-align:left;"|2023–24| 19||15||4||.789|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in White||2||1||1||.500| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Division Finals|-|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career:| 47||26||21||.553|| ||4||2||2||.500

High school

Coaching tree

Assistant coaches under Jacob who became collegiate or professional head coaches

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Joseph Jacob Obituary (2009) . Legacy.com . October 9, 2009 . October 17, 2023.
  2. Web site: Rodriguez . Miguel . Park names Rich Jacob as boys basketball coach . Buffalo News . August 18, 2017 . August 23, 2023.
  3. Web site: Brady . Erik . LAST LAUGH FRANK LAYDEN AND HIS SON LEARNED THEIR CRAFT IN NIAGARA FALLS. NOW THEY RUNONE OF THE NBA'S TOP FRANCHISES. . Buffalo News . December 7, 1997 . September 16, 2023.
  4. Web site: The Buffalo Criterion 17 March 1988 . The NYS Historic Newspapers . March 17, 1988 . September 16, 2023.
  5. Web site: Harrington . Mike . JACOB TAKES JOB AS NIAGARA COUNTY CC BASKETBALL COACH AFTER MCCORRY RESIGNS . Buffalo News . September 17, 1993 . August 23, 2023.
  6. Web site: NCCC Men's Basketball 40th Reunion . Niagara County Community College . May 1, 2020 . August 23, 2023.
  7. Web site: Richard L. Jacob Medaille University . 2023-04-24 . www.medaille.edu.
  8. Web site: Sullivan . Jerry . 'LUCKY' LONERGAN RETURNS TO COACHING WITH MEDAILLE WOMEN . Buffalo News . November 16, 2003 . October 14, 2023.
  9. Web site: Summit 1983 80 . New York Heritage . 2023-10-18.
  10. Web site: Gaughan . Mark . CANISIUS ENDS SEASON AGAINST TOUGH ALFRED BUFFALO STATE IS AT WESTMINSTER . Buffalo News . November 3, 1989 . August 23, 2023.
  11. Web site: PRESCOTT FINISHES 5TH IN WRESTLING . Buffalo News . March 25, 1990 . August 23, 2023.
  12. Web site: Harrington . Mike . WESTERN COMEBACK FALLS SHORT BY LAETTNER MISS . Buffalo News . August 7, 1989 . October 20, 2023.
  13. Web site: THREE LOCAL UNDERCLASSMEN LEAD CAGERS . Buffalo News . July 24, 1990 . October 15, 2023.
  14. Web site: MEDAILLE'S JACOB EARNS NATIONAL HONOR . Buffalo News . May 28, 1997 . October 16, 2023.
  15. Web site: Anhalt . Laura . Buffalo Welcomes Back Professional Basketball . Buffalo Rising . June 12, 2008 . August 23, 2023.
  16. Web site: Men's Basketball . Medaille University Athletics . August 16, 2021 . August 23, 2023.
  17. Web site: MEDAILLE CLAIMS TITLE; ECC WINS REGIONAL . Buffalo News . March 1, 2004 . October 14, 2023.
  18. Web site: Wilson . Allen . BIHR'S REPLACEMENT AT BUFFALO STATE COULD BE ON CAMPUS . Buffalo News . February 20, 2005 . September 16, 2023.
  19. Web site: McKissic . Rodney . RAPIDS HIRE JACOB AS COACH . Buffalo News . April 26, 2005 . August 23, 2023.
  20. Web site: Beutel . Nate . SILVERBACKS: Jacob steps down as coach unexpectedly . Niagara Gazette . November 1, 2006 . August 23, 2023.
  21. Web site: McKissic . Rodney . Makeshift Buffalo stars beat Italians Ugboja, Rainey lead scoring . Buffalo News . June 24, 2008 . October 18, 2023.
  22. Web site: BASKETBALL: Jacob resigns as coach of Buffalo hoops team . Niagara Gazette . December 16, 2008 . August 23, 2023.
  23. Web site: Archived copy . 2009-01-01 . 2009-02-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090203222029/http://buffalostampedepbl.com/news/index.html?article_id=5 . dead .
  24. Web site: Alex Nwora . Erie CC . October 20, 2023.
  25. Web site: Mayor Brown Honors the Park School Boys Varsity Basketball Team for a Successful Season . Buffalo, NY . March 27, 2019 . August 23, 2023.
  26. Web site: Buffalo News/BCANY Awards for boys basketball . Buffalo News . April 24, 2018 . October 15, 2023.
  27. Web site: Twitter . Welcome to the team, Coach Jacob! . August 7, 2023 . August 22, 2023.
  28. Web site: Buffalo eXtreme adavances to ABA Playoffs . The View From Centercourt . March 5, 2024.
  29. Web site: Buffalo Rapids name Richard L. Jacob GM and Head Coach . OurSports Central . May 14, 2005 . October 17, 2023.
  30. Web site: Beutel . Nate . BOYS BASKETBALL: Cataract Classic alive and well . Niagara Gazette . December 7, 2007 . November 5, 2023.
  31. Web site: Sabato . Nick . Niagara Falls Sports Hall of Fame honors nine new inductees . Niagara Gazette . October 22, 2023 . November 5, 2023.
  32. Response, 1966-1993 . Daemen Appointments . June 1988 . 8 . 1 . October 23, 2023.
  33. Web site: The Spirit 1 November 1993 . The NYS Historic Newspapers . November 1, 1993 . October 23, 2023.
  34. Web site: Lerner . Danielle . Jordan Nwora's decision to return to Louisville is paying off all over . The Athletic . December 16, 2019 . November 6, 2023.
  35. Web site: Jordan Nwora foundation . Jordan Nwora foundation . Jordan Nwora foundation . February 26, 2007 . October 22, 2023.
  36. Web site: Hricik . Madison . Alex Nwora, Jordan Nwora help expand sport of basketball, give back to communities . Buffalo News . July 31, 2022 . October 23, 2023.