1984–85 National Basketball League season

1984–85 National Basketball League season
League National Basketball League
Sport Basketball
Number of teams 14
Roll of Honour
National League champions Kingston Kings
  National League runners-up Manchester United
Play Off's champions Manchester United
  Play Off's runners-up Kingston Kings
National Cup champions Kingston Kings
  National Cup runners-up Manchester United

The 1984–85 Carlsberg National Basketball League season was the thirteenth season of the National Basketball League formed in 1972.[1]
The league was sponsored by Carlsberg and the Kingston Kings completed a League & Cup double but Manchester United won the newly extended Play Off's.[2]

Team changes

The EBBA increased the first division to fourteen teams which resulted in a 26-match schedule which was warmly welcomed after the 36-match schedule of the previous season. Of the 13 existing teams Brighton switched to Worthing and with new sponsors would be known as the Nissan Worthing Bears and Hemel Hempstead merged with the second division outfit Watford Royals to form Hemel Watford Royals. The new fourteenth team was Telford Turbos who secured a new sponsor called Screen Stars.[3]

It was evident that as the season progressed many clubs had been spending beyond their means in recent years and were duly struggling to balance the books. The Solent Stars applied for voluntary liquidation in December 1984 despite leading the league and terminated the contract of their coach Jim Kelly and leading players to save money.
An extraordinary season continued in January 1985 when just a few days before the National Cup final Manchester United F.C. bought the Warrington & Liverpool club, renaming them for the final and relocating to Stretford.[4] The drama continued as Portsmouth F.C. attempted to takeover Solent Stars before a former Stars player TJ Robinson headed a consortium to save the club. Portsmouth F.C. then bought Telford Turbos (also in liquidation) and moved the team to Portsmouth.

Carlsberg League standings

First Division

Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1Kingcraft Kingston Kings262422930264048
2FSO Cars Liverpool & Warrington/Manchester United +261972330207736
3Cottrills Manchester Giants261882377223536
4Solent Stars261792464230734
5Nissan Worthing Bears261792456232834
6Walkers Crisps Leicester2615112542245430
7Poundstretcher Hemel Watford Royals2615112390226130
8Bracknell Pirates2612142410248524
9Sunderland Maestros2612142378243324
10Blue Nun Crystal Palace Supersonics2610162352244920
11John Carr Doncaster Panthers266202245245112
12Davenports Birmingham26125216625562
13Telford Turbos/Portsmouth +26125242227822
14Home Spare Bolton Bees26125242227822

Team changed name mid-season +

Second Division

Brunel Uxbridge Ducks, Calderdale Explorers, Camden & Hampstead, Team Telecom Colchester, John Eld Derby Turbos, ANC Liverpool, Team Wakefields Nottingham, Glucodin Plymouth Raiders, Sandwell Mail, Swindon Rakers, CAD Tower Hamlets, McEwan Tyneside

Carlsberg playoffs

Quarter-Finals

Team 1 Team 2 Score
Kingston KingsBracknell Pirates2-0
Manchester UnitedHemel Watford Royals2-0
Manchester GiantsLeicester1-2
Solent StarsWorthing Bears1-2

Semi-Finals

venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
March 30, Wembley ArenaManchester UnitedWorthing Bears90-84
March 30, Wembley ArenaKingston KingsLeicester118-112

Third Place

venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
March 31, Wembley ArenaWorthing BearsLeicester99-89

Final

31 March 1985[5]
Manchester United 109–97 Kingston Kings
Pts: Colin Irish 47, Ed Bona 24, Will Brown 14 Pts: Steve Bontrager 28, Johnson 25, Clark 14, Doug Lloyd 12, Davis 10
Wembley Arena
Attendance: 9,000
Manchester Coach Joe Whelton
Kingston Coach Steve Bontrager

Kellogg's National Cup

Second Round

Team 1 Team 2 Score
Swindon RakersSperrings Solent Stars86-117
Cottrills Manchester GiantsSandwell Mail127-81
John Carr Doncaster PanthersTelford Turbos84-81
Crystal Palace SupersonicsCamden93-77
LSO Cars Warrington & LiverpoolMcEwan Tyneside84-70
Glucodin Plymouth RaidersNissan Worthing Bears89-108
Home Spare Bolton BeesWalkers Crisps Leicester105-116
Kingcraft Kingston KingsHemel Hempstead & Watford Royals85-84

Quarter Finals

Team 1 Team 2 Score
LSO Cars Warrington & LiverpoolSperrings Solent Stars
Nissan Worthing BearsJohn Carr Doncaster Panthers78-80
Crystal Palace SupersonicsKingcraft Kingston Kings84-93
Cottrills Manchester GiantsWalkers Crisps Leicester105-98

Semi Finals

Leg Team 1 Team 2 Score
First LegLSO Cars Warrington & LiverpoolJohn Carr Doncaster Panthers82-80
Second LegJohn Carr Doncaster PanthersLSO Cars Warrington & Liverpool78-95
First LegCottrills Manchester GiantsKingcraft Kingston Kings97-98
Second LegKingcraft Kingston KingsCottrills Manchester Giants107-93

Final

Live on Channel 4
06 January 1985[6]
Kingston Kings 103–98 aet Manchester United
Pts: Steve Bontrager 37, Martin Clark 26, Danny Davis 16, Doug Lloyd 12, Andy Innell Pts: Colin Irish 28, Ed Bona 28, Will Brown 17, David Lloyd 14, Kevin Penny
Royal Albert Hall, London
Attendance: ?
Kingston Coach Steve Bontrager
Manchester Coach Joe Whelton

References

  1. ↑ Matthews & Morrison, Peter & Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records & Results. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  2. ↑ "Men's Senior League Winners". Basketball England.
  3. ↑ Nicholas Harling (6 November 1984). "Basketball". The Times. London: The Times Digital Archive.
  4. ↑ Nicholas Harling (4 January 1985). "Basketball". The Times. London: The Times Digital Archive.
  5. ↑ Nicholas Harling (1 April 1985). "Basketball". The Times. London: The Times Digital Archive.
  6. ↑ Nicholas Harling (8 January 1985). "Basketball". The Times. London: The Times Digital Archive.

See also

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