This article needs to be updated.(September 2024) |
Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | 2007–2017; 2020–present |
First season | 2008 |
No. of teams | 10 |
Country | United States |
Continent | FIBA Americas (Americas) |
Most recent champion(s) | Lancaster Thunder (2022) |
Most titles | Rochester Razorsharks (7) |
Official website |
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. [1] The league announced due coronavirus outbreak the season would be put on hold. [2]
The PBL was formed after a number of disagreements between several former member teams of the modern American Basketball Association (ABA) and ABA CEO Joe Newman. [3] Eight of the initial ten PBL teams either played in or were slated to play in the ABA.
In early 2007, Newman was voted out of his position as CEO of the ABA by the board of directors, which included Maryland Nighthawks owner and then-ABA COO Tom Doyle (who was later a commissioner of the PBL), citing dissatisfaction with how Newman executed his duties as CEO, the large number of ABA teams that did not have the funds to operate, and high number of games when an ABA team did not show up. Newman responded by using his and other shares that formed a controlling interest to remove the entire board of directors. [4]
Newman then refused to reschedule a weather-delayed playoff game between the Rochester RazorSharks and Wilmington Sea Dawgs although the two teams agreed to a make up date, wanting instead to force Rochester to accept a forfeit. [5] It was on the heels of these two incidents that the Nighthawks and RazorSharks ownership groups decided to found the PBL. [3] Dr. Sev Hrywnak, owner of the Rochester RazorSharks, invested close to $2 million to start the PBL. The business model was structured so that teams entering the initial season did not have to pay an entrance fee of $100,000 and that all travel would be covered by the League. This would allow new teams the opportunity to have financial success from the start.
Former Houston Rockets point guard and current NBA on TNT analyst Kenny Smith was the league's first commissioner. [3]
During the 2008 off season, six more former ABA teams decided to move to the PBL. First, on May 9, the Manchester Millrats and the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 ABA champion Vermont Frost Heaves moved. [6] Then on May 20, the inactive Detroit Panthers re-activated and joined the league. [7] And on May 21, the Quebec Kebs joined. [8] On June 5 another team with an ABA history, the Augusta Groove, joined the league, but from the Continental Basketball Association. [9] On June 23, the Halifax Rainmen, an ABA team the previous year, announced they were also joining the PBL. [10] The first International Basketball League defection came on July 31 when the Battle Creek Knights joined the league. [11] The Rochester RazorSharks went on to win their second straight PBL title after beating the Battle Creek Knights.
The Battle Creek Knights, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs and the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry would not return for the 2010 season. [12] The Maryland Nighthawks changed the name of their franchise to the Maryland GreenHawks. [13] The Puerto Rico Capitanes joined the league, performing concurrently in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
At the end of the season, the league officially severed ties with the Buffalo Stampede, citing a failure by the team to adhere to league standards. [14] The Maryland GreenHawks were also dropped from the league. [15] The Bluegrass Stallions, another ABA team located in Kentucky, joined. [16] The league also added the expansion Dayton Air Strikers. [17]
In January, the Vermont Frost Heaves abruptly announced the cessation of operations and their players were dispersed via a draft. [18] The Rochester RazorSharks won the league championship.
The league approved expansion teams in Chicago and Scranton, Pennsylvania for the 2012 PBL season. Also, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Madison, Wisconsin were named as cities pending approval for expansion teams. [19]
On 18 July 2011, the PBL announced the Dayton Air Strikers were returning to the league for the 2012 season. [20] In addition, the Northwestern Illinois-based Sauk Valley Predators began their inaugural season in the PBL for 2012. [21] On August 22, 2011, it was announced the Charleston Gunners would be the PBL's sixth team for the 2012 season. [22] On September 15, 2011, it was announced the Northwest Indiana Stars were leaving the ABA to be the PBL's seventh team for the 2012 season. [23] On 21 September 2011 it was announced the Lake Michigan Admirals were also leaving the ABA to be the PBL's eighth team for the 2012 season. [24] On 23 September 2011 it was announced that the PBL's ninth team for the 2012 season would be the Central Illinois Drive based in Bloomington, Illinois. [25] On October 12, 2011, it was announced that the Indiana Diesels were also leaving the ABA to be the PBL's tenth team for the 2012 season. [26] On October 14, 2011, it was announced that the St. Louis Pioneers were also leaving the ABA to join the PBL, changing their name to the St. Louis Phoenix. [27]
The Central Illinois Drive won the PBL championship for 2012, defeating the Rochester RazorSharks, 101-80. The Drive was 18-1 in regular season and 22-1 total.
During the off season the league announced it would be merging with the Independent Basketball Association to form the IBA-PBL. [28] Prior to the start of the season, the defending champions, the Central Illinois Drive, ceased operations, but were then rebooted as the Bloomington Flex.
On 24 May 2013, the six PBL teams announced that the two leagues would cease interleague play, and that the leagues would hold separate playoffs. [29] In the first round of the PBL playoffs, the Bloomington Flex beat the Indiana Diesels two games to none, and the Rochester RazorSharks beat the Sauk Valley Predators two games to none. In the finals, the Flex beat the RazorSharks two games to none to win their second consecutive title.
On 21 September 2013, the PBL announced the first of what is expected to be up to six expansion teams, with the Lima Express signing to play for the 2014 season, which will begin in January.
On 12 November 2013, the PBL announced the addition of the Pee Dee Vipers, an expansion team based in Florence, South Carolina. Three days later, the league announced that the Lake Michigan Admirals would return for 2014. On November 25, the PBL announced the addition of the Buffalo 716ers and the Erie Hurricane. In late November the Chicago Tide joined the league.
On 6 February 2014, it was announced that the newly formed Grand Rapids Cyclones would join the PBL. [30]
Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)
Indiana Diesels (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1)
Away | Home | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Indiana | 99 | Rochester | 100 |
Game 2 | Rochester | 99 | Indiana | 103 |
Game 3 | Indiana | 86 | Rochester | 110 |
Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 1
Several games in the 2015 season had to be postponed due to winter weather, leading to a rescheduling of games in March to ascertain that every team in the league would have played at least 15 games before the playoffs. [31] The best-of-three finals-only playoffs between Midwest Division Champions Lake Michigan Admirals and East Division Champions Rochester RazorSharks opened on March 21 in Waterlivet, Michigan, with game two set for March 28 in Rochester. [32] The Rochester RazorSharks won the 2015 PBL Championship, winning the first two games in a best-of three series against the Lake Michigan Admirals.
Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)
Lake Michigan Admirals (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1)
Away | Home | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Rochester | 122 | Lake Michigan | 97 |
Game 2 | Lake Michigan | 118 | Rochester | 135 |
Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 0
Many new franchise additions occurred in the 2015 off-season including the Jamestown Jackals, Kentucky Mavericks, [33] Western New York Thundersnow, and the return of the Danville Riverhawks. Mavericks owner Jerry Nelson also become an equity partner in the PBL. [33] In addition, the PBL gained a new Southeast Conference which includes six members of the Tobacco Road Basketball League: Cary Invasion, Charlotte Elite, Durham Legacy, Huntersville HoopForLyfe, Raleigh Revolt, and the Wilmington Sea Dawgs.
Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)
Lake Michigan Admirals (3) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1)
Away | Home | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Rochester | 97 | Lake Michigan | 91 |
Game 2 | Lake Michigan | 92 | Rochester | 93 |
Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 0
Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)
Kentucky Mavericks (2) vs Rochester RazorSharks (1)
Away | Home | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Rochester | 88 | Kentucky | 91 |
Game 2 (OT) | Kentucky | 110 | Rochester | 112 |
Game 3 | Kentucky | 94 | Rochester | 95 |
Rochester wins PBL Championship series 2 games to 1
Conference | Team | City | Arena | Founded | Joined | Head coach |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East | Chautauqua Hurricane | Dunkirk, New York | Dunkirk High School | 2015 | 2020 | Sixto Rosario |
Detroit Panthers | Redford, Michigan | Westfield Academy | 2021 | 2022 | ||
DuBois Dream | DuBois, Pennsylvania | DuBois Area Middle School | 2016 | 2020 | Rick Homer | |
Lancaster Thunder | Lancaster, Ohio | Ohio University – Lancaster | 2019 | 2020 | Jamelle Cornley | |
Midwest | ||||||
Chicago Ballers | Lockport, Illinois | Lockport Township High School | 2021 | 2022 | Romel Bryant | |
Chicago Raptors | Chicago, Illinois | 2021 | 2022 | Tim Townsel | ||
Kind Soul Bobcats | La Grange, Illinois | McCook Athletic & Exposition | 2021 | 2022 | ||
Shoreline Sea Wolves | Holland, Michigan | Harbor Lights Middle School | 2021 | 2022 | Wesley Burton |
Conference | Team | City | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Joined | Ownership |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PA Royal Kingz | Beaver County, Pennsylvania | 2021 |
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Rochester RazorSharks | Arkansas Impact | 142–112 |
2009 | Rochester RazorSharks | Battle Creek Knights | 152–115 |
2010 | Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry | Rochester RazorSharks | 2–1 (best-of-three) |
2011 | Rochester RazorSharks | Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry | 2–1 (best-of-three) |
2012 | Central Illinois Drive | Rochester RazorSharks | 2–0 (best-of-three) |
2013 | Bloomington Flex | Rochester RazorSharks | 2–0 (best-of-three) |
2014 | Rochester RazorSharks | Indianapolis Diesels | 2–1 (best-of-three) |
2015 | Rochester RazorSharks | Lake Michigan Admirals | 2–0 (best-of-three) |
2016 | Rochester RazorSharks | Lake Michigan Admirals | 2–0 (best-of-three) |
2017 | Rochester RazorSharks | Kentucky Mavericks | 2–1 (best-of-three) |
2020 | Chautauqua Hurricane | ||
2021 | Toledo Glass City | ||
2022 | Lancaster Thunder | Chicago Ballers | 114–110 |
The Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry was a professional basketball team based in Lawton, Oklahoma. They played in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) after having been in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). They have one PBL championship and also were the two-time champions of the CBA. The original team was known as the Oklahoma City Cavalry, which competed in the CBA in Oklahoma City from 1990 to 1997 – when they were league champions.
The Washington GreenHawks were a team of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL) based in Washington, D.C. As the Maryland Nighthawks they were formerly part of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and a founding member of the Premier Basketball League (PBL), in which they later played as the Maryland GreenHawks. The team began play in the fall of 2004.
The American Basketball Association (ABA) is an American semi-professional men's basketball minor league that was founded in 1999.
The Rochester RazorSharks was a professional basketball team based in Rochester, New York. The RazorSharks were founded in 2005 as a member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). They remained in the ABA until 2007, leaving the league to become founding members of the Premier Basketball League (PBL). The RazorSharks have won eight championships to date – the 2006 ABA championship and PBL titles in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. The team joined the new North American Premier Basketball for the 2018 season and planned to play in The Basketball League in 2019 before the team decided to sit out the season.
The Wilmington Sea Dawgs are a professional basketball team and founding member of the Tobacco Road Basketball League. The team is based in Wilmington, North Carolina, and began play in 2006 as a member of the American Basketball Association. The team later played as a founding member of the Premier Basketball League and a founding member of the Continental Basketball League. In 2013, the team played at Blizzard Athletics, having previously played at the Joe and Barbara Schwartz Center on the campus of Cape Fear Community College.
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.
The Saint John Riptide were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Saint John, New Brunswick, that had home games at Harbour Station. They were a member of the National Basketball League of Canada in the Atlantic Division. The team was one of two professional basketball teams from the province of New Brunswick, the other being the Moncton Magic.
The Buffalo Stampede were a basketball team based in Buffalo, New York. The team competed in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) for two seasons in 2009 and 2010, and in the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL) for the 2010–11 season before suspending operations.
The Montreal Sasquatch were a team of the Premier Basketball League (PBL) that played in the 2008–09 season under two different ownership groups.
The Lake Michigan Admirals were a team of the Premier Basketball League that began play in the 2009-10 season as a member of the American Basketball Association. The Admirals are the second ABA team based in Berrien County, Michigan, after the Benton Harbor-based Twin City Ballers folded after their only season of 2006–07. The Admirals played 15 home games, 10 in Lake Michigan Catholic High School in Saint Joseph, Michigan and 5 at Benton Harbor High School in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The Continental Basketball League (CBL) was a men's basketball minor league in the United States that began play in April 2010. The league was headquartered in Florida.
This is the year-to-year membership and makeup of the Premier Basketball League, including league divisional alignment and the circumstances of teams no longer in the league.
The Bloomington Flex were a professional minor league basketball team based in Bloomington, Illinois. The Flex last played in the Midwest Professional Basketball Association (MPBA) in 2015.
The Buffalo 716ers were a basketball team based in Buffalo, New York. The team competed in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) for three seasons between 2013 and 2016 before suspending operations.
The Midwest Professional Basketball Association (MPBA) was a professional men's basketball league that began play in January 2015. The six charter members were: Bloomington Flex, Champaign Swarm, Chicago Force, Gateway Steam, St. Louis RiverSharks and Windy City Groove.
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).
Robert Spon is an American professional basketball coach, most recently serving as the head coach for the Cape Breton Highlanders of the National Basketball League of Canada. He has previously led the Rochester RazorSharks, the Halifax Rainmen, Saint John Mill Rats/Riptide, and several other minor league teams in the past. Spon also has experience coaching the Dakota Wizards, Indiana Alleycats, and Pittsburgh Xplosion in the Continental Basketball Association.
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.