Connecticut Skyhawks

Last updated
Connecticut Skyhawks
League United States Basketball League
Founded1985
Dissolved2001
HistoryConnecticut Colonels
1985
New Haven Skyhawks
1988, 1990-92
Connecticut Skyhawks
1993–1999
Arena William H. Pitt Center
1998-99
Jonathan Law High School
1993-97
Charger Gymnasium
1991-92
Championships1988
Division/Conference titles1988, 1999

The Connecticut Skyhawks were a men's spring-professional basketball team in the United States Basketball League.

Contents

History

The Skyhawks were founded in 1985 as the Connecticut Colonels. [1] The Colonels suspended operations until the 1988 season, when the team was re-branded as the New Haven Skyhawks. The Skyhawks would defeat the Palm Beach Stingrays for the USBL Championship that season, 134–126. Following their return to the league, the USBL suspended operations for all teams until 1990. After the return of the league in 1990, the Skyhawks would continue to carry the New Haven banner, until 1993, when the team rebranded to the Connecticut Skyhawks. During the 1999 season, the Skyhawks would lose to the defending champions, Atlantic City Seagulls, in that season's championship game 83–77. The Skyhawks would dissolve following that season.
[2] [3]

Season-by-season records

YearWinsLossesWin %Head coach
Connecticut Colonels
19851310.565
New Haven Skyhawks
19881812.600
199077.500
19911010.500
19921016.385
Connecticut Skyhawks
1993816.417
19941215.444
1995620.231
1996918.333
19971313.500
1998179.654Ray Hodge
1999209.690

Related Research Articles

The United States Basketball League (USBL) was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985 and ceased operations in 2008. The USBL started in 1985 as one of the first basketball leagues to play a late-spring to early-summer schedule. The league quickly became known as a development league for players, with many players moving up to the NBA and many more playing in Europe after stints here. In 1996, the league made a stock offering, a rarity among sports leagues. However, in later years, the league declined as rival leagues appeared and USBL had a tougher time replacing teams that folded. In the last two seasons, the league was mainly a midwestern league, with teams mainly in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. After speculation that the USBL might fold after the 2007 season, the league announced that it would sit out the 2008 season and consider its options for the future. In January 2010, the league expressed hopes to resume play in April 2010. However, no further news has surfaced from the league. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.

Hartford Whalers American professional ice hockey team

The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to 1997. Originally based in Boston, the team joined the WHA in the league's inaugural season, and was known as the New England Whalers throughout its time in the WHA. The Whalers moved to Hartford in 1974 and joined the NHL in the NHL–WHA merger of 1979.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats Minor League Baseball team

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major league club.

Albany Patroons American minor-league basketball team

The Albany Patroons are a professional basketball team that plays in The Basketball League (TBL). Previously, the team competed in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and in the United States Basketball League (USBL). The Patroons won CBA championships in 1984 and 1988 as well as a TBL championship in 2019.

Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field

Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field is a stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut. It is primarily used for football and soccer, and is the home field of the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies. In 2010, it was home to the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. The stadium, which opened in 2003, was the first stadium used primarily by an NCAA Division I-A team to open in the 21st century. The permanent stadium capacity is 40,000, consisting of 38,066 permanent seats with a standing-room area in the scoreboard plaza that can accommodate up to 1,934 people. It also has a game day capability to add approximately 2,000 temporary seats as it did for UConn football vs. Michigan in 2013. Connecticut played on campus at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, before 2003.

Scott David Burrell is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the men's basketball head coach at Southern Connecticut State University. He has played internationally and was also a professional baseball player. In 1990, Burrell was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays of MLB. He played in Minor League Baseball during the 1990 and 1991 seasons. After ending his baseball career, he was drafted in 1993 by the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. He was later traded to the Golden State Warriors and then the Chicago Bulls, where he won a championship ring. He next played with the New Jersey Nets and then finished his NBA career with the Hornets in 2000–01. He played in other professional basketball leagues through the 2005–06 season.

Brooklyn Kings (basketball) Basketball team in Brooklyn, New York

The Brooklyn Kings were a United States Basketball League franchise in Brooklyn, New York. They played in Downtown Brooklyn, on the main campus of Long Island University. They started play in 1999. The league suspended operations after the 2007 season and the team has been inactive since then.

Samuel Lee Worthen is an American former NBA player who currently is touring as the coach of the Washington Generals, the team that perennially loses to the Harlem Globetrotters. He was well known for his play at the Rucker Park Tournament.

Stonehill Skyhawks Intercollegiate athletics teams of Stonehill College

The Stonehill Skyhawks are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Stonehill College, located in Easton, Massachusetts, in NCAA sporting competitions. All current Skyhawk athletic teams compete at the Division I level and are members of the Northeast Conference. Stonehill has been a member of the NEC since 2022.

The North East Professional Hockey League (NEPHL) was a professional men's ice hockey league that had its only season in 2009–10.

Hartford Colonials

The Hartford Colonials, originally the New York Sentinels, were a professional American football team that played in the United Football League in its 2009 and 2010 seasons. A charter member of the UFL, the Sentinels began play in 2009 nominally representing New York City but playing its home games in three stadiums, none of which were in the city proper: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut; Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, New York ; and the now-demolished Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. As the Colonials, the team played all of its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, representing the adjacent city of Hartford. League-wide financial problems and the high rate of rent at Rentschler Field led to the league suspending the Colonials' operations in August 2011, a month before it would have begun play in its third season. The league had stated that the Colonials could be brought back for the 2012 UFL season, if it were to be played, but the announcement of the 2012 season removed Hartford's logo from the UFL Web site and did not include the team in the league's 2012 schedule.

Professional ice hockey in Connecticut has a rich tradition dating from the mid-1920s. Most of these teams were NHL minor league affiliates located in New Haven, though with the closure of the New Haven Coliseum, minor league affiliates now exist only exist in Hartford and Bridgeport. Hartford had its own Major league team, the Whalers team that existed in Hartford from 1974-97. Independent hockey leagues teams have also been gaining a foothold in Danbury starting in 2004.

The Atlantic City Seagulls were a professional basketball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. They played 6 seasons in the United States Basketball League (USBL), winning 3 consecutive league titles between 1997 and 1999.

Hartford Yard Goats Minor League Baseball team in Hartford, Connecticut

The Hartford Yard Goats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Yard Goats, which play in the Eastern League, are the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The team was founded in 2016 when the New Britain Rock Cats relocated to Hartford. The Yard Goats' home stadium is Dunkin' Donuts Park.

Troy Bradford is a former American professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Bradford played college basketball for Fairfield University where he was named a preseason All-American in 1989 and 1st team Small American for three straight years between 1987 and 1989.

Kirk King is a retired professional basketball player. He played for the Connecticut Huskies from 1993 to 1997 before being suspended during his senior season for violating National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules. In 1997, he was drafted into the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the now-defunct developmental league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). While never reaching the NBA, King played professionally for several years in the CBA, the United States Basketball League, the International Basketball League, the Philippines, Greece, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Bryan Gates is an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns. Before joining the Suns, Gates was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans. Outside of the National Basketball Association, Gates was the head coach of the Beirut Blue Stars, Oklahoma Storm, and Idaho Stampede, and while with the Stampede twice won the NBA G League Coach of the Year Award.

Lamont Jones is an American former professional basketball player who played the guard position. He played for Hapoel Gilboa/Afula in 2007-08, leading the Israeli Basketball Premier League in assists.

The Long Island Surf were a professional basketball team based in Long Island, New York. They played 14 seasons in the United States Basketball League (USBL).

Tracy Claxton is a former basketball player who amassed 2,420 career points in 1980 while at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut. She continued to hold the girls basketball record for Connecticut until 1987. At university, Claxton held the 1981 rebound season record with the Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball team and was with Kansas when they finished third at the 1981 AIAW National Division I Basketball Championship. The following year, Claxton held the rebound season record again while also holding the points season record for 1982. After leaving Kansas to join the Old Dominion Monarchs women's basketball team in 1983, Claxton was the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player after she and Old Dominion won the 1985 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.

References

  1. "History of the United States Basketball League". www.apbr.org.
  2. Writer, TOM YANTZ; Courant Staff. "A HOOP DREAM SHARED". courant.com.
  3. "LogoServer - Basketball Logos - USBL - United States Basketball League". www.logoserver.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2018-11-13.