A big congratulations to everyone in The Record's sports staff after Metroland picked our section as having the best local sports coverage.

Best Local Sports Coverage

The Record

The Record gives a lot of real estate—in newspapers, “real estate” means pages—to sports. And a big share of this is in-depth coverage of local sports: high school, college, minor league baseball and hockey, you name it. Being able to devote your back page to a dynamic sports photo every day doesn’t hurt, either.

Hopefully we'll be able to continue this for next year.

According to the Albany Student Press, University at Albany men's basketball player Mike Johnson was arrested on July 4 for resisting arrest and second degree harassment.

Former UAlbany player Carl Ross was also arrested, charged with felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor arson.

The two were apparently setting of fireworks on the university's Empire Commons apartments.

Ross played just one season at UAlbany (2007) and helped lead the Great Danes to the NCAA Tournament that year.

According to the Albany Student Press, Johnson's harassment charge stems from physical contact with another person, but University Police decline to say who.

Ross' charge of arson came from a fire in a dumpster, which caused at least $250 in damage.

Both Johnson and Ross are due in Albany Police Court on Wednesday.

University officials and head coach Will Brown are declining comment until the legal issues are resolved.

While news about Kenny Hasbrouck joining the Memphis Grizzlies summer league team is great, SIena fans will also love this story about Clarence Jackson, most likely his replacement in the starting lineup. 

Jackson was one of 13 players nationwide and the only mid-major player (if you don't count Gonzaga as a mid-major) listed in a rivals.com story highlighting potential "new impact players" for the 2009-10 season.  

Here's what the story said about the 6-foot-3 junior guard from Marlton, N.J......

Jackson provided instant offense off the bench last season by averaging 8.3 points in just 14.7 minutes per game. He needed just 27 minutes to score 28 points in a 75-74 victory over Saint Joseph's. Now that Kenny Hasbrouck has departed, Jackson won't get a chance to defend his title as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's sixth man of the year. Jackson probably won't be the first offensive option as the lone newcomer in a lineup that returns four starters, but he figures to get plenty more opportunities to showcase his scoring ability.

I'm sure Siena fans can't wait for Jackson to make an impact on what is already a dangerous team. 

Former Siena College standout Kenny Hasbrouck will be joining the Memphis Grizzlies' Summer League Team in Las Vegas.

Hasbrouck will leave for Las Vegas Thursday morning and his first game is scheduled for July 12 at the COX Pavilion against Oklahoma City.

Hasbrouck will be playing with No. 2 draft pick Haseem Thabeet and former Pittsburgh forward Sam Young.

In addition to serving as a showcase for the stars of the NBA Draft, the 10-day summer league also gives free-agent hopefuls like Hasbrouck a second chance to stick and sign with a team.

Hasbrouck is also in talks with a professional team in Israel.

According to various sources, the Siena men's basketball team as inked a team from the ACC to add to its schedule for the upcoming 2009-10 season.

The Saints will travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech and former coach Paul Hewitt.

The deal apparently will give Siena a home game in the 2010-11 season before again heading to Atlanta for an away game in 2011-12.

Also, Yellow Jackets reserve Brad Sheehan, a Shaker High graduate, will be a senior when the series returns to Albany in the 2010-11 season.

From a Siena press release....

Siena swingman Edwin Ubiles has been invited to the prestigious LeBron James Skills Academy where he will play alongside some of the top college basketball players in the country.

The camp begins this coming Sunday in Akron, Ohio and full rosters have not yet been released.

Ubiles, who averaged 15 points as a junior and has led the Saints in scoring the past two seasons, recently returned from the Paul Pierce Skills Academy, which included 10 of the top wings in the country.