Cheshire Phoenix: Difference between revisions
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Astute trans-Atlantic recruitment by coach and co-owner [[Mike Burton]] resulted in a highly competitive team, which finished fifth in the League table in 1997. They have remained highly competitive ever since, with best-ever performances in 2002 (Northern Conference Champions) and 2003 (3rd in the re-unified League), and a string of successes in the BBL trophy (4-times winners, from 2001 to 2004), culminating in the League Championship in 2005. |
Astute trans-Atlantic recruitment by coach and co-owner [[Mike Burton]] resulted in a highly competitive team, which finished fifth in the League table in 1997. They have remained highly competitive ever since, with best-ever performances in 2002 (Northern Conference Champions) and 2003 (3rd in the re-unified League), and a string of successes in the BBL trophy (4-times winners, from 2001 to 2004), culminating in the League Championship in 2005. |
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===Future in doubt=== |
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== FUCK == |
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On [[April 7]], [[2007]], prior to the Jets' season finale at home to [[Guildford Heat]], an 81-102 defeat, club owner and head coach Mike Burton formally announced that he would be retiring from the franchise at the end of the [[British Basketball League 2006-07|2006-07 season]]. Burton's announcement, after 19 years at the helm, raised serious doubts of the clubs' future <ref>{{cite web| author = Richard Taylor | title = Jets' future in doubt after Burton quits | url = http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article2430098.ece | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-07 | publisher = The Independent}} </ref>, with mounting debts and lack of financial backing. Shortly after the announcement, group of fans formed a committee to help save the club, while arranging several meetings and fund-raisers, the dedication and commitment publicly received the backing of players including Jets legend [[James Hamilton (basketball)|James Hamilton]] <ref>{{cite web| author = icChesire | title = Let's get on with it, says club legend Hamilton | url = http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0200sport/chesterjets/tm_method=full%26objectid=19128764%26siteid=50020-name_page.html | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-05-19 | publisher = Chester Chronicle}} </ref>. Following a sponsorship deal agreed during the summer of 2007 with local firm BiG Storage to save the club and preserve their future, the Jets was renamed as the Cheshire Jets to cover the wider demographic of [[Cheshire]] county. |
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==Home arenas== |
==Home arenas== |
Revision as of 23:26, 22 January 2009
Cheshire Jets | |||
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Cheshire Jets logo | |||
League | British Basketball League | ||
Established | 1984 | ||
History | Ellesmere Port Jets 1984-1988 Cheshire Jets 1988-1993 Chester Jets 1993-2007 Cheshire Jets 2007-present | ||
Arena | Northgate Arena (Capacity: 1,300) | ||
Location | Chester, Cheshire | ||
Team colours | Black, Yellow and White | ||
Main sponsor | BiG Storage | ||
Head coach | ![]() | ||
Ownership | Unknown | ||
Website | JetsBasketball.co.uk | ||
|
The Cheshire Jets, officially BiG Storage Cheshire Jets by sponsorship, is a British professional basketball team based in the city of Chester, in Cheshire, England. Formerly known as the Chester Jets, their home court is the Northgate Arena and they play in the top-tier British Basketball League.
Franchise history
Origin
The team was first formed from the ruins of the Ellesmere Port team, the St Saviours in 1984. The team was initially named after their sponsors 'Motocraft Centre Ellesmere Port'. However, after the loss of their sponsor, they renamed themselves Ellesmere Port Jets.
Moving to the BBL
The Jets were admitted to NBL Division 2 in 1986 and showed little sign of what was to come as they finished last in their first season, with just a single victory. Edging up to seventh in 1987-88, they then changed their name to Cheshire Jets, though still continuing to play in Ellesmere Port. They continued a steady mid-table development until, in 1991, they won the divisional title despite suffering five defeats. The same year, the Jets moved up into the BBL joining in with Britain's elite basketball teams. Later however, the arena in Ellesmere Port became unsuitable, and so in 1993 the Jets were forced to move to Chester, and into the Northgate Arena. The move was reflected in another name change to what is now the Chester Jets.
The real turning point for the Jets came in 1996, when the application of the Bosman ruling to basketball resulted in the departure of many of the top English players to European clubs, and the BBL changed its eligibility rule to entitle teams to use five non-national players.
Millennium success
Astute trans-Atlantic recruitment by coach and co-owner Mike Burton resulted in a highly competitive team, which finished fifth in the League table in 1997. They have remained highly competitive ever since, with best-ever performances in 2002 (Northern Conference Champions) and 2003 (3rd in the re-unified League), and a string of successes in the BBL trophy (4-times winners, from 2001 to 2004), culminating in the League Championship in 2005.
FUCK
Home arenas
- Ellesmere Port Leisure Centre (1984-1993)
- Northgate Arena (1993-present)
Season-by-season records
Season | Div. | Pos. | Pld. | W | L | Pts. | Play Offs | Trophy | Cup |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ellesmere Port Jets | |||||||||
1986-1987 | NBL 2 | 10th | 18 | 1 | 17 | 2 | DNQ | DNQ | 1st Round |
1987-1988 | NBL 1 | 7th | 18 | 7 | 11 | 14 | DNQ | DNQ | 2nd Round |
Cheshire Jets | |||||||||
1988-1989 | NBL 1 | 8th | 20 | 6 | 14 | 12 | DNQ | DNQ | 2nd Round |
1989-1990 | NBL 1 | 6th | 22 | 10 | 12 | 20 | Quarter-final | DNQ | 1st Round |
1990-1991 | NBL 1 | 1st | 22 | 17 | 5 | 34 | Quarter-final | DNQ | Quarter-final |
1991-1992 | BBL | 11th | 30 | 2 | 28 | 4 | DNQ | 1st Round | 3rd Round |
1992-1993 | BBL | 10th | 33 | 10 | 23 | 20 | DNQ | 1st Round | Quarter-final |
Chester Jets | |||||||||
1993-1994 | BBL | 11th | 36 | 11 | 25 | 22 | DNQ | 1st Round | Quarter-final |
1994-1995 | BBL | 12th | 36 | 6 | 30 | 12 | DNQ | 1st Round | Quarter-final |
1995-1996 | BBL | 12th | 36 | 8 | 28 | 16 | DNQ | Quarter-final | 4th Round |
1996-1997 | BBL | 5th | 36 | 24 | 12 | 48 | Semi-final | Runner-up | 4th Round |
1997-1998 | BBL | 10th | 36 | 15 | 21 | 30 | DNQ | 1st Round | 4th Round |
1998-1999 | BBL | 11th | 36 | 10 | 26 | 20 | DNQ | Quarter-final | Quarter-final |
1999-2000 | BBL N | 4th | 36 | 17 | 19 | 34 | Quarter-final | Quarter-final | 1st Round |
2000-2001 | BBL N | 2nd | 36 | 25 | 11 | 50 | Quarter-final | Winners | 1st Round |
2001-2002 | BBL N | 1st | 32 | 24 | 8 | 48 | Winners | Winners | Winners |
2002-2003 | BBL | 3rd | 40 | 28 | 12 | 56 | Quarter-final | Winners | Runner-up |
2003-2004 | BBL | 5th | 36 | 22 | 14 | 44 | Runner-up | Winners | 1st Round |
2004-2005 | BBL | 1st | 40 | 32 | 8 | 64 | Runner-up | Semi-final | Semi-final |
2005-2006 | BBL | 7th | 40 | 17 | 32 | 34 | Quarter-final | 1st Round | Semi-final |
2006-2007 | BBL | 9th | 36 | 10 | 26 | 20 | DNQ | Quarter-finals | 1st Round |
Notes:
- From 1999-2002 the BBL operated a Conference system. Chester competed in the Northern Conference.
- DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.
Trophies
League
- NBL Division One Winners: 1990/91 1
- BBL Championship Winners: 2001/02, & 2004/05 2
- BBL Championship Runners Up: 2000/01 1
Playoffs
- BBL Championship Play Off Winners: 2001/02 1
- BBL Championship Play Off Runners Up: 2003/04, & 2004/05 2
Trophy
- BBL Trophy Winners: 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04 4
- BBL Trophy Runners Up: 1996/97 1
Cup
- National Cup Winners: 2001/02 1
- National Cup Runners Up: 2000/01 1
Players
Current roster
The numbers are established according to the official websites of the team (www.jetsbasketball.co.uk) and Britain's top professional league, the BBL (www.bbl.org.uk).
5 | ![]() ![]() |
Gianni Costantiello | Power Forward |
6 | ![]() |
Trey Moore | Guard |
10 | ![]() ![]() |
Matthew Otten | Shooting Guard |
13 | ![]() |
Alan Duppa | Forward/Centre |
14 | ![]() |
Richard Murphy | Guard |
20 | ![]() |
Marc Pratt | Forward |
21 | ![]() ![]() |
James Hamilton | Forward |
22 | ![]() ![]() |
Jayson Obazuaye | Guard |
Notable former players
Pero Cameron
Todd Cauthorn
Correy Childs
Greg Francis
Dave Gardner
Kenny Gregory
Delme Herriman
John McCord
Louis McCullough
Loren Meyer
Shawn Myers
Tony Rampton
John Simpson
Billy Singleton
Alto Virgil
TJ Walker
Retired numbers
- 11 Dave Gardner, C, 1990-1995, 1997-1998 & 1999-2003