By Jonah Bronstein
A post-practice fight between sophomores Franklin Jones and Dyrell Dolson will force the Niagara County Community College men’s basketball team to open the season without its two biggest players.
Coach Bill Beilein said Tuesday that Jones, a 7-foot center, will be sidelined for at least two months because of a “boxer’s fracture” in his right pinkie, and Dolson, a 6-foot-6 forward, has been suspended until Nov. 16.
“It’s a setback because those are our two biggest guys,” the first-year coach said.
Jones and Dolson, who are both from Niagara Falls, came to blows over a minor dispute that was not related to basketball, according to Beilein.
“They were congenial with each other afterward and felt bad about what happened,” Beilein said.
Jones, 23, is in his first year at NCCC after sitting out last season. Since leaving Niagara Falls High School in 2004, Jones has joined the basketball teams at the University of Texas El-Paso, Division II Mercyhurst (Pa.) College and Mountain State University, an NAIA school in West Virginia. Mountain State was the only school he played for.
It’s possible Jones will be out even longer than two months because he has sustained this type of injury before, Beilein said.
Dolson, 19, averaged 16.5 points and 11 rebounds in his first season at NCCC and was voted third-team all-region and team MVP.
The Niagara Catholic graduate is not allowed to practice with the team during his suspension, but can do conditioning and shooting workouts on his own, Beilein said.
“I think this sets the tone for how we expect our guys to act on and off the floor,” Beilein said.
NCCC hosts the Medaille junior varsity team in an exhibition game at 6 p.m. Thursday and open the regular season at home Tuesday night against Finger Lakes Community College.
E-mail reporter Jonah Bronstein at jonah.bronstein@niagara-gazette.com
