Former Kean And Colonia Standout Now Playing Semi-Pro Ball In Buffalo
BUFFALO, NY–Looking for inspiration. Looking to find out what it takes to be a college or professional basketball player. Look no further because GMC Hoops has found someone for you. Recently, the site had been contacted by former JFK hoops standout, Elliot Solop, who is now running a web site called, The Sports Tomato. One of the features on the site are player journals. One of the journals being kept is by former Colonia High and Kean University standout, Vinnie Darpino, who is now playing for the Buffalo Stampede of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League.
The ACPBL is an eight team league that stretches from New York to Virginia. Games are played every Saturday and Sunday from the beginning of December to the middle of March, and then playoffs take place the week after with the top four teams qualifying. After the season is over, there will be an All-Star Game played on April 9th. See the full ACPBL schedule. The first week of games have already been played and the Stampede is 1-0 after winning their opener over the Hudson Valley Kingz by a score of 132-114. In the game, Darpino scored 19 points including a three ponter while also collecting 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and a steal. The Stampede play again next Saturday against the Garden State Rebels.
As a senior at Kean, Darpino played and started in all 25 games averaging 31 minutes per game, 13.7 points per game (second on the team), 2.6 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game. The 5’9″, 175 pound guard connected on 40 percent of his shots including 21 threes while making 53 of 71 from the foul line for just under 75 percent. While in Buffalo, Darpino has been posting his journals to The Sports Tomato. In his posts he talks about life in Buffalo, the practices with the team as well as individual workouts, and the rigors of being an athlete. The Colonia native is also working on getting Italian Dual Citizenship so he can play overseas next year. If you want to know what it is like, and what it takes to succeed at that next level, check out his journal entries below.
- Vinnie Darpino–Week One Journal–November 13, 2010
- Vinnie Darpino–Week Two Journal–November 20, 2010
- Vinnie Darpino–Week Three Journa–November 27, 2010
- Vinnie Darpino–Week Four Journal–December 6, 2010
GMC Hoops will continue to follow Vinnie Darpino and the Buffalo Stampede as the season progresses.