The College of Saint Rose's men's basketball head coach, Brian Beaury (right), watches his team from the bench during a recent game. Saturday, he was inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame. (Photo by Tom Killips - The Record).

GLENS FALLS – In 1991, Brian Beaury was the driving force behind the creation of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame, serving as the first committee chairman and developing criteria for nominees.

Saturday, he answered the Hall's call.

The College of Saint Rose's longtime men's basketball coach was inducted into the Empire State's Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Glens Falls Civic Center Saturday morning.

Beaury just completed his 24th season as the head coach at Saint Rose and has posted a 517-218 career record. He has reached the postseason in each of his 24 years at the helm.

“I think it's the family atmosphere that makes me go to work every day,” Beaury said. “Over the years, it's been a comfortable place for me to go. It continues to grow and I've seen so many changes at Saint Rose.”

His Golden Knights teams have made three NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances and advanced to the Final Four in 1998.

“I'm a Saint Rose guy,” said Beaury. “I met my wife there. I raised my kids there.”

The Hall currently has 121 members. Players were picked in the initial years, but recent classes have reflected the many coaches that have shaped basketball at the high school and college levels in New York.

Beaury, however, gives all the credit to the players that have competed for him over the years. Many of those have gone on to become successful coaches themselves, including University at Albany head coach Will Brown and local high school coaches such as Scott Hanrahan at Maple Hill.

Former Saint Rose player Ben Goodwin coached a Brewer, Maine team to the state championship game this season, as did Hanrahan, for the second straight year.

And just minutes after Beaury's induction, another of his former players, Sean Organ, watched as his Averill Park High girls team competed in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions Class A title game.

“It's become so much of an extended family and that's the thing that has made it so enjoyable all these years,” Beaury said. “It continues to be a great place to work and I have great people to work with.”