Cheshire Phoenix

Last updated

Cheshire Phoenix
Cheshire Phoenix.png
League SLB
Established1984;40 years ago (1984)
HistoryEllesmere Port Jets
(1984–1988)
Chester Jets
(1988–2007)
Cheshire Jets
(2007–2012)
Cheshire Phoenix
(2012–present)
Arena Cheshire Oaks Arena
Capacity1,400
Location Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Head coachBen Thomas
Championships2 BBL Championship
1 BBL Playoffs
2 BBL Cup
6 BBL Trophy
Website CheshirePhoenix.com

The Cheshire Phoenix are an English professional basketball team based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Founded in 1984, they are members of the Super League Basketball and play their home games at the Cheshire Oaks Arena. From 1993 until 2015 the team was based in Chester, where they enjoyed their most success. Under previous ownership, the team was known as Cheshire Jets, but due to financial difficulties the franchise was withdrawn from the League in November 2012 and reformed as the Phoenix. The team's head coach is Ben Thomas.

Contents

The Phoenix have won two BBL championships, one BBL playoffs, two BBL Cups, and six BBL Trophies. Home games of the Phoenix are played in the Cheshire Oaks Arena, which holds capacity for a maximum of 1,400 people.

Franchise history

Origin

The team was first formed from the ruins of the Ellesmere Port team, the St Saviour's in 1984. The team was initially named after their sponsors 'Motocraft Centre Ellesmere Port'. However, after the loss of their sponsor, they renamed themselves Ellesmere Port Jets.

The Jets were admitted to NBL Division 2 in 1986 and finished last in their first season, with just a single victory. Edging up to seventh in 1987–88, they then changed their name to Cheshire Jets, though still continuing to play in Ellesmere Port. They continued a steady mid-table development until, in 1991, they won the divisional title despite suffering five defeats. The same year, the Jets moved up into the BBL joining in with Britain's elite basketball teams. Later however, the arena in Ellesmere Port became unsuitable, and so in 1993 the Jets were forced to move to Chester, and into the Northgate Arena. The move was reflected in another name change to the Chester Jets.

The real turning point for the Jets came in 1996, when the application of the Bosman ruling to basketball resulted in the departure of many of the top English players to European clubs, and the BBL changed its eligibility rule to entitle teams to use five non-national players.

Trans-Atlantic recruitment by coach and co-owner Mike Burton resulted in a team which finished fifth in the League table in 1997. Subsequent seasons have seen their best-ever performances in 2002 (Northern Conference Champions) and 2003 (3rd in the re-unified League), and a string of successes in the BBL trophy (4-times winners, from 2001 to 2004), culminating in the League Championship in 2005.

On 7 April 2007, prior to the Jets' season finale at home to Guildford Heat, an 81–102 defeat, club owner and head coach Mike Burton announced that he would be retiring from the franchise at the end of the 2006–07 season. Burton's announcement, after 19 years at the helm, raised serious doubts of the clubs' future, [1] with mounting debts and lack of financial backing. Shortly after the announcement, fans formed a committee to help save the club and received the backing of players including former Jet James Hamilton. [2] Following a sponsorship deal agreed during the summer of 2007 with local firm BiG Storage to save the club and preserve their future, the Jets was renamed as the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets to cover the wider demographic of Cheshire county in line with BiG Storage's market coverage. When BiG Storage terminated the sponsorship, the managing director of the company arranged a successor sponsor; Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The club was plunged into chaos in November 2012 when, after only 7 games into the season, the British Basketball League withdrew the club's franchise from owner Haydn Cook after he notified them that he was going to cancel the players contracts and cancelled all future fixtures.

A statement from the BBL said: "The BBL have withdrawn the Cheshire franchise from its operating company with immediate effect.

"The decision follows an urgent review of the franchise following notification from the club that they were unable to fulfil their fixture this weekend. The BBL is currently exploring a number of options to ensure the continuation of the franchise. It is anticipated there will be a further announcement in the coming days." (Cheshire Chronicle) [ permanent dead link ‍]

The club had until the end of November to find £50,000 to preserve its status in top-flight basketball. Local businesses were found to donate money and become sponsors, thus saving the club and fulfilling its fixture list as planned.

On 28 January 2024, the Phoenix won their sixth BBL Trophy following an upset win over the favored London Lions in the final. [3]

Home arenas

Ellesmere Port Leisure Centre (1984–1993)
Northgate Arena (1993–2015)
Cheshire Oaks Arena (2015–present)

Logos

Season-by-season records

Seasons 1986-2012
SeasonDivisionTierRegular SeasonPost-SeasonTrophyCupHead Coach
FinishPlayedWinsLossesPointsWin %
Ellesmere Port Jets
1986–87 NBL2 210th1811720.056Did not qualify1st round (NC)
1987–88 NBL1 27th18711140.389Did not qualify2nd round (NC)
Cheshire Jets
1988–89 NBL1 28th20614120.300Did not qualify2nd round (NC)
1989–90 NBL1 26th221012200.455Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
1990–91 NBL1 21st22175340.773Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
1991–92 BBL 111th3022840.067Did not qualify1st round (BT)3rd round (NC)Mike Burton
1992–93 BBL 110th331023200.303Did not qualify1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
Chester Jets
1993–94 BBL 111th361125220.306Did not qualify1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
1994–95 BBL 112th36630120.167Did not qualify1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
1995–96 BBL 112th36828160.222Did not qualifyQuarter-finals (BT)4th round (NC)Mike Burton
1996–97 BBL 15th362412480.667Semi-finalsRunners-Up (BT)4th round (NC)Mike Burton
1997–98 BBL 110th361521300.417Did not qualify1st round (BT)4th round (NC)Mike Burton
1998–99 BBL 111th361026200.278Did not qualifyQuarter-finals (BT)Quarter-finals (NC)Mike Burton
1999–00 BBL N 14th361719340.472Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals (BT)1st round (NC)Robbie Peers
2000–01 BBL N 12nd362511500.694Quarter-finalsWinners, beating Newcastle, 92–811st round (NC)Robbie Peers
2001–02 BBL N 11st32248480.750Winners, beating Sheffield, 93–82Winners, beating MK, 90–89Winners, beating Birmingham, 112–105Robbie Peers
2002–03 BBL 13rd402812560.700Quarter-finalsWinners, beating London, 84–82Runners-Up (NC)Robbie Peers
2003–04 BBL 15th362214440.611Runners-UpWinners, beating Brighton, 68–661st round (NC)Paul Smith
2004–05 BBL 11st40328640.800Runners-UpSemi-finals (BT)Semi-finals (BC)Paul Smith
2005–06 BBL 17th401723340.425Quarter-finals1st round (BT)Semi-finals (BC)Billy Singleton
2006–07 BBL 19th361026200.278Did not qualifyQuarter-finals (BT)1st round (BC)Billy Singleton
Cheshire Jets
2007–08 BBL 111th33924180.273Did not qualifySemi-finals (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)TJ Walker
Paul Smith
2008–09 BBL 18th331518300.455Quarter-finals1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)Paul Smith
2009–10 BBL 14th362214440.611Quarter-finalsRunners-Up (BT)Runners-Up (BC)Paul Smith
2010–11 BBL 14th332013400.606Semi-finals1st round (BT)Semi-finals (BC)Paul Smith
2011–12 BBL 16th301317260.433Semi-finals1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)John Lavery
SeasonDivisionTierRegular SeasonPost-SeasonTrophyCupHead Coach
FinishPlayedWinsLossesPointsWin %
Cheshire Phoenix
2012–13 BBL 111th331023200.303Did not qualifySemi-finals (BT)1st round (BC)Matthew Lloyd
2013–14 BBL 15th331815360.545Quarter-finalsSemi-finals (BT)1st round (BC)John Lavery
2014–15 BBL 14th362610520.722Semi-finals1st round (BT)Quarter-finals (BC) John Coffino
2015–16 BBL 17th331617320.485Semi-finalsQuarter-finals (BT)Semi-finals (BC)John Lavery
2016–17 BBL 110th331122220.333Did not qualifySemi-finals (BT)Quarter-finals (BC) Colin O'Reilly
Ben Thomas
2017–18 BBL 19th331518300.455Did not qualifyQuarter-finals (BT)Winners, beating Worcester, 99–88Ben Thomas
2018–19 BBL 17th331716340.515Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)Ben Thomas
2019–20 BBL 1Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemicSemi-finals (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)Ben Thomas
2020–21 BBL 17th301416280.467Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals (BT)Pool Stage (BC)Ben Thomas
2021–22 BBL 16th271314260.481Quarter-finalsWinners, beating London (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)Ben Thomas
2022–23 BBL 15th361917380.528Semi-finalsRunners-Up (BT)Quarter-finals (BC)Ben Thomas
2023–24 BBL 12nd362313460.639Winners, beating London (BT)Ben Thomas

Notes:

Trophies

League

Playoffs

Trophy

Cup

Players

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

No.Pos.Nat.Player
1 SG Flag of the United States.svg  USA Cameron Christon
3 G Flag of the United States.svg  USA Laquincy Rideau
5 PG Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR Greg Wild
6 F Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR Jack Hudson
10 PF Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR David Ulph
14 G Flag of the United States.svg  USA Maceo Jack
20 F Flag of the United States.svg  USA Elijah Stephens
23 G Flag of the United States.svg  USA Ethan Chargois
52 G Flag of the United States.svg  USA Cam Holden

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Retired numbers

Cheshire Phoenix retired numbers
No.Nat.PlayerPositionTenure
11 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Gardner C 1990–1995, 1997–1998 & 1999–2003

FIBA Hall of Famers

Cheshire Phoenix Hall of Famers
Players
No.Nat.NamePositionTenureInducted
13 Flag of New Zealand.svg Pero Cameron G 1999–20032017 [4]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Richard Taylor (7 April 2007). "Jets' future in doubt after Burton quits". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2007.
  2. ↑ "Let's get on with it, says club legend Hamilton". Chester Chronicle. 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2007.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ Gains, Bradley (28 January 2024). "Cheshire Phoenix stun London Lions to recapture BBL Trophy title". Hoopsfix.com. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "FIBA.basketball" . Retrieved 20 August 2019.
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