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The 1998–99 BBL season was the 12th season of the British Basketball League, known as the Budweiser Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, since its establishment in 1987. The regular season commenced on September 12, 1998, and ended on April 4, 1999, with a total of 13 teams competing, playing 36 games each. The post-season Play-offs began on April 9 and culminated in the end-of-season finale on May 2 at Wembley Arena.
| 1998–99 BBL season | |
|---|---|
| League | British Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Roll of Honour | |
| BBL champions | Sheffield Sharks |
| Play Off's champions | London Towers |
| National Cup champions | Sheffield Sharks |
| BBL Trophy champions | Manchester Giants |
Start-up franchise Edinburgh Rocks became the League's newest member following their addition as the 14th franchise during the pre-season and the first Scottish team to appear in the top-flight since Glasgow Rangers' participation in the 1988–89 season. The League membership was reduced to 13 teams shortly after following the merger of the London Towers and Crystal Palace franchises, whilst another notable change was the uprooting of Watford Royals, who moved to the Bletchley Centre in Milton Keynes to become the Milton Keynes Lions.[1]
Sheffield Sharks were a dominant force throughout the season, winning the Sainsbury's Classic Cola Cup whilst storming the Budweiser League and taking the Championship to complete the "Double". The campaign came down to a memorable final game where Sharks claimed the title from rivals Manchester Giants with the last shot of the game, winning 85–87 to take the crown. Their successful run fell short in the play-offs however, managing only a third-placed finish thus allowing a new-look London Towers to claim the title. Manchester Giants also ended a decade-long drought of silverware with their win in the uni-ball Trophy.
No teams participated in European competition after Birmingham Bullets and Greater London Leopards both declined to compete in the Saporta Cup.
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- Edinburgh Rocks were officially announced as the League's newest franchise on 4 June 1998 – though the Rocks nickname was revealed at a later date – with former NBA player Jim Brandon signed as the team's head coach.[2]
- The London Towers and Crystal Palace teams merged their organisations during the close-season, with the new franchise continuing to use the London Towers branding and utilising the home venues of both clubs, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and Wembley Arena for home games.[citation needed]
- Watford Royals owner Vince Macaulay announced on 19 June that he was moving the franchise to Milton Keynes due to a lack of suitable venues for home games in Watford,[3] after plans for a new 3,000-capacity arena in Watford, to be built in partnership with Watford F.C., fell through.[4]
- The Budweiser League game between Chester Jets and Derby Storm on 31 January 1999 was abandoned after 30 seconds due to a court invasion from both sets of players following a fight between Chester's Sean Hartley and Derby's England international Yorick Williams. Media reports claim it was the most serious incident in the history of competitive basketball in Britain.[5][6] Four players were initially ejected from the game, including Williams and Hartley, whilst Chester physio Alison Troughtman was taken to hospital, suffering from a suspected broken-jaw.[7] It was later announced that Williams was suspended for the remainder of the regular season, whilst Derby's Rico Alderson was banned until the following season.[8]
- The Southern All-Stars were victorious in the annual All-Star Game against their Northern rivals, with a 156–158 win at Newcastle Arena on February 27. Edinburgh's Ted Berry was the game-high scorer with 29 points and was named as the games Most Valuable Player.[9]
- Manchester Giants claimed their first piece of silverware in franchise history after defeating Derby in the uni-ball Trophy Final on 13 March. Giants won 90–69, and the 21-point gap between the two teams was the biggest winning margin in the event's history.[10]
- Furthering their ongoing disciplinary issues, it was revealed in April that Derby Storm's American player Maurice Robinson was issued with a one-year suspension for failing to supply a complete urine sample during a Sports Council doping control test.[11]
- The Budweiser League came down to a memorable final game between title-chasing rivals Sheffield Sharks and Manchester Giants in-front of more than 11,000 fans at the MEN Arena. With both teams tied on points at the top of the League table, and tied at 85–85 with just 3.5 seconds left in the game, Terrell Myers took the pass and his 18 ft buzzer-beating jump-shot claimed the title for Sheffield.[12]
- London Towers were crowned as Budweiser League Play-off champions on 2 May, after defeating Thames Valley Tigers 82–71 at Wembley Arena. Towers' Malcolm Leak lead the game's scoring, posting 20 points.[13]
- Nottingham-based businessman Craig Bown purchased the Birmingham Bullets franchise at the end of the season for a reported six-figure sum.[14]
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Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheffield Sharks | 36 | 31 | 5 | 0.861 | 62 |
| 2 | Manchester Giants | 36 | 30 | 6 | 0.833 | 60 |
| 3 | London Towers | 36 | 24 | 12 | 0.667 | 48 |
| 4 | Thames Valley Tigers | 36 | 22 | 14 | 0.611 | 44 |
| 5 | Newcastle Eagles | 36 | 21 | 15 | 0.583 | 42 |
| 6 | Derby Storm | 36 | 21 | 15 | 0.583 | 42 |
| 7 | Birmingham Bullets | 36 | 21 | 15 | 0.583 | 42 |
| 8 | Greater London Leopards | 36 | 19 | 17 | 0.527 | 38 |
| 9 | Edinburgh Rocks | 36 | 12 | 24 | 0.333 | 24 |
| 10 | Milton Keynes Lions | 36 | 10 | 26 | 0.278 | 20 |
| 11 | Chester Jets | 36 | 10 | 26 | 0.278 | 20 |
| 12 | Leicester Riders | 36 | 9 | 27 | 0.250 | 18 |
| 13 | Worthing Bears | 36 | 4 | 32 | 0.111 | 8 |
| = League winners | |
| = Qualified for the play-offs |
Playoffs
Quarter-finals
(1) Sheffield Sharks vs. (8) Greater London Leopards
April 16, 1999 |
| Sheffield Sharks | 75–68 | Greater London Leopards |
| Sheffield wins series, 2–1 | ||
Wembley Arena, London |
(2) Manchester Giants vs. (7) Birmingham Bullets
(3) London Towers vs. (5) Newcastle Eagles
(4) Thames Valley Tigers vs. (6) Derby Storm
Semi-finals
Third-place game
Final
May 2, 1999 6.30pm GMT |
| London Towers | 82–71 | Thames Valley Tigers |
| Pts: Malcolm Leak 20, Jason Siemon, Danny Lewis (MVP), Martin Henlan, Randy Duck | Pts: Bryan Balser 22, Mark Jackson, Stewart Clark, Lee Walker |
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Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solent Stars * | 26 | 21 | 5 | 0.808 | 42 |
| 2 | Plymouth Raiders | 26 | 21 | 5 | 0.808 | 42 |
| 3 | Guildford Pumas | 26 | 19 | 7 | 0.731 | 38 |
| 4 | Teesside Mohawks | 26 | 19 | 7 | 0.731 | 38 |
| 5 | London Towers II | 26 | 17 | 9 | 0.654 | 34 |
| 6 | Mid-Sussex Magic | 26 | 16 | 10 | 0.615 | 32 |
| 7 | Cardiff Clippers | 26 | 14 | 12 | 0.538 | 28 |
| 8 | Coventry Crusaders | 26 | 12 | 14 | 0.463 | 24 |
| 9 | Westminster Warriors | 26 | 9 | 17 | 0.346 | 18 |
| 10 | Stevenage Rebels | 26 | 9 | 17 | 0.346 | 18 |
| 11 | Oxford Devils | 26 | 9 | 17 | 0.346 | 18 |
| 12 | Solihull Chiefs | 26 | 7 | 19 | 0.269 | 14 |
| 13 | Cardiff Phoenix | 26 | 6 | 20 | 0.231 | 12 |
| 14 | Brixton TopCats | 26 | 2 | 24 | 0.077 | 4 |
| = League winners | |
| = Qualified for the play-offs |
Champions by virtue of head-to-head record*
Playoffs
Quarter-finals
| Guildford Pumas | 90–79 | Mid-Sussex Magic |
Semi-finals
Final
Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham Bullets II | 26 | 22 | 4 | 0.846 | 44 |
| 2 | Taunton Tigers | 26 | 21 | 5 | 0.808 | 42 |
| 3 | City of Manchester Attitude | 26 | 18 | 8 | 0.693 | 36 |
| 4 | Reading Rockets | 26 | 17 | 9 | 0.654 | 34 |
| 5 | Liverpool Atac | 26 | 16 | 10 | 0.615 | 32 |
| 6 | Chessington Wildcats | 26 | 16 | 10 | 0.615 | 32 |
| 7 | Northampton 89ers | 26 | 15 | 11 | 0.577 | 30 |
| 8 | Wandsworth Bulls | 26 | 12 | 14 | 0.463 | 24 |
| 9 | Flintshire Flyers | 26 | 12 | 14 | 0.463 | 24 |
| 10 | Slough Chargers | 26 | 8 | 18 | 0.308 | 16 |
| 11 | Swindon Sonics | 26 | 7 | 19 | 0.269 | 14 |
| 12 | Bournemouth Dolphins | 26 | 7 | 19 | 0.269 | 14 |
| 13 | Portsmouth Pirates | 26 | 5 | 21 | 0.192 | 10 |
| 14 | Thames Valley Tigers II | 26 | 5 | 21 | 0.192 | 10 |
| = League winners | |
| = Qualified for the play-offs |
Playoffs
Quarter-finals
| Birmingham Bullets B | 89–73 | Wandsworth Bulls |
| Taunton Tigers | 100–80 | Northampton 89ers |
| Manchester Attitude | 90–72 | Chessington Wildcats |
| Reading Rockets | 79–91 | Liverpool Atac |
Semi-finals
| Taunton Tigers | 80–59 | Manchester Attitude |
| Birmingham Bullets B | 76–71 | Liverpool Atac |
Final
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Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston upon Hull Icebergs | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0.900 | 36 |
| 2 | North London Lords | 20 | 17 | 3 | 0.850 | 34 |
| 3 | NW London Wolverines | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0.600 | 24 |
| 4 | Barking & Dag. Erkenwald | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0.600 | 24 |
| 5 | Mansfield Express | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0.550 | 22 |
| 6 | Ware Fire | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0.550 | 22 |
| 7 | Derbyshire Arrows | 20 | 9 | 11 | 0.450 | 18 |
| 8 | Cambridge | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0.400 | 16 |
| 9 | Stoke Stealers | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0.300 | 12 |
| 10 | Sutton | 20 | 4 | 16 | 0.200 | 8 |
| 11 | Doncaster Eagles | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0.100 | 4 |
| = League winners | |
| = Qualified for the play-offs |
Playoffs
Quarter-finals
| NW London Wolverines | 85–64 | Ware Fire |
| North London Lords | 82–71 | Derbyshire Arrows |
| Hull Icebergs | 80–72 | Cambridge |
| Barking & Dagenham Erkenwald | 85–76 | Mansfield Express |
Semi-finals
| Hull Icebergs | 90–88 | Barking & Dagenham Erkenwald |
| North London Lords | 96–90 | NW London Wolverines |
Final
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Last 16
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Teesside Mohawks | Sheffield Sharks | 83-91 |
| Derby Storm | Worthing Bears | 103-82 |
| Manchester Giants | Edinburgh Rocks | 90-70 |
| Thames Valley Tigers | London Towers | 95-83 |
| Plymouth Raiders | Greater London Leopards | 68-100 |
| Stevenage Rebels | Birmingham Bullets | 63-106 |
| Leicester Riders | Chester Jets | 89-92 |
| Newcastle Eagles | Milton Keynes Lions | 77-69 |
Quarter-finals
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Sharks | Derby Storm | 87-76 |
| Manchester Giants | Thames Valley Tigers | 87-100 |
| Greater London Leopards | Birmingham Bullets | 90-88 |
| Chester Jets | Newcastle Eagles | 72-93 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Sharks | Thames Valley Tigers | 78-66 |
| Greater London Leopards | Newcastle Eagles | 98-95 OT |
Final
10 January 1999[15] |
| Sheffield Sharks | 67–65 | Greater London Leopards |
| Pts: Terrell Myers (MVP) 29, Travis Conlan 16, Todd Cauthorn, Wilbur Johnson, Ian McKinney | Pts: Tim Moore 25, Rashod Johnson 15, Robert Youngblood 15, Eric Burks, Stedroy Baker |
Group stage
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Sheffield Sharks | 12 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0.857 |
| 2.Derby Storm | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
| 3.Manchester Giants | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.714 |
| 4.Chester Jets | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0.571 |
| 5.Leicester Riders | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0.571 |
| 6.Milton Keynes Lions | 2 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0.142 |
| 7.Worthing Bears | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 |
Group A
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.London Towers | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2.Birmingham Bullets | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.750 |
| 3.Newcastle Eagles | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.500 |
| 4.Greater London Leopards | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.250 |
| 5.Edinburgh Rocks | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 |
Group B
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Derby Storm vs. Leicester Riders
Sheffield Sharks vs. Manchester Giants
Final
March 13, 1999 7.00pm GMT |
| Manchester Giants | 90–69 | Derby Storm |
| Pts: Tony Dorsey 28, Ronnie Baker (MVP) 21, John White 16, Makeba Perry 11 | Pts: Joel Burns 20, Nate Reinking 16, Maurice Robinson 14, Martin Ford, John Tresvant |
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham Attendance: 6,500 Giants coach Nick Nurse Storm coach Bob Donewald, Jr. |
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February 27, 1999 7.05pm GMT |
| Northern All-Stars | 156–158 | Southern All-Stars |
| Pts: Ted Berry, 29 | Pts: Malcolm Leak/Jason Siemon, 24 |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Category | Player | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game |  John White (Manchester Giants) | 26.09 |
| Rebounds per game | Rico Alderson (Derby Storm) | 11.84 |
| Assists per game | Prentice McGruder (Chester Jets) | 8.38 |
| Steals per game | Casey Arena (Thames Valley Tigers) | 3.34 |
| Blocks per game | James Doyle (Leicester Riders) | 2.56 |
- Most Valuable Player: Terrell Myers (Sheffield Sharks)
- Coach of the Year: Chris Finch (Sheffield Sharks)
- All-Star First Team:
- Terrell Myers (Sheffield Sharks)
- John White (Manchester Giants)
- Tony Dorsey (Manchester Giants)
- John McCord (Thames Valley Tigers)
- Nigel Lloyd (Birmingham Bullets)
- All-Star Second Team:
- Tim Moore (Greater London Leopards)
- Travis Conlan (Sheffield Sharks)
- Ralph Blalock (Newcastle Eagles)
- Casey Arena (Thames Valley Tigers)
- Danny Lewis (London Towers)
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