Hall of Fame

The following was written on the 1997-98 Men's Basketball Team's Hall of Fame Plaque.

The 1997–98 Siena Heights University men’s basketball team recorded a 28–9 overall mark, including an 8–4 record in WHAC play. The Saints captured the WHAC Tournament Championship and earned the No. 4 seed in the NAIA National Championship Tournament. At the national tournament, Siena Heights opened with a first-round victory before suffering a heartbreaking one-point loss in the second round to a team that later advanced to the semifinals and fell to the eventual NAIA National Champion.

The team’s 28 victories rank as the seventh-highest single-season total in program history. During the season, the Saints also claimed championships at both the prestigious National Catholic Tournament and the Blimpie Classic at Oakland University. They further extended their dominance in the Battle of Adrian by capturing the Milk Jug during a stretch that included 15 consecutive rivalry wins.

Siena Heights earned numerous individual honors throughout the season. Anthony Staffney was named National Catholic Tournament MVP, while Dan McKian earned National Catholic All-Tournament Team recognition. In WHAC play, Staffney was selected as WHAC Player of the Year, and both Staffney and Byron Johnson were named First Team All-WHAC and to the WHAC All-Defensive Team. Staffney also received NAIA First Team All-American honors, while Johnson earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-American recognition.

The roster featured six future Hall of Famers—Matt Baaki, Justin Bascom, Steve Bennett, Jeff Gullekson, Byron Johnson, and Anthony Staffney—and the team was led by Hall of Fame coaches Fred Smith and Scott McClure.