#3 Oklahoma vs. #14 Albany

[MRSGDG]

Looks like Peter's already getting into the journalism industry. He wrote a piece for the NY Post.

 

http://nypost.com/2015/03/19/march-hero-peter-hooley-writes-his-tale-of-heartbreak-triumph/

 

 

That's awesome!

[MRSGDG]

TU Plus article.. http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-sports/article/Peter-Hooley-forms-bond-with-UAlbany-basketball-6143892.php

 

Peter Hooley forms bond with UAlbany basketball great Jamar Wilson

As the University at Albany men's basketball team loaded its bus to the airport Wednesday, Jamar Wilson was settling into his new place in France, where he just joined a pro team, and was looking for a sports bar that might televise Friday night's NCAA Tournament game against Oklahoma.

The Great Danes' all-time leading scorer has spent the past nine years playing in Europe and Australia, but he never lost track of his alma mater. And he's become a virtual teammate — and close friend — of Peter Hooley.

 

When Hooley went home to Australia during the regular season to be with his ailing mother, Sue, Wilson was a reminder that Hooley didn't leave his "Purple Fam," as the Danes say, back in Albany.

 

They met for lunch a few times while Sue was in the hospital, just to give Hooley a respite from the near-constant vigil he kept at her bedside. Wilson sent Hooley messages daily, just to ask how he was holding up. And after Sue died of colon cancer Jan. 30, Wilson was UAlbany's representative at her services.

 

"You know, we all live and breathe basketball, but then you start realizing there are other things," Wilson said Wednesday from France. "Some of my teammates went to Sue's funeral. They got familiar with Peter. And now everyone's really enjoyed watching him flourish."

Hooley called Wilson "a friend for life" as he walked across the tarmac at Port Columbus International Airport on Wednesday — coincidentally enough, retracing a path Wilson had taken back in 2006. Wilson's final game for UAlbany was at Columbus' Nationwide Arena, where the Danes lost to Virginia in a first-round NCAA Tournament game.

 

After scoring a program-record 2,164 points, Wilson turned pro and settled mostly in Finland and Australia. It was there that he was teammates with a friend of the Hooley family, who connected the two. Wilson and Hooley worked out together while Hooley was home in the summer. And this past winter, Wilson, now 31, played for a pro team in Adelaide, near Hooley's hometown.

 

Wilson never met Sue, but she often sent supportive messages before and after Wilson's games. He did, however, befriend Peter Hooley's twin sister, Emma, who works for Virgin Australia, one of the team's primary sponsors.

 

Like the Hooley family, Wilson was awake late into the night Saturday to see how the Danes were doing in the America East championship game. It wasn't easy. He couldn't find a broadcast over the Internet, so he relied on Twitter and live updates of the stats online.

 

He knew the Danes were trailing Stony Brook by two points with 14 seconds to play. And the next update of the stats showed that Ray Sanders missed a layup try with two seconds left. He assumed the game was over.

 

"So then I started looking at Twitter," said Wilson. "And I saw it on Twitter. I saw that Peter made a 3. I was screaming. I was screaming in the house like I actually saw the shot."

 

Still not entirely sure the Danes had won the game, he kept refreshing the stats until they showed the final score: UAlbany 51, Stony Brook 50. By then, around 4 in the morning, his screaming had woken up his wife, Laura, and his daughter, Fiona.

 

"They understood," Wilson said with a laugh. "They know how it goes when it's the Purple Fam."

 

Other than a couple of Twitter messages, Wilson hasn't spoken to Hooley this week. He saw "SportsCenter" and heard about all the television appearances and thought it might be better to just let Hooley enjoy the moment.

 

But Wilson also has made a point of finding a place to watch Friday's game, because he thinks the No. 14-seeded Danes are going to pull off an upset. This team, he says, is more than a feel-good story.

 

"You can see this team is talented," Wilson said. "But the thing is, they're so close. This team just loves playing together. Out of all the Albany teams, this is the one that I think really can win a game."

 

And if they do, Hooley and the Danes won't be celebrating alone. There's a Purple Fam around the world ready to join them.

 

piorizzo@timesunion.com • 518-454-5425 • @peteiorizzo

Edited March 19, 2015 by MsGDG

[godanesgo99]

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34712

 

Part of me wants to register and correct them on the guard play with Singletary getting 1st team and being able to shoot and Hooley only getting second team and not first because of the games he missed, while mentioning that the game they saw was not typical from a shooting perspective, but I think it would be better for them to be surprised.

[DanesRGood]

Not only did he write the article in the NY Post but then there is this. As my friend said, "EXPOSURE!" This will be seen by MILLIONS of people on news stands in and around NYC today. Just amazing.

 

[Eli]

Not only did he write the article in the NY Post but then there is this. As my friend said, "EXPOSURE!" This will be seen by MILLIONS of people on news stands in and around NYC today. Just amazing.

 

 

I fear that I am developing a man-crush on Peter. What a great guy.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Ilko

[UA'08]

Amazing.

[KingDane]

 

Not only did he write the article in the NY Post but then there is this. As my friend said, "EXPOSURE!" This will be seen by MILLIONS of people on news stands in and around NYC today. Just amazing.

 

 

I fear that I am developing a man-crush on Peter. What a great guy.

 

 

Funny. All of this is so unbelievable. Bringing Jamar into the story, etc. - there have been great times to be a Dane, but this is far and away the best.

[UA66]

Better have a hanky or tissue at hand when you read Peter's article in the Post. If that doesn't move you, nothing will. What a passionate, articulate, and caring human being! They don't come any better.

[madDOG]

 

Better have a hanky or tissue at hand when you read Peter's article in the Post. If that doesn't move you, nothing will. What a passionate, articulate, and caring human being! They don't come any better.

 

Seriously. He is an excellent writer.

[KingDane]

http://www.rantsports.com/ncaa-basketball/2015/03/18/5-bold-predictions-for-no-3-oklahoma-vs-no-14-albany/

 

If you are looking for bulletin board material - here it is.

[uofalbany]

Who wants to crush the $iena out of little oklahoma tomorrow?

[uofalbany]

We almost went undefeated in conference play(18-1),we crushed stony brooks dreams once again

in the ae tournament, and we will win our first 2nd round game in the ncaas.....

ALL with excellent team play.

[DanesRGood]

 

Better have a hanky or tissue at hand when you read Peter's article in the Post. If that doesn't move you, nothing will. What a passionate, articulate, and caring human being! They don't come any better.

 

 

Peter and this story has made this grow man need a tissue more than once since Saturday, which is something that hasn't happened in a long time.

[uofalbany]

Who's pumped??????

 

Anybody know if they got in a practice yesterday?

[UAalum72]

Yes, they practiced at Dublin High School yesterday and will again this morning.

 

Will was on Rodger's show this morning. He said this will be one game where he won' mind if they take 25 3-pointers, don't be surprised if we take shots early in the possession, or force them a little, because if we pass up a good shot we might not get a second chance that trip. Thinks OK has the 2nd best starting lineup in college ball, but isn't deep. They've pressed hard every mid-major they've played (see: Weber State, 39 straight points for a 49-4 lead), so the key is that we HAVE to be able to score. Also thinks that OK is the best-balanced team between O and D of all five teams we've played in the NCAA.

 

Benson will be on Fox980 at 11:35 today.