Hemel Storm

Last updated

Hemel Storm
Hemel Storm logo.png
League National Basketball League (England)
Established2006;18 years ago (2006)
HistoryWest Herts Warriors II
20062008
Watford Storm
20082009
Edmonton Storm
20092010
Hemel Storm
2010present
ArenaHemel Leisure Centre
Capacity600
Location Hemel Hempstead
Team colours  
Main sponsorVanarama
Head coach Flag of England.svg Mark Clark
Website Official website

Hemel Storm are a British semi-professional basketball club from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Founded in 2006, the Storm compete in NBL Division 1, the second tier of the British basketball system, and play their home games at the Everyone Active Hemel Hempstead Sports Centre. The club had been based in several locations across Hertfordshire and north London before settling into their current, long-term home in 2010.

Contents

The club has no formal links to the Hemel Hempstead Lakers, a basketball club formerly in the town which relocated to Milton Keynes in 1998. [1]

History

Originally formed in 2006 as a feeder club for the West Hertfordshire Warriors, the club finished in third place in EBL Division Four (Midlands/South) in their inaugural season, gaining immediate promotion to Division Three (South). Early in the following season, the parent team resigned from Division One due to financial difficulties, leaving the second team to carry on the name alone. The club continued to a fourth place finish despite the off-court upheavals. [2]

The newly independent club moved their home venue to the Westfield Sports Centre in Watford for the 2008-09 season, the move bringing the club a new name (Watford Storm) and another third place finish. However, problems with the Westfield venue led to the club playing in Edmonton by the end of the season, leading to another short-term move for the 2009-10 season, and a further name change to the Edmonton Storm. Finally, the club moved one final time to Hemel Hempstead ahead of the 2010-11 season, renaming themselves the Hemel Storm and bringing basketball back to the town after a 13-year absence. [2]

After settling into their new home, the club went from strength to strength. Over the following seasons, the Storm won the Patrons Cup in 2011, following up with a second placed finish in EBL Division Two in the 2011-12 season and successfully defending their Patrons Cup title. This gained the club promotion to EBL Division One for the 2012-13 season. Five years later the club claimed the National Cup for the first time after a 94-77 victory over Manchester Magic. [3]

Undoubtedly their best season to date was 2022-23, becoming only the 2nd team in NBL History to win all 4 Trophies with an unbeaten record [4] of 40-0. The National Cup was the first trophy of the season secured with a 81-102 win over Derby Trailblazers on 22nd January 2023 in Manchester, [5] followed by the KitKing Trophy success against Worthing Thunder at Surrey Sports Park on 11th March 2023, winning 99-92. [6] The NBL Division 1 League Title was secured with a 107-77 win at Team Newcastle University on 25th March 2023 [7] and the season wrapped up with the NBL Division 1 Playoff Final, beating Worthing Thunder in a close 69-63 victory in Manchester on 23rd April 2023. [8]

Honours

National Cup

Patrons Cup

KitKing Trophy

NBL Division 1 League Champions

NBL Division 1 Playoff Champions

Players

Notable former players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality 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.

Season-by-season records

SeasonDivisionTierRegular SeasonPost-SeasonNational Cup
FinishPlayedWinsLossesPointsWin %
West Herts Warriors II
2006-07 D4 Mid 53rd16124240.750Quarter-finalDid not compete
2007-08 D3 Sou 44th22139260.591Quarter-finalDid not compete
Watford Storm
2008-09 D3 Sou 43rd24186360.750Quarter-final3rd round
Edmonton Storm
2009-10 D2 34th20137260.650Semi-final2nd round
Hemel Storm
2010-11 D2 35th20128240.600Quarter-final2nd round
2011-12 D2 32nd20164320.800Quarter-finalQuarter-final
2012-13 D1 210th261115220.423Did not qualifyQuarter-final
2013-14 D1 23rd26188360.692Quarter-final3rd round
2014-15 D1 210th24915180.375Did not qualify3rd round
2015-16 D1 24th26188360.692Quarter-final3rd round
2016-17 D1 28th261313260.500Quarter-final4th round
2017-18 D1 27th241212240.500Runners-UpWinners, beating Manchester
2018-19 D1 29th261115220.423Did not qualifySemi-finals
2019-20 D1 24th23167350.696No playoffsQuarter-finals
2020-21 D1 23rd19145280.737Runners-UpNo competition
2021-22 D1 26th261610320.615Runners-UpQuarter-finals
2022-23 D1 21st26260521.000WinnersWinners, beating Derby
2023-24 D1 23rd24195380.792WinnersQuarter-finals

Record in BBL competitions

SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAway
2020–21 BBL Trophy R1 Cheshire Phoenix L 77-63
2021–22 BBL Trophy R1 Thames Valley Cavaliers L 86-78

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertfordshire</span> County of England

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Watford, and the county town is Hertford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Basketball League</span> Professional sports league founded 1987

The British Basketball League (BBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Great Britain and represents the highest level of play in the countries. The league is contested by 10 teams from England and Scotland. There are no clubs from Wales, or Northern Ireland. The BBL runs three additional knockout competitions alongside the BBL Championship which are the BBL Cup, BBL Trophy and the end-of-season BBL Playoffs. In March 2024, there will be a BBL All-Star game which will replace the BBL Cup knockout competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemel Hempstead Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Hemel Hempstead, England

Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Hertfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the National League South and play at Vauxhall Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Lions (basketball)</span> British professional basketball team

London Lions are a British professional basketball team based in Stratford, East London, England, and compete in the British Basketball League as well as the EuroCup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Wolves</span> British professional basketball team

The Worcester Wolves are a basketball club in Worcester, England. The team plays in the NBL Division 2, the third tier of British basketball. The club was formed in 2000, and from 2006 until 2021 competed in the British Basketball League, the top tier of British basketball. Since 2013, the Wolves have played their home games at the 2,000-capacity Worcester Arena.

Jordan David Parkes is an English footballer midfielder.

Worthing Thunder are a British professional basketball team based in Worthing, West Sussex, England, and compete in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team was originally founded in 1999 as the Worthing Rebels. They switched to their current name in 2000. The team has played their home games at the Worthing Leisure Center since their inaugural season.

The West Herts Warriors was a basketball club from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, which operated two Men's teams and a Women's team in the English Basketball League at the time of their demise in 2007. They played their home games at the University of Hertfordshire's Herts Sports Village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Magic</span> Basketball team

The Manchester Giants are an English basketball club from the city of Manchester in the northwest of England.

The Leicester Warriors are an English semi-professional basketball club from Leicester, Leicestershire. Founded in 2003, the Warriors play their home games at Braunstone Leisure Centre and compete in NBL Division 1, the second tier of the British basketball system. The club runs extensive community programmes and grass root teams in the Leicester area.

The National Basketball League, or NBL for short, is a league competition representing semi-professional and amateur basketball clubs from England and Wales. It forms levels 2 to 4 on the British basketball pyramid, in line with the Scottish Basketball Championship, sitting directly below the top tier British Basketball League.

Kingston Wildcats School of Basketball is a community basketball development club originating from Kingston that compete in the Surrey League and Basketball England National League. The club acts as "school of basketball" for players in the Royal Borough of Kingston and Surrey with teams for players between the ages of 8 and 16. The club also runs a senior men's team and its practices and home fixtures take place at Chessington School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Essex Leopards</span> Basketball team in Essex and Hertfordshire

The Essex & Herts Leopards were an English semi-professional basketball club, based in Brentwood, Essex and St Albans, Hertfordshire. The Leopards competed in Division 1 of the English Basketball League. The team was established in 1997 as Ware Fire, but following the demise and eventual closure of the former British Basketball League franchise Essex Leopards in 2003, a supporters group known as 'Leopards Alive' merged with the Ware-based club and rebranded the team as Essex & Herts Leopards in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Force</span> Basketball team in Leeds, West Yorkshire

Leeds Force were an English professional basketball team based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The Force played in the British Basketball League, the top flight of British basketball. They played their home games at the Carnegie Sports Arena, located on the Headingley Campus of Leeds Beckett University. The club announced its dissolution on 11 June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham Hoods</span> Basketball team in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

The Nottingham Hoods are a semi-professional basketball club from the city of Nottingham, England. The Hoods, formed in 2009, compete in NBL Division 1, the second tier of the British basketball system, and play their home games at the Nottingham Wildcats Arena.

The Derbyshire Arrows are an English basketball club based in Dronfield, Derbyshire. The Arrows play in National Basketball League Division 2 North, the third tier of British basketball. The club also have strong links with the city of Sheffield, having formerly been based at the University of Sheffield, and maintaining a partnership with the University's team.

The Sheffield Hatters are a women's basketball club from Sheffield, England. The club have been mainstays of the women's game in England for many years, having celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2011, and are founder members of the professional Women's British Basketball League, which launched in 2014.

The Lancashire Spinners are an English basketball club from Whitefield, Greater Manchester.

Liverpool B.C. are a basketball club from the city of Liverpool, England.

The 2022–23 NBL season was the 51st season of the National Basketball League. The season started on 25 September 2022 and ended on 23 April 2023.

References

  1. "Hemel Storm, Club History". Hemel Storm Club Website.
  2. 1 2 "Edmonton Storm move to Hemel Hempstead under new management". Basketball England. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  3. "National Cup Win". Basketball England.
  4. "Invincible Company". Basketball England.
  5. "National Cup Finals". Basketball England.
  6. "KitKing Trophy". Hemel Storm.
  7. "Hemel Storm claimed the 2022/23 regular-season title". Basketball England.
  8. "NBL1 Playoff Finals". Basketball England.