Cheshire Phoenix

Cheshire Phoenix
League British Basketball League
Established 1984
History Ellesmere Port Jets
1984–1988
Chester Jets
1988–2007
Cheshire Jets
2007–2012
Cheshire Phoenix
2012–present
Arena Cheshire Oaks Arena
(Capacity: 1,400)
Location Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Team colours Blue and White
         
Head coach United Kingdom John Lavery
Website CheshirePhoenix.co.uk
Uniforms
Home
Away

The Cheshire Phoenix is a professional basketball team based in Ellesmere Port, United Kingdom. Founded in 1984, they are members of the British Basketball League and play their home games at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village. Under previous ownership, the team was known as Cheshire Jets, but due to financial difficulties the franchise was withdrawn from the League in November 2012 and was replaced by the Phoenix. From 1993 until 2015 the team was based in Chester, where they enjoyed their most success.

At the end of the 2014-2015 season, John Coffino left the team and was replaced by John Lavery.

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.

The Jets were admitted to NBL Division 2 in 1986 and 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 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.

Trans-Atlantic recruitment by coach and co-owner Mike Burton resulted in a team which finished fifth in the League table in 1997. Subsequent seasons have seen their 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.

On 7 April 2007, prior to the Jets' season finale at home to Guildford Heat, an 81–102 defeat, club owner and head coach Mike Burton announced that he would be retiring from the franchise at the end of the 2006–07 season. Burton's announcement, after 19 years at the helm, raised serious doubts of the clubs' future,[1] with mounting debts and lack of financial backing. Shortly after the announcement, fans formed a committee to help save the club and received the backing of players including former Jet James Hamilton.[2] 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 BiG Storage Cheshire Jets to cover the wider demographic of Cheshire county in line with BiG Storage's market coverage. When BiG Storage terminated the sponsorship, the managing director of the company arranged a successor sponsor; Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The club was plunged into chaos in November 2012 when, after only 7 games into the season, the British Basketball League withdrew the club's franchise from owner Haydn Cook after he notified them that he was going to cancel the players contracts and cancelled all future fixtures.

A statement from the BBL said: "The BBL have withdrawn the Cheshire franchise from its operating company with immediate effect.

"The decision follows an urgent review of the franchise following notification from the club that they were unable to fulfil their fixture this weekend. The BBL is currently exploring a number of options to ensure the continuation of the franchise. It is anticipated there will be a further announcement in the coming days." (Cheshire Chronicle)

The club had until the end of November to find £50,000 to preserve its status in top-flight basketball. Local businesses were found to donate money and become sponsors, thus saving the club and fulfilling its fixture list as planned.

Arena

The Phoenix have secured anchor tenant status at the new Ellesmere Port Sports Leisure and Village which is due to open in 2015 and this will be their new home with a brand new 1400 seat arena.[3]

Home arenas

Ellesmere Port Leisure Centre (1984–1993)
Northgate Arena (1993–2015)
Cheshire Oaks Arena (2015–present)

Season-by-season records

Season Div. Pos. Pld. W L Pts. Win % Play-offs Trophy Cup
Ellesmere Port Jets
1986–1987NBL 210th181172.056DNQDNQ1st Round
1987–1988NBL 17th1871114.389DNQDNQ2nd Round
Cheshire Jets
1988–1989NBL 18th2061412.300DNQDNQ2nd Round
1989–1990NBL 16th22101220.455Quarter-finalDNQ1st Round
1990–1991NBL 11st2217534.773Quarter-finalDNQQuarter-final
1991–1992BBL11th302284.067DNQ1st Round3rd Round
1992–1993BBL10th33102320.303DNQ1st RoundQuarter-final
Chester Jets
1993–1994BBL11th36112522.306DNQ1st RoundQuarter-final
1994–1995BBL12th3663012.167DNQ1st RoundQuarter-final
1995–1996BBL12th3682816.222DNQQuarter-final4th Round
1996–1997BBL5th36241248.667Semi-finalRunner-up4th Round
1997–1998BBL10th36152130.417DNQ1st Round4th Round
1998–1999BBL11th36102620.278DNQQuarter-finalQuarter-final
1999–2000BBL N4th36171934.472Quarter-finalQuarter-final1st Round
2000–2001BBL N2nd36251150.694Quarter-finalWinners1st Round
2001–2002BBL N1st3224848.750WinnersWinnersWinners
2002–2003BBL3rd40281256.700Quarter-finalWinnersRunner-up
2003–2004BBL5th36221444.611Runner-upWinners1st Round
2004–2005BBL1st4032864.800Runner-upSemi-finalSemi-final
2005–2006BBL7th40172334.425Quarter-final1st RoundSemi-final
2006–2007BBL9th36102620.278DNQQuarter-final1st Round
Cheshire Jets
2007–2008BBL11th3392418.273DNQSemi-finalQuarter-final
2008–2009BBL8th33151830.455Quarter-final1st RoundQuarter-final
2009–2010BBL4th36221444.611Quarter-finalRunner-upRunner-up
2010–2011BBL4th33201340.606Semi-final1st RoundSemi-final
2011–2012BBL6th30131726.433Semi-final1st RoundQuarter-final
Cheshire Phoenix
2012–2013BBL11th33102320.303DNQSemi-final1st Round
2013–2014BBL5th33181536.545Quarter-finalSemi-final1st Round
2014–2015BBL4th36261052.722Semi-final1st RoundQuarter-final
2015–2016BBL7th33161732.485TBCQuarter-finalSemi-final

Notes: From 1999 to 2002 the BBL operated a Conference system where Chester Jets competed in the Northern Conference.

Initially, the 2012-2013 season saw the franchise start the campaign as Cheshire Jets, until the franchise changed hands and the club was forced to rebrand. The supporters were given the opportunity to vote for the new club name, where "Cheshire Phoenix" was selected going forward.

Trophies

League

Playoffs

Trophy

Cup

Players

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Cheshire Phoenix roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht.
G 1 United States Akeem Ellis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
G 4 United Kingdom Martyn Gayle 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F 5 United Kingdom Dirkin, Jeff 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
PG 10 United Kingdom Sedale Hanson-Young 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
F 14 United Kingdom Aliu, David 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
C 20 Australia Sturt, Adrien 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
F 21 United States Watt, Demond 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
F 22 United Kingdom Pyke, Matthew 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
G 23 United States Williams, Jordan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
G 25 United States Salisbery, Dustin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
C 45 United Kingdom Sturgess, Paul 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • United Kingdom Mike Burton
  • United Kingdom John Lavery
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured

Roster
Updated: 1st February 2015

Notable former players

To appear in this section a player must have either:

Retired numbers

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richard Taylor (7 April 2007). "Jets' future in doubt after Burton quits". London: The Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2007.
  2. ↑ icChesire (2007). "Let's get on with it, says club legend Hamilton". Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
  3. ↑ Alec Doyle (29 September 2010). "Basketball: Big plans for Cheshire Jets to return to Ellesmere Port". Ellesmere Port: Ellesmere Port Pioneer. Retrieved 29 September 2010.

External links

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