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Paying Tribute
by Jed Tai
As the nation takes the time to mark the anniversary
and reflect back on one of the most tragic events in the country's
history, we here at Hoopville would like to do the same. The events of
September 11, 2001 touched us all, and no segment of society was spared
in the United States - including the world of college basketball. Many
coaches were indirectly affected with the FAA's shutdown of air travel
during the week, stranded in various parts of the country during
recruiting trips. But those delays were trivial compared to the 3000+
lives lost in tragedy, of which several had former connections to
college basketball. Years later, we remember them with our tributes to
those who passed away with hoops forever in their blood.
Terrance Aiken had a personality that was easy to remember. His
love for the game of basketball and his energetic demeanor was
infectious to all that knew him. The 6'3" Aiken started his college
career at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and had a
successful two-year stint there. After a stint at Worcester State
College in Massachusetts, his next move was to the College of Staten
Island. The ultimate gymrat was an immediate hit in his one and only
year at Staten Island in 1994-95, averaging 9 points and 3 rebounds. He
went on to play professional basketball overseas briefly in the
Philippines before taking up an interest in computers. Aiken had just
started working as a computer consultant with Vital Computer Services on
the 97th floor of the Towers on September 4. He left behind a wife and
three chidren, and his jersey at Staten Island has been retired. He was
30 years young.
John "Jay" Corcoran had a real passion for the sport of
basketball. Growing up in Boylston, MA, he played hoops throughout his
childhood and high school years, and continued doing so in college at
Massachusetts Maritime Academy, from which he graduated in 1979. But
while his statistics in college may not be well documented, his love for
the game certainly was. A naturally humorous guy, Corcoran was a leader
who not only kept his teammates loose but played with serious intensity
on the court. And after his playing days, he kept close with the game by
coaching and supporting youth leagues in his home of Norwell,
Massachusetts. A merchant marine engineering officer, Corcoran was often
on the road traveling to tours of duties overseas. He was a passenger on
United Flight 175 headed to Los Angeles on September 11th. He was 44
years young.
Scott Davidson was a committed individual. Whether it was playing
basketball, as a family man, or in the community, Davidson gave 100
percent each and every time out. On the court, he was a fierce
competitor who not only scrapped on defense but also fought mercifully
for rebounds despite his relative lack of height at 6'3". A four-year
letterman in high school at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, Davidson
moved on to the College of Staten Island, where he became the team
captain his senior year in 1989-90, helping the Dolphins win 20 games
and capture the conference championship. Davidson graduated with a
degree in history and obtained a teacher's license, but his desire to
serve others led him to pursue a career of firefighting, and he joined
the Fire Department in 1994. Davidson still stayed close to the game,
playing in various leagues and doing some coaching and refereeing on the
side. He was working for Ladder Co. 118 in Brooklyn Heights, which was
called into service after the second tower was struck. Davidson is
survived by two children, and his jersey at Staten Island has been
retired. He was 33 years young.
Tim Finnerty not only played the college game; he spent time
coaching it as well. A crafty lefty, the 6'2" Finnerty was a four-year
letterman at Division III Scranton, and tasted success on the court when
the Royals made it to the NCAA Finals in 1988. After graduating in 1990,
he kept basketball in his blood, becoming a rising star as an assistant
coach. After a graduate assistant stint at Fordham, he worked himself
into the top assistant in charge of recruiting at Wagner. But the $7000
a year pay was not enough for Finnerty, and he eventually left the
profession for Wall Street. But while he embarked on a new career, he
would keep his love for basketball strong, volunteering to coach youth
and AAU basketball in his native New Jersey. Eventually he would mirror
his coaching career in the world of finance, becoming a rising star on
Wall Street as well. He was a partner and senior broker with Cantor
Fitzgerald. He was 33 years young.
Doug Gardner was known for his stunning smile and his hearty
laugh. The consummate friend and teammate, Gardner was a multi-sport
athlete, but may have had passion for basketball the most. At Haverford
College, he joined the varsity basketball team as as senior in 1982-83,
and while he was a bit player and undersized at 6'4", he was never
afraid to bang the boards under the basket. Gardner graduated with a BA
in Economics from Haverford in 1983, and moved onto various finance jobs
in corporate America before joining Cantor Fitzgerald, where he became
the executive managing director. Despite his extremely busy schedule,
Gardner still found time to give back to the community, serving as a
Vice President for Student Athletes, Inc., an organization dedicated to
the enrichment (educationally and athletically) of inner city children.
The new integrated athletic center at Haverford will be named after him
in his memory. He left behind a wife and two young children. He was 39
years young.
Calvin Gooding spent virtually all of his life in New York City,
where his love of basketball was quite evident. Raised in Queens,
Gooding was a standout player at Parker Collegiate Institute before
moving on to Haverford College, where he played for four seasons. His
most shining moments came as a senior, when the 5'11" point guard was
not only a co-captain, but led the team in total points, assists, free
goal and free throw percentage. Gooding graduated with his degree in
political science in 1984 and moved onto a career on Wall Street.
Gooding joined Cantor Fitzgerald in the early 90's and traded
international equities, eventually moving his way up to partner. While
he worked, Gooding still maintained connections to his old neighborhood,
organizing basketball camps in the area. The basketball court at the new
integrated athletic center at Haverford will be named after him in his
memory. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters. He was 38
years young.
Tom Hannafin was one of those guys that was successful in
everything that he did. Especially when it came to his family, his
career, and sports. On the basketball floor, the 6'2" Hannafin was a
heady point guard who always played under control. A four-year varsity
player at the College of Staten Island, Hannafin had his most success
his senior year in 1986-87, when he not only averaged 12 points and
seven rebounds, but also set a single season school record for steals.
He finished his Dolphins career ninth all-time in career assists and
tenth all-time in career steals. After graduation, Hannafin's calling
was the community, and he became a New York City firefighter, but the
game never left him, he excelled on the Fire Department Basketball Team
which traveled to tournaments across the country. Early in 2001,
Hannafin was a member of a gold medal-winning three-on-three hoops squad
at the World/Police Fire Department Games in Indianapolis. He was
serving with Ladder Co. 5 in Greenwich Village, which was called into
action when Tower 1 was struck. Hannafin left behind a wife and two
children, and his jersey at Staten Island has been retired. A YMCA
Basketball League in West Brighton has also been named after him in his
memory. He was 36 years young.
Farrell Lynch came from an athletic family. The oldest of four
brothers, the Centerport, NY native set a precedence for his younger
siblings with his accomplishments. After a three-year career at St. Pius
X High School, the 6'2" swingman started his college career at SUNY-Brockport,
where he averaged 12.3 points as a sophomore in 1982-83. There at
Brockport, Lynch befriended a teammate by the name of Jeff Van Gundy,
and the both of them transferred to Nazareth College for the following
year. At Nazareth, Lynch played one season, averaging 1.4 points and 0.4
rebounds on one of the school's best-ever squads that finished 22-6 and
reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III tournament. While that
season would be his last on the team, Lynch remained close friends with
roomate Van Gundy after graduation, and stayed close to the game,
coaching CYO basketball and soccer. Lynch worked with Cantor Fitzgerald
as a partner assigned to the collateralized mortgage obligation desk. He
is survived by his wife and three daughters. A Memorial scholarship at
Nazareth has been set up in his name. He was 39 years young.
Darryl McKinney may have been one of the more explosive players
in the history of Division III Elmira College. He also saw plenty of
team success early in his career as a member of a ECAC title team his
freshman season, and a member of Elmira's first NCAA Tournament team as
a sophomore. The 6'1" McKinney moved into the starting lineup his junior
season, and after a year off, started once again as a senior at the
point, averaging approximately 12 points his final year. McKinney's
success wasn't just limited to the court, as he was also an excellent
student, picking up a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a
Master's degree in Education. McKinney stayed in close contact with
Elmira after graduation, keeping tabs with the program and played in
some alumni games. He worked in various jobs in corporate America and
the community in the NYC area after his playing career, and was last
with Cantor Fitzgerald as a brokerage clerk. He was scheduled to take
his brokerage exams on September 22. He was 26 years young.
Stephen Mulderry didn't look like much of a basketball player
when he graduated from Bishop Maginn Diocesan High School. A scrawny
six-footer, the young point guard was known more for his scrappiness
than any natural basketball talents he might have had. But his desire
would lead him to SUNY-Albany, where the coaches had no choice but to be
impressed with the gym rat with endless hustle and the willingness to
work. After spending his freshman year on the JV squad, the kid known as
"Zipper" moved up to the varsity his sophomore year. By his senior year
in 1989-90, he was averaging 11.5 points and 5.7 assists per game as the
starting point guard and co-captain of a 20-9 NCAA Division III
tournament team. He finished his collegiate career with the school's
seventh highest assist total. After graduation, he moved up in the
financial sector, becoming a broker and vice president of Keefe,
Bruyette & Woods on the 89th floor of Tower Two. His basketball legacy
lives on as a memorial fund in his name raises money for youth athletic
programs in New York City. He was 33 years young.
Martin Niederer grew to love the game of basketball in middle
school, and after a standout career at North Hunterdon High School in
Annandale, NJ, accepted a scholarship to play the sport at the
University of Vermont. The 6'2" point guard's freshman year was spent
mainly on the bench, as his role was to give high scoring Eddie Benton
some rest from time to time. He got into 16 games and 51 minutes of
playing time, scoring 11 points and dishing out 4 assists. After getting
recruited over in the fall, Niederer quit the team and decided to focus
his attention on school and fell in love with the financial markets
after a field trip to Wall Street. But despite no longer being a playing
member of the Catamounts, he maintained friendships with his former
teammates, many of whom became lifetime friends. Niederer began working
as a securities trader at Cantor Fitzgerald in 2000. He was 23 years
young.
Tim O'Brien was a multi-sport star as a young man. But while he
excelled in both baseball and golf, basketball was the sport that he
truly starred in. Over his four-year career at Hartwick College in
upstate New York, O'Brien set 11 men's hoops records, including the
all-time leading scoring mark with 1799 career points (which still ranks
third overall). As a senior he averaged a school record 24.4 points per
game - which still stands - and was named a First Team All-American by
the NABC. Even after graduation, O'Brien stayed in close contact with
the Hartwick program for many years, and was a member of Hartwick's
first Hall of Fame class in 1995. At Cantor Fitzgerald, O'Brien was a
partner in global securities trading and worked in Tower 1 of the World
Trade Center. On February 15, 2002, Hartwick held Tim O'Brien night to
honor his memory. O'Brien is survived by his wife and four young
children. He was 40 years young.
Dan Trant was most familiar to hardcore basketball fans as the
last pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, widely regarded of one of the best
drafts of all-time. He was selected by the Boston Celtics, who often
made a habit of picking local players in the later rounds. But the 6'2"
sweet-shooting Trant was more than just a token selection - he was a
gifted college player. At Division III Clark, Trant was a lights-out
shooter who averaged 22.5 points and 6.6 assists per game his senior
season in 1983-84, where he helped lead the Cougars to the NCAA finals.
He finished his career amongst Clark's all-time leaders in scoring and
assists; marks that still stand today. While he did not make the cut
with Boston, he did carve out a pro career in the USBL and overseas in
Ireland before quitting to concentrate on his family. Trant was a
municipal bond trader with Cantor Fitzgerald. He was 40 years young.
Tyler Ugolyn was a highly regarded prep player in Connecticut; a
Top 250 nationally-ranked recruit who was nominated for the McDonald's
All-American team as a senior. The 6'4" forward spurned other offers to
attend non-scholarship Columbia, where his basketball career
unfortunately didn't quite blossom, as injuries limited him to 2.2
points per game in six games over the span of two years from 1997 to
1999. But he would make the most of his limited time, putting up
per-minute stats any stat geek would be proud of. And even though he was
no longer playing the game, his love for hoops would have him sponsor a
youth basketball clinic in the South Bronx among many other activities.
After graduating from Columbia, he went to work as a research associate
at Fred Alger Management, Inc., on the 93rd floor of Tower One. He was
23 years young.
Clearly, all of the men mentioned above were more than simply former
college basketball players - they were dedicated husbands, fathers,
brothers, sons, family men, and leaders. Their mark was left not only on
the court, but certainly off of it as well. Years later, we continue to
remember them with our tributes to those who passed away with hoops
forever in their blood. May they rest in peace and their memories
forever remembered by us all.
Jed Tai is a Hoopville Senior Writer living in Portland, Oregon. He
can be contacted by
clicking here.
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