By Justin Rushia
The SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College campuses are only 10 minutes apart. Starting next year, the schools will even share a campus, yet their men’s basketball teams have never officially taken the court against each other.
Both programs have considered the possibility of a cross-town matchup, but the teams have never faced off.
“I’ve been trying to scrimmage them the last couple years, but we just haven’t been able to make it work,” said Neil Epstein, Clinton County head men’s basketball coach.
According to head coach Mike Blaine, Plattsburgh State, an NCAA DIII program, is allowed only two scrimmage or exhibition games per season. This season, Plattsburgh has only used one against Division I University of Vermont.
“From a scheduling standpoint, we’re looking to play regular season games against other four-year institutions,” Blaine said. “Unfortunately, we are more limited than they are in the number of preseason opportunities that we have.”
Blaine said the only way the cross-town teams could matchup is if Plattsburgh dropped one of their series or scheduling circumstances were altered.
“I’m not one who’s usually apt to drop historical series,” Blaine said. “But that’s certainly something we’re willing to explore if need be.”
The connections between the teams run a lot deeper than you might think.
Blaine and Epstein are both from the Washington D.C. area and have both made moves to the North Country to take on coaching positions.
“I’ve known coach Epstein for a while,” Blaine said. “I’m glad to see the job he’s doing, revitalizing their program and keeping some high-quality players on board there.”
Clinton Community will often recruit players from the North Country area. Blaine says that having a successful two-year program like Clinton allows them to see how some of these players and players from other schools will develop at the collegiate level for some close-to-home potential recruiting.
Next year, Clinton County will move onto Plattsburgh’s campus and into Redcay Hall.
Epstein said that the relocation does not mean that the team will primarily use Plattsburgh’s athletic facilities. At the moment, Clinton County will still practice and play games in its home gym.
“We have not been made privy to anything from an adjustment standpoint,” Blaine said. “There’s way more questions than answers right now. We’re just kind of waiting to see how things shape up.”
With the two teams located so close to each other, it’s common for players from both squads to play each other in pick-up games during the off-season.
This has sparked an unofficial rivalry between the two teams.
“We’re literally right next to each other. So I feel like there’s definitely going to be some competitive animosity,” said Victor Dueno, Clinton Community player.
Both coaches acknowledged that they were aware of the pick-up games and the competitiveness of the two teams, but weren’t privy to the personal relationships between the two squads.
“I’m sure they want to play us — from what I’ve heard,” Plattsburgh State player Ikechukwu Ezike wrote in a text.
With the potential for a matchup being discussed each season, the players naturally have considered who would win such a game.
“I obviously think that we’d win,” Dueno said. “But I definitely feel like it would be a close game.”
Not everyone agrees.
“I’ve heard they don’t think we are good — and that’s fine — but I won’t be talking any slander,” Ezike wrote. “I know we would beat them.”
