1986–87 National Basketball League season

The 1986–87 Carlsberg National Basketball League season was the fifteenth and last season of the National Basketball League formed in 1972.[1]

1986–87 National Basketball League season
LeagueNational Basketball League
SportBasketball
Number of teams13
Roll of Honour
National League championsPortsmouth
  National League runners-upKingston Kings
Play Off's championsBCP London
  Play Off's runners-upKingston Kings
National Cup championsKingston Kings
  National Cup runners-upPortsmouth

The league was sponsored by Carlsberg for the third consecutive year. Portsmouth won the first division league title, Kingston Kings claimed the Play Off's & Crystal Palace lifted the National Cup for the seventh time in their history.[2] Team Walsall (formerly Team Sandwell) won the second division. This would be the last National League season because the top English and Scottish teams would breakaway and form the British Basketball League.

Team changes

The first division was reduced to thirteen teams following two mergers.[3] Manchester United and Manchester Giants merged at the end of April 1986 and agreed to take the name Manchester United and play in Stretford. The second merger came four months later at the beginning of September 1986 when Crystal Palace and Brunel Uxbridge & Camden Ducks joined forces with fixtures being split between the Crystal Palace Sports Centre and Brunel University. In between the two mergers the Nissan Worthing Bears and Tyneside Basketball Club both folded. The EBBA admitted two new teams in the form of Calderdale Explorers and Derby Rams from the second division.

Carlsberg League standings

First Division
Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1HFS Portsmouth242132393208942
2Team Polycell Kingston Kings242132530215842
3Sharp Manchester United241952282201038
4Brunel Crystal Palace London241772311215134
5Leicester Riders241682438234032
6Happy Eater Bracknell Pirates2411132264230322
7Calderdale Explorers2410142180221620
8Alphaprint Hemel Hempstead Watford Royals238152281234116
9Birmingham Bullets248162167222716
10Reg Vardy Sunderland 76'ers247172246244814
11Draper Tools Solent Stars247172245243114
12Home Spare Bolton & Bury Hawks *236171944219911
13BPCC Derby Rams24420205624248
  • Hemel v Bolton fixture not played and Bolton were deducted one point

Second Division
Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1Team Walsall181531907164730
2Oldham Celtics181532071157530
3Just Rentals Rhondda181442205195428
4CBS Centurions Colchester181261721170524
5Lambeth TopCats181171689162222
6TF Group Cleveland Comets181081793182820
7Tower Hamlets185131670177910
8Plymouth Raiders18414173118448
9Swindon Rakers18315155520106
10Ellesmere Port Jets18117161019882

Carlsberg playoffs

Quarter-finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
PortsmouthHemel Hempstead Watford Royal2-0
Kingston KingsCalderdale Explorers2-1
Manchester UnitedBracknell Pirates2-1
Brunel Crystal Palace LondonLeicester Riders2-1

Semi-finals
venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
Apr 03, Wembley ArenaPortsmouthBrunel Crystal Palace London102-106
Apr 03, Wembley ArenaKingston KingsManchester United111-80

Third Place
venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
Apr 04, Wembley ArenaPortsmouthManchester United99-89

Final
4 April 1987[4]
BCP London 96–82 Kingston Kings
Pts: Julio Politi (MVP) 28, Dale Roberts 22, Brian Kellybrew 17, Mickey Bett 16, Paul Stimpson 12 Pts: Danny Davis 18, Martin Clark 15, Steve Bontrager 13, Colin McNish 12, Kenny Scott 11, Doug Lloyd 11
Wembley Arena
Attendance: ?
BCP London Coach David Last
Kingston Coach Kevin Cadle

Prudential National Cup

Second round
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Derby RamsBrunel Crystal Palace73-90
Tower HamletsHemel Hempstead Watford Royals95-117
Oldham CelticsCalderdale Explorers95-115
PortsmouthLambeth Topcats121-81
Plymouth RaidersSolent Stars
Bracknell Pirates
Manchester UnitedLeicester Riders113-111
Kingston KingsTF Group Cleveland122-64

Quarter-finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Hemel Hempstead Watford RoyalsPortsmouth99-127
Brunel Crystal PalaceCalderdale Explorers81-94
Solent StarsManchester United85-88
Kingston KingsBracknell Pirates113-102

Semi-finals
Venue & Date Team 1 Team 2 Score
Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Nov 30Calderdale ExplorersPortsmouth77-81
Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Nov 30Kingston KingsManchester United95-86

Final
Live Channel 4
15 December 1986[5]
Kingston Kings 95–87 Portsmouth
Pts: Danny Davis 21, Colin McNish 20, Doug Lloyd 14, Kenny Scott 14, Steve Bontrager 14, Martin Clark 10 Pts: Alan Cunningham 20, Danny Williams 18, Mike Spaid 16 Karl Tatham 14, Joel Moore 13, Steve Nelson 4
Royal Albert Hall, London
Attendance: 4,500
Kingston Coach Kevin Cadle
Portsmouth Coach Dan Lloyd

British Masters Cup
31 March 1987
Kingston Kings 103–82 Murray International Metals Livingston
Pts: Steve Bontrager 26, Kenny Scott 20, Martin Clark 17, Danny Davis 16, Andy Innell 12, Doug Lloyd 8, Colin McNish 4 Pts: Sam Foggin 21, Ralton Way 20, Graeme Hill 15, Lewis Young 12, Bobby Archibald 10, Derek Frame 4
Aston Villa Leisure Centre
Attendance: ?
Kingston Coach Kevin Cadle
Livingston Coach ?

References
  1. Matthews & Morrison, Peter & Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records & Results. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  2. "Men's Senior League Winners". Basketball England.
  3. ""Clubs join forces." Times [London, England] 4 Sept. 1986". The Times Digital Archive.
  4. "Nicholas Harling. "London triumph against the odds." Times [London, England] 6 Apr. 1987". The Times Digital Archive.
  5. "Nicholas Harling. "Portsmouth rally in vain." Times [London, England] 16 Dec. 1986". The Times Digital Archive.

See also
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