Founded | 2010 |
---|---|
League | Midwest Basketball League |
Team history | PBL: 2011–2012 IBL: 2011 CBL: 2013 MBL 2016–present |
Based in | Dayton, Ohio |
Arena | Vandalia Recreation Complex |
Colors | Black, Red, White |
Owner | Anthony Byrd |
Head coach | Chris McGuire |
Division titles | 1 |
Website | www |
The Dayton Air Strikers are an American minor league basketball team based out of Dayton, Ohio. The team plays throughout North America between the United States and Canada. They currently compete in the Midwest Basketball League based out of Minnesota.
Established in 2010, the Air Strikers started as an expansion franchise of the Premier Basketball League in the 2011 season, [1] before competing in the International Basketball League as a "branding team" in the spring of 2011. [2] They subsequently resumed play in the PBL for the 2012 season. [3] [4]
In 2013, they played in the Central Basketball League for one season (playing 6 games and did not return to the league the following season due to irreconcilable differences.
During 2014–2015 the team remained active on the Pro-Am circuit playing professional and club teams in the Great Lakes Summer League, and the Ohio Pro Development Basketball Organization hosting and traveling to teams located around Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
The team announced its full return as a member of the Midwest Basketball League that started in April 2016. The Dayton Air Strikers went undefeated on its home court going 7-0 holding the record for the longest winning streak.
In July 2016 the team became the MBL East Division champions ending the regular season with a record of 12–1.
Season | W | L | Result | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010–2011 (PBL) | 3 | 18 | 7th of 7 | DNQ |
2011 (IBL) | 5 | 0 | 1st of 8 (branding division) | --- |
2012 (PBL) | 6 | 11 | 6th of 9 | DNQ |
2013 (CBL) | 5 | 1 | 5th of 5 | DNQ |
2014 (OPBO) | 7 | 1 | ||
2015 (GLSL) | 7 | 1 | ||
2016 (MBL) | 12 | 1 | 1st of 11 | TBD |
Since inception the Dayton Air Strikers have helped launch the careers of over 20 players, recruiting players from well known colleges such as University of Dayton, Ohio State, Penn State, Wright State University, and Xavier University. Leaving directly from the team to play internationally in Germany, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Spain, Japan, Puerto Rico, Iceland, and Saudi Arabia.
Players also have gone on to playing for the NBA D-League and the Harlem Globetrotters. In 2012 four players were drafted internationally to play in the NBL Canada including two players selected in the top seven of the draft. [5]
Mark Gomillia (2012) - Oshawa Power
William Harris (2012) - Oshawa Power
Brandon Hassell (2012) - Summerside Storm
Avery Smith (2012) - Summerside Storm
Joe Thomasson (2016) - BC Dinamo București
The National Basketball League (NBL) was a professional basketball league in the United States established in 1937. After the 1948–49 season, its twelfth, it merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). Six current NBA teams trace their history back to the NBL: the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors.
Denham Washington Brown is a Canadian former professional basketball player.
The Dayton Rens were a member of the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 1948-49 season and were the only all-black team to play in a white league. This milestone came just one year after Jackie Robinson, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. For the Rens, however, this milestone would be the only highlight of a season in which they finished in last place with a record of 16-43.
The Quebec Kebs were a professional basketball team located in Laval, Quebec, formerly based in Quebec City, Quebec. The Kebs were part of the National Basketball League of Canada. They also played in the Atlantic Division of the Premier Basketball League. Prior to May 2008, they played in the American Basketball Association. Kebs is short for Kebekwa, a phonetic spelling of the word Québécois, or "Quebecers." Prior to folding, the team was briefly renamed the Laval Kebs.
The Halifax Rainmen were a professional basketball team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They played in the Atlantic Division of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) and their home games took place at the Scotiabank Centre, formerly known as the Halifax Metro Centre. Andre Levingston was the owner of the Rainmen since he helped establish the team in 2006. The team played their first season in the American Basketball Association (ABA). However, after becoming unhappy with the ABA, they moved to the Premier Basketball League (PBL) for the next three seasons. In 2011, they joined the NBL Canada as one of the original seven teams. Despite showing success in the four seasons they spent in the Canadian league, making two Finals appearances, the Rainmen filed for bankruptcy in July 2015. The team was coming off a controversial loss in the 2015 NBL Canada Finals against the Windsor Express and forfeited Game 7 after taking part in a pre-game brawl. The Halifax Hurricanes, with a larger ownership group than the Rainmen's single owner, replaced the Rainmen in NBL Canada for the 2015–16 season.
Mike Helms is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Oakland University where he was named the Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year in 2002–03 and was a three-time first-team Mid-Continent honoree.
The Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is an American professional men's basketball minor league that began play in January 2008. The league folded after the 2017 season. It was announced that the league would be revived under new management for the 2020 season. The league announced due coronavirus outbreak the season would be put on hold.
The National Basketball League of Canada was a Canadian professional men's minor league basketball organization. The NBL Canada was founded in 2011, when three existing Premier Basketball League teams joined with four new franchises for the league's inaugural season. The league changed in size multiple times and had four active teams in its final season, all in Ontario, but historically the NBLC had several located in the Atlantic provinces. The league's season typically ran from November to April of the following year. The final league champions were the London Lightning, who defeated the Windsor Express 3–2 in the 2023 NBL Finals,
The Mississauga Power were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Mississauga, Ontario, that competed in the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Established in 2011 as the Oshawa Power, they played in the Central Division. The Oshawa team began play in the inaugural NBL Canada season, along with the London Lightning, Moncton Miracles, and Summerside Storm and three Premier Basketball League (PBL) teams.
The Windsor Express are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, competing in the Basketball Super League. The Express play their home games at the WFCU Centre.
The 2012–13 NBL Canada season was the second season of the National Basketball League of Canada. The regular season began on Friday, November 2, 2012, when the Summerside Storm hosted the Saint John Mill Rats. The regular season ended on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The playoffs started on March 19 and ended on April 12 when the London Lightning defeated the Summerside Storm in Game 4 of their series, 87–80, winning the Finals, 3–1 and to capture the franchise's second NBL Canada title. Marvin Phillips was named the Finals MVP.
The Island Storm is an inactive Canadian professional basketball team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The team is a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada that began play in the 2011–12 season. The Storm plays its home games at the Eastlink Centre. Former Vermont Frost Heaves head coach Joe Salerno served as the team's head coach for the first six seasons until he parted ways with the team in May 2017. In 2021, the Storm were granted a one-year leave of absence after they were the last remaining team based in the Maritimes.
The 2013–14 NBL Canada season was the third season of the National Basketball League of Canada. The regular season began on November 1, 2013. The regular season ended on Friday, February 28, 2014, and the playoffs began on Sunday, March 2, 2014 and ended on Thursday, April 17, 2014 with the Windsor Express defeating the Island Storm in seven games to win the 2014 NBLC Finals.
Anthony Nathaniel Anderson, also known by his initials as Double A, is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Moncton Magic of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Standing 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), he plays the point guard position. Anderson has played in the NBL Canada with the Riptide and Mill Rats for nearly six seasons. As of February 2016, he is the league's all-time leading scorer and is known as one of its most prominent players. Anderson also played for Saint John and their previous incarnation, the Manchester Millrats, in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) and the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Brandon Robinson is an American professional basketball player. He was named NBL Canada Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2012. Robinson played with Seminole State College of Florida and Clayton State University at the college level.
Omari Johnson is a Jamaican-American professional basketball player. Johnson played college basketball with the Oregon State Beavers and graduated from high school at Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California. He has played professional basketball in the NBA, the NBA G League, Canada and Spain.
The NBL Canada draft is an annual event in which each team from the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. Most of these players previously played college basketball in U Sports or the NCAA. Before becoming eligible, the players must participate in a pre-draft combine, and the list of players that will attend the draft is officially decided.
Adrian Moss is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Windsor Express of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Born in Centralia, Illinois, he played high school basketball for Franklin Community High School. Following his graduation, he committed to IUPUI to play college basketball. After his sophomore season at IUPUI he transferred to the University of Indianapolis, where he played for two more seasons.
Papa Kwaku Oppong is a Canadian former professional basketball player in the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). He is currently a teacher at an unknown school in Ontario. Oppong competed with three different college basketball teams from 2006 to 2010. He played with Coffeyville Community College as a freshman, Panola Junior College as a sophomore, and Eastern Kentucky of the NCAA Division I as a junior and senior.
The Maximum Basketball League (MBL) is a semi-professional men's basketball league which operates in the United States.