ROCHESTER 1977-78 BEST RECORD AABA 11-1

ROCHESTER 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1982-83 EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPIONS

ROCHESTER ZENITHS 1979 CHAMPIONS

ROCHESTER ZENITHS 1981 CHAMPIONS

Rochester Zeniths
AABA 1977-1978
CBA 1978-1983

In the Eastern League's early years, franchises jumped from league to league - the original Wilkes-Barre Barons, for example, played several seasons in the American Basketball League before that circuit folded, at which time the Barons returned to the Eastern League.

After the American Basketball Association folded in 1977, a new eight-team league was formed - the All-American Basketball Alliance, of which one of the eight teams was the Rochester Zeniths (the team's owner, Dick Hill, owned a series of television stores in Rochester). The Zeniths compiled an 11-1 record in front of solid crowds before the entire league folded. The Eastern Basketball Association, looking for a new market to enter, contacted the Zeniths' ownership about joining the Eastern League. The Zeniths' ownership agreed to join the Eastern League on two conditions - the Zeniths players would stay with Rochester, rather than be spread across the league in a dispersal draft; and the league would have to rename itself to something more geographic.

The Zeniths' ownership got their wish. The team joined the Continental Basketball Association for the 1978-79 season, retaining most of their players. The Zeniths, led by head coach Mauro Panaggio, immediately dominated the league with a 36-12 record and a nearly flawless rout on their way to the playoffs. Scoring was led by Larry McNeill (29.5 ppg), Larry Fogle (22.8 ppg), and CBA Most Valuable Player Andre McCarter 21.6 ppg, 9.7 assists per game).

A section of the Rochester "floor" from the Dome Center Arena. Courtesy Bill Flynn, Rochester sports historian.

The Zeniths also had a distinctive home court advantage. Because there was no way to store a conventional basketball floor in Rochester's home facility, the Dome Arena in nearby Henrietta, the Zeniths played on an experimental green carpeted surface designed to resemble a basketball court. The green carpet absorbed the sound of basketball dribblings, and nobody wanted to dive for a loose ball lest they get rug burns on their arms and legs.

The franchise won a second CBA championship in 1981, defeating the Montana Golden Nuggets in a thrilling series. The story of that season was the Zeniths' incredible winning streak - 15 road victories, the most by any CBA team; 13 games won in a row; and winning eight of nine playoff contests for an incredible 42-7 record.

By the 1981-82 season, the Zeniths were unable to recapture their winning ways. Only one player, Wayne Abrams, returned from that championship squad, and despite the play of CBA Rookie of the Year Larry Spriggs, Rochester finished out of the top spot in the Eastern Division for the first time in their history.

The Zeniths later moved to the Rochester War Memorial for the 1982-83 season, the same building where the previous Eastern League basketball team, the Rochester Colonels, played. Unlike theire predecessors, the Zeniths continued to win and prosper, finishing the season once again on top of the Eastern Division. That, however, would be the final season of the Zeniths, who later sold their franchise back to the CBA for over $440,000.

Four division titles and two championships in five years - certainly an impressive statistic.

             W   L  PCT   GB     Result
1978-1979   36  12  .750  --     Won CBA Championship
1979-1980   31  15  .674  --     Lost CBA Championship
1980-1981   34   6  .850  --     Won CBA Championship

             W   L   QW     QP   Result
1981-1982   29  17 102.0  207.0  lost in semifinals
1982-1983   29  15 106.5  193.5  lost in semifinals

1978-1978 Won in semifinals over Allentown, 3 games to 1
          Won CBA Championship over Anchorage, 4 games to 0
1979-1980 Won in quarterfinals over Pennsylvania, 2 games to 0
          Won in semifinals over Maine, 2 games to 0
          Lost in CBA Championship to Anchorage, 3 games to 4
1980-1981 Won in quarterfinals over Lehigh Valley, 2 games to 0
          Won in semifinals over Philadelphia, 2 games to 1
          Won CBA Championship over Montana, 4 games to 0
1981-1982 Lost in semifinals to Lancater, 1 game to 3
1982-1983 Lost in smiefinals to Detroit, 2 games to 3