1948–49 Syracuse Nationals season

1948–49 Syracuse Nationals season
Results
Record40–23 (.635)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finishLost Eastern Division Semifinals (Packers) 3–1
Stats at Basketball Reference

The 1948–49 Syracuse Nationals season was the third season of the franchise in the National Basketball League. The Nationals finished this season with their first winning season in franchise history, as well as their only winning season while in the NBL. Syracuse would sweep the Hammond Calumet Buccaneers 2–0 in the opening round, but lost to the eventual champion Anderson Duffey Packers 3–1 in the semifinal round of the final NBL Playoffs ever held. Months after the end of what became the final NBL season as a whole, the NBL officially agreed to merge operations with the more upstart Basketball Association of America to become the modern-day National Basketball Association, with the NBA ultimately keeping the history of the BAA around over that of the NBL despite it being the longer-lasting league, though the NBA would also keep every surviving NBL team from the previous season outside of the Dayton Rens, Hammond Calumet Buccaneers, and Oshkosh All-Stars alongside keeping the NBL's planned expansion team in the Indianapolis Olympians, while the BAA side also kept every team of theirs outside of the Indianapolis Jets (formerly the NBL's Indianapolis Kautskys) and the Providence Steamrollers for the merger. However, the Nationals and the Tri-Cities Blackhawks would become the only NBL teams in the NBL side of things by 1949 to survive to the present day, albeit as the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks respectively.

Roster

Syracuse Nationals roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
G/F Bob Calihan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1918-08-02 Detroit Mercy
G/F Al Cervi 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1917-02-12 East High School (NY)
G/F John Chaney 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1920-02-29 LSU
G/F Billy Gabor 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1922-05-13 Syracuse
G/F Jim Homer 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1921-12-05 Alabama
G/F Johnny Macknowski 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1923-01-07 Seton Hall
F Hank O'Keeffe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1923-12-12 Canisius
C Ed Peterson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1924-06-27 Cornell
G Jerry Rizzo 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 150 lb (68 kg) 1919-04-21 Fordham
F/C Dolph Schayes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1928-05-19 NYU
G/F Paul Seymour 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1928-01-30 Toledo
F Paul Yesawich 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1923-11-27 Niagara
Head coach

Al Cervi

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Regular season

Eastern Division standings

Team Wins Loses Pct.
Anderson Duffey Packers 49 15 .766
Syracuse Nationals 40 23 .635
Hammond Calumet Buccaneers 21 41 .339
Detroit Vagabond Kings / Dayton Rens 16 43 .271

[1]

Playoffs

Won Opening Round (Hammond Calumet Buccaneers) 2–0
Lost Division Semifinals (Anderson Packers) 3–1

Awards and records

References

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