Mike Buffalo’s basketball life has been about believing in himself and working hard to achieve his goals through college, a pro career and in an afterlife on the court, teaching the game to young, aspiring Westchester-area players.
Buffalo took his Faith & Grind program players to the Westchester Knicks-Maine Red Claws NBA G League Basketball Game at the Westchester County Center last Saturday (1-25-2020), where the “Grinders” were featured in a pre-game scrimmage and got a glimpse of their hopeful futures.
“My goal is to be an NBA player someday, so I want to work as hard as I can” Sleepy Hollow 10-year-old Noah Fasulo said during halftime of the Knicks game. “Faith & Grind is helping us become better team players. We’re learning to have confidence and work hard.
Faith & Grind got the on-court experience and had a chance to meet with some of the Knicks players. They seemed unfused by the spotlight and understood the hard work and dedication it would take to reach their potential.
“You have to do a lot of work on skills and become a team player.” Edgemont 9-year-old Lucas Kumar said. “I’m working on becoming a better defender and to be more aggressive. Coach helps us feel confident.”
Buffalo a Bronx-born kid who went on to play at York College in Nebraska and then tried his hand at the pro game for two seasons in England is dedicated to giving Westchester kids a good foundation in the game. He has worked as an AAU coach at House of Sports in Ardsley and was a junior NBA clinician with the Brooklyn Nets before launching Faith & Grind two years ago. He took his teaching skills to China in July of 2019, where he coached a camp for kids in Beijing.
Members of the Faith & Grind youth basketball program wait near the court Saturday night to greet the G League players as they emerge from the locker room for warmups
“A lot has changed with youth basketball”, Buffalo said. “ I grew up in the Bronx, where I would play from sunup to sundown outside in the park. Most kids today prefer to play basketball inside a gymnasium. And social media has a major affect on the game today. For example, you can find out about how a particular player actually plays through social media; whereas when I was coming up it was more through word of mouth or actually seeing the player up close and personal.”
Buffalo’s main focus in his intense 1-on-1 sessions is to identify the weaknesses that each child may have and apply remedies. “A kid might struggle in dribbling with his weaker hand, which is sometimes the left, so performing repetitive drills to develop confidence and muscle memory. I also make sure to round out the session with some of the basic offensive needs such as shooting, dribbling, layups, rebounding, and conditioning.”
Riyaan Ratliff, an 11 year old from West Harrison, has been working with Buffalo for two years. Like his fellow grinders, he uses what he has learned in his youth basketball experience. “I love all the training, but the running and endurance are the toughest because you have to push yourself,” Ratliff said. But when you play in games, it helps because you are strong. Also, you have to learn use both hands in the drills.”
Buffalo, who at 28-years-old instills the principles of hard work and self-discipline to his young players, feels his role is to give them the skills and experience they need to succeed and to plant the idea that they can achieve their goals. “The thing I tell the kids is, I can teach you what you’ll need to know, but you have to have the will and desire to be your best,” Buffalo said. “I am always excited when they show improvement but seeing that desire is exciting.”
Faith & Grind youth basketball players look on from the stage at the Westchester County Center as the G League Knicks play the Maine Red Claws.
Andy Feng, who Buffalo said was quiet and hesitant on the court at first, has blossomed into a confident player. “I have learned that I can be a strong player and I’m getting more confidence,” the 12-year-old Irvington resident said. “When you practice a lot and work hard, it shows in the games.”
Buffalo who seemed at ease wrangling two dozen excited players at the County Center, sees his kids playing on high school, college, and even professional courts someday. “I think the game of basketball is in great hands,” he said. I think it’s great that the game is evolving so each generation can have their own narrative. With that said, I am going to continue to lead the next generation of kids who are aspiring to be the next future stars. Coaching is fun and I’m enjoying helping kids under the Faith & Grind basketball program.”