Allentown Jets | |
---|---|
Leagues | EPBL (1958–1970) EBA (1970–78) CBA (1978–1981) |
Founded | 1957 (as Wilmington Jets) |
Folded | 1981 |
History | Wilmington Jets (1957–1958) Allentown Jets (1958–1979) Lehigh Valley Jets (1979–1981) |
Arena | Rockne Hall at Allentown Central Catholic High School |
Location | Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Team colors | blue, orange, white |
Championships | 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976 |
Division titles | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 |
The Allentown Jets were a minor league basketball team that played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (later the Eastern Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association) from 1958 to 1981. The team was one of the most successful franchises in CBA/Eastern League history, winning eight playoff championships and 12 division titles.
Originally formed in 1957 as the Wilmington Jets, the team relocated in 1958 to Allentown, Pennsylvania. [1] Among the Jets' top players were center Roman "Big Daddy" Turmon, Ray Scott NBA player and coach, scorer-rebounder Harthorne Wingo and 3-point specialist Brendan McCann. The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame inducted Richard Koffenberger, who played for the team in Wilmington. The Jets had a working agreement with the New York Knicks, who sent several players to Allentown for playing time. Scott was the fourth player picked in the US in the 1961 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, the Jets PR maestro, Johnny Kimock navigated this successful transition making the Jets one of the elite EBL teams. In 1964, the Jets played an interleague contest with the Grand Rapids Tackers of the Midwest Professional Basketball League. The Jets won 138–136, winning the only minor league "World Series of Basketball" interpromotional game ever held.
In 1979, the franchise rebranded itself as the "Lehigh Valley Jets," in an effort to greater regionalize its fanbase; however, after the 1980–81 season the Jets closed up for good. [2]
Year | League | Gp | W | L | Pct. | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1958/59 | EPBL | 28 | 6 | 22 | .214 | 8th | did not qualify |
1959/60 | EPBL | 27 | 15 | 12 | .556 | 3rd | Lost EPBL Semifinals 139–102 Vs Easton Madisons |
1960/61 | EPBL | 28 | 19 | 9 | .679 | 1st | Won EPBL Semi Finals 129–97 Vs Sunbury Mercuries, Lost EBPL Finals 119–104 Vs Baltimore Bullets |
1961/62 | EPBL | 27 | 22 | 5 | .815 | 1st | Won EPBL Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Trenton Colonials, Won EPBL Championship 2–1 Vs Williamsport Billies |
1962/63 | EPBL | 28 | 20 | 8 | .714 | 1st | Won EPBL Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Williamsport Billies, Won EPBL Championship 2–1 Vs Wilkes-Barre Barons |
1963/64 | EPBL | 28 | 21 | 7 | .750 | 1st | Lost EPBL Semifinals 2–1 Vs Trenton Colonials |
1964/65 | EPBL | 28 | 16 | 12 | .571 | 4th | Won EPBL Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Camden Bullets, Won EPBL Championship 2–1 Vs Scranton Miners |
1965/66 | EPBL | 28 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 3rd, Eastern | Lost EPBL Eastern Division Semi Finals 133–114 Vs Trenton Colonials |
1966/67 | EPBL | 28 | 19 | 9 | .679 | 2nd, Western | Won Western Division Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Sunbury Mercuries, Lost Western Division Finals 2–1 Vs Scranton Miners |
1967/68 | EPBL | 32 | 23 | 9 | .719 | 1st | Won EPBL Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Wilmington Blue Bombers, Won EPBL Championship 3–2 Vs Wilkes-Barre Barons |
1968/69 | EPBL | 28 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 3rd, Western | Lost EPBL Western division Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Scranton Miners |
1969/70 | EPBL | 28 | 20 | 8 | .714 | 1st | Won EPBL Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Hamden Bics, Won EPBL Championship Series 3–2 Vs Wilmington Blue Bombers |
1970/71 | EBA | 28 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 2nd, Southern | Won Southern Division Semi Finals 2–1 Vs Sunbury Mercuries, Lost Southern Division Finals 2–1 Vs Scranton Apollos |
1971/72 | EBA | 30 | 21 | 9 | .700 | 1st | Won EBA Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Trenton Pat Pavers, Won EBA Championship 3–2 Vs Scranton Apollos |
1972/73 | EBA | 32 | 15 | 17 | .469 | 4th | Lost EBA Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Hartford Capitols |
1973/74 | EBA | 28 | 20 | 8 | .714 | 1st, Western | Won Western Division Finals 2–1 Vs Scranton Apollos, Lost EBA Finals 3–2 Vs Hartford Capitols |
1974/75 | EBA | 30 | 16 | 14 | .533 | 2nd | Won EBA Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Scranton Apollos, Won EBA Championship 2–1 Vs Hazleton Bullets |
1975/76 | EBA | 27 | 24 | 3 | .889 | 1st | Won EBA Semi Finals 3–2 Vs Hazleton Bullets, Won EBA Championship 3–2 Vs Lancaster Red Roses |
1976/77 | EBA | 26 | 21 | 5 | .808 | 1st | Lost EBA Finals 3–1 Vs Scranton Apollos |
1977/78 | EBA | 31 | 17 | 14 | .548 | 4th, Western | did not qualify |
1978/79 | CBA | 41 | 21 | 20 | .512 | 2nd, Southern | Won CBA First Round 2–1 Vs Jersey Shore Bullets, Lost Semifinals 3–1 Vs Rochester Zeniths |
1979/80 | CBA | 31 | 19 | 12 | .613 | 1st, Southern | Lost CBA Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Maine Lumberjacks |
1980/81 | CBA | 40 | 16 | 24 | .400 | 4th, Eastern | Lost CBA Semi Finals 2–0 Vs Rochester Zeniths |
Totals | EPBL/EBA | 570 | 360 | 210 | .632 | ||
Totals | CBA | 112 | 56 | 56 | .500 | ||
Franchise Totals | – | 682 | 416 | 266 | .610 |
The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States from 1946 to 2009.
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the minor league organization of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of the 2024–25 season, all are single-affiliated or owned by an NBA team except the independent Mexico City Capitanes.
The International Basketball League (IBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States. In 2010 the Albany Legends became the first team in the Northeastern United States to join. The IBL also sometimes featured teams from China and Japan which temporarily relocated to the United States for the IBL season. The IBL season typically ran from the end of March through July.
John Raymond Scott is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He was the first African American NBA coach to win the coach of the year award.
The Rochester Zeniths were a professional basketball team in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). They played in Henrietta, New York, a suburb of Rochester at the Dome Arena and in downtown Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. They existed for six basketball seasons, winning two league titles and generally had great success on the basketball court before they disbanded after the 1982/83 season.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has a long and rich tradition in professional, semi-professional, amateur, college, and high-school sports.
Sports in Pennsylvania includes numerous professional sporting teams, events, and venues located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
The Delaware Blue Coats are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Wilmington, Delaware. They are the G-League affiliates of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blue Coats play their home games at Chase Fieldhouse. The Blue Coats are owned by Josh Harris and David Blitzer under Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), who also own the 76ers.
Sports in Allentown, Pennsylvania has a rich tradition at all levels, including professional sports, the Olympics, and high school levels. While most Allentown residents support professional sports teams in New York City or Philadelphia, Allentown itself also is home to two major professional sports teams, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple A team of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, the primary development team of the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Andrew Johnson Jr. was an American professional basketball player and coach.
There are professional teams based in Canada in several professional sports leagues. The National Hockey League currently has seven Canadian franchises and is the most popular professional sports league in Canada. The Canadian Football League is the only all-Canadian major professional sports league. Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, and the Professional Women's Hockey League also have Canadian teams.
Maine Lumberjacks were an American minor league basketball team formed as an expansion team in 1978. The franchise played 17 seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), calling six different cities home. The team was originally based in Bangor, Maine.
Kenneth Eugene Wilburn was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Central State Marauders from 1962 to 1966 and set a career scoring record. He led the team to an National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship in 1965. Wilburn played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), American Basketball Association (ABA), and the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL)/Eastern Basketball Association (EBA). Wilburn was a three-time EPBL/EBA champion with the Allentown Jets. He won the EPBL Most Valuable Player award in 1968 with the Trenton Colonials and the EBA Most Valuable Player award with the Allentown Jets in 1974.
The 1987 NBA draft was held on June 22, 1987, in New York City.
Eddie Mast was an American professional basketball player who played for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
John D. Naylor was an American athlete and college sports coach. He was best known as an athletics director and multi-sport coach at Beacom College, where he served from 1922 to 1952. Before his coaching career, Naylor was a baseball, basketball, and football player in several low-level minor leagues.
Media related to Allentown Jets at Wikimedia Commons