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1933–34 Philadelphia Sphas season

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1933–34 Philadelphia Sphas season
League champions
Head coachEddie Gottlieb
Owner(s)Eddie Gottlieb
ArenaBroadwood Hotel
Results
Record29–12 (.707)
PlaceConference: 3rd (1st half) 1st (2nd half)
Playoff finishChampions (4–2 over Trenton Moose)
< 1932–33 1934–35 >

The Philadelphia Sphas was an early American professional basketball team. The 1933–34 season was the first played in the American Basketball League by the Sphas, although they did play in the ABL from 1926 to 1928 as the Philadelphia Warriors, which had no relation to the later BAA franchise.

Background

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The Sphas played in leagues around Philadelphia since 1917, but game-by-game records before the Sphas rejoined the ABL in 1933 are not available.[1]

After finishing a perfect 14-0 in the second part of the season, the Sphas later won the league championship with a 4-2 series victory over the Trenton Moose. The Sphas were also referred to as the Philadelphia Hebrews in league records during this time.[1]

First Half[1]
Date Opponent Score Record
11/18 Hoboken Thourots[a] 34–20 1–0
11/25 Union City Reds 38–41 1–1
11/26 @ Bronx Americans 34–23 2–1
12/2 Brooklyn Jewels 26–36 2–2
12/3 @ Brooklyn Visitations 30–15 3–2
12/9 Trenton Moose 22–28 3–3
12/10 @ Union City Reds 36–33 4–3
12/10 @ Brooklyn Jewels 25–27 4–4
12/16 Brooklyn Visitations 31–26 5–4
12/19 @ Newark Bears 29–34 5–5
12/23 Newark Bears 38–29 6–5
12/25 @ Trenton Moose 32–38 6–6
12/30 Bronx Americans 42–21 7–6
12/31 @ Camden Brewers 42–32 8–6
1/6 Camden Brewers 26–22 9–6
1/7 @ Brooklyn Jewels 34–20 10–6
1/13 Union City Reds 50–43 11–6
1/14 @ Brooklyn Visitations 21–26 11–7
1/20 Newark Bears 40–28 12–7
1/21 @ Union City Reds 30–33 12–8
1/27 Trenton Moose 36–25 13–8
1/28 @ Bronx Americans 30–31 13–9
2/3 Brooklyn Visitations 30–28 14–9
2/10 Brooklyn Jewels 23–29 14–10
2/17 Bronx Americans 45–41 15–10
2/18 @ Newark Bears 31–49 15–11
2/19 @ Trenton Moose 26–36 15–12
2nd Half[1]
Date Opponent Score Record
2/24 Newark Bears 49–42 1–0
3/3 Bronx Americans 69–35 2–0
3/4 @ Brooklyn Jewels 30–24 3–0
3/10 Brooklyn Visitations 41–36 4–0
3/11 @ Newark Bears 38–26 5–0
3/17 Trenton Moose 39–33 6–0
3/18 @ Brooklyn Visitations 21–17 7–0
3/20 New Britain Palaces 39–25 8–0
3/23 @ Trenton Moose 38–35 9–0
3/24 Union City Reds 47–38 10–0
3/25 @ Bronx Americans 40–24 11–0
3/31 Brooklyn Jewels 42–19 12–0
4/1 @ Union City Reds 48–41 13–0
4/4 @ New Britain Palaces 27–25 14–0
Playoffs[1]
Date Opponent Score Record
4/6 @ Trenton Moose 28–21 1–0
4/7 Trenton Moose 21–35 1–1
4/13 @ Trenton Moose 32–20 2–1
4/14 Trenton Moose 29–32 2–2
4/15 Trenton Moose[b] 32–22 3–2
4/21 Trenton Moose 40–34 4–2

Notes

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a Became the Camden Brewers after losing first 4 games
b Game played in Brooklyn

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Stark, Douglas (2011). The SPHAS: The Life and Times of Basketball's Greatest Jewish Team. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. Appendix A, 247–248.