Halifax Hurricanes

Last updated
Halifax Hurricanes
Halifax Hurricanes Logo.png
League NBL Canada
Founded 2015
Folded 2021
HistoryHalifax Hurricanes
2015–2021
Arena Scotiabank Centre
Capacity11,093
Location Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Team coloursNavy blue, sky blue, white
   
Website halifaxhurricanes.ca

The Halifax Hurricanes were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Hurricanes were founded as members of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) to replace the Halifax Rainmen, who filed for bankruptcy in July 2015 ultimately leading to the club folding. In 2021, the organization left the NBLC.

Contents

History

Following steadily declining attendance and fallout from the 2015 NBL Canada Finals brawl the Halifax Rainmen folded in July 2015, with owner Andre Levingston citing bankruptcy with the franchise falling into a debt of nearly $700,000. [1] [2] The Rainmen's folding left a void in the Halifax professional basketball market and the league had lost one of its founding franchises and second largest market. Soon after, efforts began to replace the Rainmen.

On September 3, 2015, a new Halifax team was announced by the league. The new ownership group was expanded from just Andre Levingston to a 25-member investor group from the Halifax business community to stabilize ownership and reduce financial risk. [3] Andre Levingston was named general manager of basketball operations. Hugo López was hired to be the franchise's first head coach on September 30, 2015. [4] On October 20, 2015, the franchise unveiled its name and logo. The Hurricanes also announced their first two signings, former Rainmen player Cliff Clinkscales and newcomer Mike Glover. [5] [6]

In their first season, the Hurricanes won both preseason games before winning their first regular-season home game 129–113 against the Moncton Miracles in front of approximately 2,000 fans on December 26, 2015. [7]

Coach López and the Hurricanes were unable to come to terms for a second season and Kevin Keathley was hired as head coach and general manager for the 2016–17 season. [8] Unfortunately, coach Keathley had to leave the team before his first season for personal reasons. He was replaced by Mike Leslie. [9] After three seasons, Leslie moved up to be the Hurricanes' president and general manager, with Ryan Marchand taking over as head coach. [10]

The 2019–20 season was then curtailed in March 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league subsequently cancelled its 2020–21 season due to continuing restrictions during the pandemic. In October 2021, the Hurricanes announced they had left the league. [11]

Home arena

The Scotiabank Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The arena has a basketball capacity of 11,093. The Hurricanes share the arena with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and The Halifax Thunderbirds of the National Lacrosse League. The building is next to the World Trade and Convention Centre in Downtown Halifax, at the foot of Citadel Hill and it is the largest arena in the maritimes by seating capacity. [12]

Current roster

Halifax Hurricanes roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
F 15 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Arseneault, Kyle 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)220 lb (100 kg)29 – (1994-10-24)24 October 1994
PG 12 Flag of the United States.svg Clinkscales, Cliff  (C)1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)185 lb (84 kg)40 – (1984-03-11)11 March 1984
F 25 Flag of the United States.svg Freeman, Gabe 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg)38 – (1985-11-05)5 November 1985
PF Flag of the United States.svg Hall, Carl 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)238 lb (108 kg)34 – (1989-03-29)29 March 1989
SF 1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Johnson, Chris 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)205 lb (93 kg)35 – (1988-07-13)13 July 1988
F 20 Flag of the United States.svg Johnson, Tremayne 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)200 lb (91 kg)34 – (1989-08-20)20 August 1989
G 13 Flag of the United States.svg Kindred, Joel 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)194 lb (88 kg)33 – (1991-01-07)7 January 1991
SG 14 Flag of the United States.svg Mason, Antoine 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)210 lb (95 kg)31 – (1992-05-24)24 May 1992
G 10 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Scott, Calvin Tyler 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)200 lb (91 kg)32 – (1992-03-10)10 March 1992
PG 4 Flag of the United States.svg Sibley, Devin 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)174 lb (79 kg)28 – (1996-02-09)9 February 1996
PF 22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Waithe, Marvell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)216 lb (98 kg)36 – (1987-10-20)20 October 1987
PF 25 Flag of the United States.svg Washington, CJ 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)219 lb (99 kg)32 – (1992-02-28)28 February 1992
G 2 Flag of the United States.svg Zimmerman, Ta'Quan 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)200 lb (91 kg)32 – (1991-12-02)2 December 1991
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated: January 9, 2020

Season-by-season record

SeasonCoachRegular seasonPost season
GPWonLostWin %FinishAvg AttendanceGPWonLostWin %Result
2015–16 Hugo López 402911.7251st in Atlantic Division192914113.786League Champions
2016–17 Mike Leslie 402713.6751st in Atlantic Division19261596.600Lost in finals
2017–18 Mike Leslie402812.7001st in Atlantic Division195816106.625Lost in finals
2018–19 Mike Leslie402515.6252nd in Atlantic Division20951266.500Lost in division finals
2019–20 Ryan Marchand24816.333—1759Season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic
Totals18411767.6363 division titles1977573621.6321 League Championship

Notable players

To appear in this section a player must have either:

- Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
- Played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halifax Rainmen</span> Former basketball team in Halifax, Canada

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Halifax, Nova Scotia</span>

Halifax, Nova Scotia, with the largest urban population in Atlantic Canada, is a major sporting centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Basketball League of Canada</span> Professional basketball league in Canada

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississauga Power</span> Former basketball team in Mississauga, Canada

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Lightning</span> Basketball team in London, Canada

The London Lightning is a Canadian professional basketball team based in London, Ontario, with home games at the Budweiser Gardens. The team competes in the Basketball Super League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Express</span> Basketball team in Windsor, Canada

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Clinkscales</span> American basketball player (born 1984)

Clifford Clinkscales is an American professional basketball head coach for the KW Titans of the National Basketball League of Canada and a former player. A 6-foot-1-inch (1.85 m) point guard, Clinkscales began playing professionally in 2008, with two seasons in the NBA Development League. He spent most of his professional career in NBL Canada, playing from 2013 to 2020 in Halifax for the Rainmen and the Hurricanes. With the Halifax Hurricanes, he set the record for the most career assists in NBL Canada history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 NBL Canada Finals</span> Sports season

The 2015 NBL Canada Finals was the championship series of the 2014–15 National Basketball League of Canada season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Central Conference champions Windsor Express controversially won the title after Atlantic Conference champions Halifax Rainmen forfeited Game 7. The Finals began on April 15, and ended on April 30. The Express claimed their second straight title, and Kirk Williams was named Finals MVP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone Watson</span> Canadian basketball player

Tyrone Watson is a Canadian professional basketball player for the St. John's Edge of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). He attended New Mexico State University, where he represented the Aggies, and has competed with the Canadian youth national team in the past. Following graduation, Watson played a season with the Halifax Rainmen in the NBL Canada and, following a suspension, returned to the league with the Orangeville A's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 NBL Canada season</span> Sports season

The 2015–16 NBL Canada season was the fifth season of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The regular season began on December 26, 2015 and concluded on April 30, 2016. There were 40 total games played by each team, eight more than the previous year. The new expansion Niagara River Lions team are competing in their first season. The Halifax Hurricanes also began play, replacing the defunct Halifax Rainmen. During the offseason, the Mississauga Power folded to make way for Raptors 905 of the NBA Development League. Prior to the season, the league also enforced new policies to help improve its standard, including rules regarding sportsmanship, addressing the brawl that ended the 2015 NBL Canada Finals. The first regular season game featured the Island Storm and the Saint John Mill Rats.

The NBL Canada Coach of the Year Award, is an annual National Basketball League of Canada award given since the 2011–12 season. Since its inception, the award has been given to 5 different coaches. Micheal Ray Richardson of the London Lightning is the only coach to get the award more than once. In the 2012–13 season Richardson shared the award with Joe Salerno. The most recent recipient is Hugo López of the Halifax Hurricanes. After receiving the award in 2015, Josep Clarós was handed a lifetime ban from the NBL Canada, for forfeiting the seventh game of the 2015 Finals.

The 2015 NBL Canada Finals brawl was an altercation that occurred prior to Game 7 of the year's National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) Finals, between the Windsor Express and Halifax Rainmen on April 30, 2015. It led to the Rainmen's forfeit of the deciding game and allowed the Express to win the championship by default. Windsor's guard Tony Bennett, who participated in the brawl, said, "It's a black eye not just for the league, but for basketball."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Levingston</span> American entrepreneur and basketball coach

Andre Levingston is an American entrepreneur and basketball coach. He was formerly an auto detailer and schoolteacher. He is a co-founder of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) and most recently served as the owner and president of the Halifax Rainmen. Levingston has experience as the president of the Premier Basketball League (PBL).

The 2014–15 Halifax Rainmen season was the fourth season of the franchise in the National Basketball League of Canada. The Rainmen finished the season with a 20–12, placing second overall in the league. They forfeited Game 7 of the 2015 Finals following a pre-game brawl with their opponents, the Windsor Express. It was their second appearance and defeat in the Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Crookshank</span> American professional basketball player

Eric Lamont Crookshank is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Saint John Mill Rats of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). He was previously known as one of the most prominent members of the Halifax Rainmen, who played in the Canadian league as well as the Premier Basketball League (PBL) and the American Basketball Association (ABA). After announcing retirement in 2012 with the Rainmen, he became the first NBL Canada player to have his jersey retired. However, he returned to the league in 2013, when he started competing for the Mill Rats. Since joining the Rainmen, Crookshank is often nicknamed "Air Canada" due to his slam dunking capabilities.

Hugo López Muñoz is a Spanish professional basketball coach. He is currently the current coach for Liaoning Flying Leopards in the Chinese Basketball Association. He has coached many professional clubs in the past. López was also head coach of the Sweden national team from 2018 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Breton Highlanders (basketball)</span> Basketball team in Sydney, Canada

The Cape Breton Highlanders were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Sydney, Nova Scotia. They were granted a hiatus from the National Basketball League of Canada for the 2019–20 season, but have no schedule to return.

The 2016–17 NBL Canada season was the sixth season of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC).

The 2017–18 NBL Canada season is the seventh season of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The regular season ran November 18, 2017 to April 2, 2018.

References

  1. ↑ Joseph, Rebecca. "Halifax Rainmen file for bankruptcy". Global News . Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Lipscombe, Kristen. "Return of pro basketball to Halifax 'looks promising'". Metro Halifax . Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Professional basketball returning to Halifax for 2015-16 NBLC season with local ownership" (PDF). HalifaxHurricanes.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-23. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "Halifax NBL Canada team names Hugo Lopez as Head Coach" (PDF). HalifaxHurricanes.ca. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  5. ↑ Lipscombe, Kristen. "'The storm is coming': Local pro basketball club renamed Halifax Hurricanes". Metro Halifax . Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Zaccagna, Remo. "Halifax's new NBL team dubbed the Hurricanes". The Chronicle Herald . Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Hurricanes open season with split". The Chronicle Herald . Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Hurricanes Appoint New Coach/GM". OurSports Central. 28 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Hurricanes Welcome New Head Coach and General Manager". OurSports Central. 28 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Hurricanes Announce Front Office Moves". OurSports Central. 20 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Palov, Willy (7 October 2021). "Halifax Hurricanes leaving the National Basketball League of Canada". www.saltwire.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Facility Information". Scotiabank-Centre.com. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.