2005–06 British Basketball League season

The 2005–06 BBL season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from 23 September 2005 through to 11 April 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.

2005–06 BBL season
LeagueBritish Basketball League
SportBasketball
Roll of Honour
BBL championsNewcastle Eagles
Play Off's championsNewcastle Eagles
BBL Cup championsNewcastle Eagles
BBL Trophy championsNewcastle Eagles

Eleven teams took to the court for the League Championship, which saw each team play each other four times (Twice at home and twice on the road) during the regular season. This was followed by the end of season playoffs which began on 14 April 2006 and ended with Finals weekend on 30 April 2006. One team change in the line-up saw the disappearance of long-time BBL member Thames Valley Tigers who were dissolved by the League after owner John Nike withdrew his financial backing.[1][2] A consortium of fans bid to save the team resulted in a new franchise being formed, the Guildford Heat who occupied Tigers' place in the Championship.[3]

The season will be best remembered for Newcastle Eagles's incredible "clean sweep" of trophies winning the Championship, BBL Cup, BBL Trophy and finishing it off with an impressive victory in the Play-off final against Scottish Rocks.

Teams
Locations of the 2005–06 BBL teams
Team City/Area Arena Capacity Last season
Birmingham Bullets Birmingham North Solihull Sports Centre 1,000 11th
Brighton Bears Brighton Burgess Hill Triangle 1,800 5th
Chester Jets Chester Northgate Arena 1,000 1st
Guildford Heat Guildford Guildford Spectrum 1,100 New
Leicester Riders Leicester John Sanford Centre 800 10th
London Towers London Crystal Palace National Sports Centre 3,500 3rd
Milton Keynes Lions Milton Keynes Bletchley Centre 800 8th
Newcastle Eagles Newcastle upon Tyne Metro Radio Arena 6,500 2nd
Plymouth Raiders Plymouth Plymouth Pavilions 1,480 9th
Scottish Rocks Glasgow Braehead Arena 4,000 6th
Sheffield Sharks Sheffield Ponds Forge 1,600 4th

Notable occurrences

BBL Championship (Tier 1)

Final standings

Each team played each other four times during the regular league season, twice at home and twice on the road. A dominant Newcastle team claimed the League title, with one game to spare against second-placed Scottish Rocks, adding their third piece of silverware for the season.

In their rookie season Guildford Heat finished an impressive fifth, with a 20–20 record, while former heavyweights Brighton Bears and Birmingham Bullets struggled, finishing eighth and last respectively. Both teams were docked one point each, Brighton for fielding an ineligible player against Guildford,[6] while Birmingham owner Craig Bown breached league rules by cancelling the game against Milton Keynes Lions.[4]

PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1Newcastle Eagles4030100.75060
2Scottish Rocks4029110.72558
3Sheffield Sharks4026140.65052
4London Towers4022180.55044
5Guildford Heat4020200.50040
6Leicester Riders4018220.45036
7Chester Jets4017230.42534
8Brighton Bears +4017230.42533
9Plymouth Raiders4016240.40032
10Milton Keynes Lions4016240.40032
11Birmingham Bullets ++409310.17517
= League winners
= Qualified for the play-offs

+ Brighton Bears were docked 1 point for playing an ineligible player.
++ Birmingham Bullets were docked 1 point due to breach of League Regulations.

Playoffs
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
1 Newcastle Eagles 78
8 Brighton Bears 74
1 Newcastle Eagles 115
5 Guildford Heat 97
4 London Towers 81
5 Guildford Heat 99
1 Newcastle Eagles 83
2 Scottish Rocks 68
2 Scottish Rocks 88
7 Chester Jets 70
2 Scottish Rocks 101
3 Sheffield Sharks 84
3 Sheffield Sharks 101
6 Leicester Riders 85

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final
30 April 2006
Newcastle Eagles 83–68 Scottish Rocks
Scoring by quarter: 12–19, 16–21, 25–10, 30–18
Pts: Charles Smith 22, Andrew Sullivan 19, Fab Flournoy 17 Pts: Julius Joseph 21, Frank Bennett 20, Jean François 10

National League Division 1 (Tier 2)

Final standings
PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1Worthing Thunder 262330.88546
2Reading Rockets 262240.84644
3City of Sheffield Arrows 262060.76940
4Manchester Magic 261970.73138
5Worcester Wolves 261790.65434
6Essex & Herts Leopards 261790.65434
7London United 2614120.53828
8Coventry Crusaders 2614120.53828
9Kingston Wildcats 2611150.42322
10Teesside Mohawks 268180.30816
11PAWS London Capital 266200.23112
12Solent Stars 264220.1548
13King's Lynn Fury 264220.1548
14Nottingham Knights 263230.1156
= League winners
= Qualified for the play-offs

National League Division 2 (Tier 3)

Final standings
PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1West Hertfordshire Warriors 221840.81836
2Mansfield Express 221750.77334
3Northampton Neptunes 2212100.54524
4Derby Trailblazers 2211110.50022
5Liverpool 2211110.50022
6Plymouth Raiders II 2211110.50022
7Birmingham Aston Athletics 2210120.45520
8Tamar Valley Cannons 2210120.45520
9Newi Nets 229130.40918
10Leicester Warriors 229130.40918
11Colchester Tigers 227150.31814
12Bath Romans 227150.31814
= League winners
= Qualified for the play-offs

BBL Cup

First round
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Guildford HeatLeicester Riders69–65
Scottish RocksBirmingham Bullets86–75
Milton Keynes LionsPlymouth Raiders84–66

Quarter-finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Chester JetsBrighton Bears94–82
Sheffield SharksScottish Rocks77–81 (OT)
London TowersMilton Keynes Lions81–66
Newcastle EaglesGuildford Heat82–63

Semi-finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Newcastle EaglesChester Jets95–68
London TowersScottish Rocks106–97 (OT)

Final
4 December 2005
Newcastle Eagles 83–69 London Towers
Pts: TJ Walker (MVP) 28, Jeremy Hyatt 18, Andrew Sullivan 18, Fab Flournoy 10, Darius Defoe 4, Andrew Bridge 3, John Bryant 2 Pts: Quincey Wadley 24, Lynard Stewart 16, Niki Arinze 16, Chez Marks 11, Sullivan Phillips 2
National Indoor Arena, Birmingham
Attendance: ?
Eagles coach Fab Flournoy
Towers coach Robbie Peers

BBL Trophy

Group stage

Semi-finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Newcastle EaglesScottish Rocks82–72
Guildford HeatLeicester Riders66–69

Final
5 February 2006
Newcastle Eagles 71–50 Leicester Riders
Pts: Andrew Sullivan 18 (MVP), TJ Walker 14, Andrew Bridge 14, Jeremy Hyatt 11, Charles Smith 7, Fab Flournoy 7
Rebs: Andrew Sullivan, 11		 Pts: Ryan Huntley 12, Deginald Erskine 12, Anthony McHenry 10, Steve Bucknall 7, Tony Holley 6, Joel Burns 3
Rebs: Tony Holley, 19
SkyDome Arena, Coventry
Attendance: ?
Eagles coach Fab Flournoy
Riders coach Karl Brown

Statistics leaders
CategoryPlayerStat
Points per gameUnited States Chez Marks (London Towers)22.1
Rebounds per gameUnited States Shawn Jamison (Milton Keynes Lions)13.7
Assists per gameUnited States TJ Walker (Newcastle Eagles)8.1

References
  1. "Backer Nike quits Bees and Tigers". BBC Sport. BBC. 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  2. "Tigers fans fail to secure deal". BBC Sport. BBC. 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  3. "Heat on at Spectrum". getSurrey.co.uk. 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  4. Richard Taylor (28 January 2006). "Rodman becomes a Bear at close of the BBL's hardest week". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  5. "Rodman features in Brighton win". BBC Sport. BBC. 29 January 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  6. Richard Taylor (17 February 2006). "Basketball: Bears count Rodman cost". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  7. "Oh Boy! It's a Holley record". Daily Mirror. UK. 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  8. "Eagles 71–50 Riders". BBC Leicestershire. BBC. 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
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