1997–98 British Basketball League season

The 1997–1998 BBL season was known as the Budweiser League for sponsorship reasons. The league featured the same 13 teams as the previous year, playing 36 games each. The only change saw the Hemel Royals renamed the Watford Royals.

1997–98 British Basketball League season
LeagueBritish Basketball League
SportBasketball
Roll of Honour
BBL championsGreater London Leopards
Play Off's championsBirmingham Bullets
National Cup championsThames Valley Tigers
BBL Trophy championsSheffield Sharks

Greater London Leopards clinched their second successive Budweiser League title only by virtue of an overtime win in their final game of the season against Sheffield Sharks. Leopards' 102–106 victory in Sheffield meant they finished level on points with title-rivals Birmingham Bullets, but were crowned Champions due to a better head-to-head record over the Midlands team. Birmingham gained some consolation by taking their second Play-off Championship in three years at Wembley Arena, beating off a tough challenge from Thames Valley Tigers, winning 78–75. The Thames Valley Tigers won the National Cup and the Sheffield claimed their first uni-ball Trophy with an 82–79 win over London Towers at the National Exhibition Centre.

London Towers represented the Budweiser League in European competition, participating in the EuroCup.

Notable occurrences
  • Greater London Leopards won the League title in the final game of the season on April 5, 1998, with a 102–106 overtime victory at Sheffield Sharks. Regulation time ended on 90–90, but Leopards' Eric Burks sunk 9 of their 16 overtime points to win the title for the second successive season.[1]

Budweiser League Championship (Tier 1)

Final standings
PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1Greater London Leopards 362970.80658
2Birmingham Bullets 362970.80658
3Newcastle Eagles 3625110.69450
4Sheffield Sharks 3625110.69450
5Thames Valley Tigers 3624120.66748
6London Towers 3623130.63846
7Derby Storm 3616200.44432
8Manchester Giants 3615210.41630
9Leicester Riders 3615210.41630
10Chester Jets 3615210.41630
11Crystal Palace 368280.22216
12Worthing Bears 367290.19414
13Watford Royals 363330.0836
= League winners
= Qualified for the Play-offs

The Play-offs

Quarter-finals

(1) Greater London Leopards vs. (8) Manchester Giants

April 14, 1998
Manchester Giants 86–93 Greater London Leopards
April 16, 1998
Greater London Leopards 98–107 Manchester Giants
April 19, 1998
Greater London Leopards 81–90 Manchester Giants
Manchester wins series, 2–1

(2) Birmingham Bullets vs. (7) Derby Storm

April 11, 1998
Derby Storm 79–111 Birmingham Bullets
April 14, 1998
Birmingham Bullets 84–86 (OT) Derby Storm
April 19, 1998
Birmingham Bullets 96–81 Derby Storm
Birmingham wins series, 2–1

(3) Newcastle Eagles vs. (6) London Towers

April 12, 1998
London Towers 68–63 Newcastle Eagles
April 14, 1998
Newcastle Eagles 73–50 London Towers
April 19, 1998
Newcastle Eagles 85–87 London Towers
London wins series, 2–1

(4) Sheffield Sharks vs. (5) Thames Valley Tigers

April 11, 1998
Thames Valley Tigers 84–83 Sheffield Sharks
April 14, 1998
Sheffield Sharks 75–97 Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley wins series, 2–0

Semi-finals
May 2, 1998
Birmingham Bullets 90–80 Manchester Giants
May 2, 1998
Thames Valley Tigers 78–71 London Towers

Third-place game
May 3, 1998
Manchester Giants 87–82 London Towers

Final
May 3, 1998
Birmingham Bullets 78–75 Thames Valley Tigers
Pts: Tony Dorsey (MVP) 28, Reggie Kirk 18, Nigel Lloyd 16, HL Coleman, Fab Flournoy
Rebs: Lloyd 9		 Pts: John McCord 24, Dameon Page 19, Tony Holley 13, Casey Arena, Jason Siemon, Adrian Cummings
Rebs: Holley 13
Wembley Arena, London
Attendance: ?
Bullets coach Mike Finger
Tigers coach Paul James

National League Division 1 (Tier 2)

Final standings
PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1Richmond Jaguars 222020.95840
2Plymouth Raiders 221930.86438
3Stevenage Rebels 221660.72732
4Teesside Mohawks 221480.63628
5Solihull Chiefs 221390.59226
6Coventry Crusaders 221390.59226
7Guildford Pumas 2210120.45520
8Oxford Devils 229130.40918
9Westminster Warriors 226160.27312
10Cardiff Phoenix 224180.1828
11Mid-Sussex Magic 224180.1828
12Brixton TopCats 224180.1828
= League winners
= Qualified for the Play-offs

Play Off Final – Richmond 82 Plymouth 67

National League Division 2 (Tier 3)

Final standings
PosTeamPldWL%Pts
1Solent Stars 242310.96246
2Cardiff Clippers 242040.83340
3London Towers II 241950.79338
4South Bank University Bulls 2414100.58328
5Bournemouth Dolphins 2414100.58328
6Wolverhampton 2412120.50024
7Flintshire Flyers 2411130.45822
8Northampton 89ers 2410140.41720
9Slough Chargers 249150.37518
10Liverpool Atac 249150.37518
11Swindon Sonics 249150.37518
12Chessington Wildcats 245190.20810
13Thames Valley Tigers II 241230.0422
= League winners
= Qualified for the Play-offs

Play Off Final – Solent 70 London Towers 68

Sainsbury's Classic Cola National Cup

Fourth Round
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Worthing BearsCrystal Palace106-102
Coventry CrusadersThames Valley Tigers67-91
Stevenage RebelsManchester Giants60-93
Leicester RidersNewcastle Eagles94-76
LeopardsDerby Storm99-90
Sheffield SharksWatford Royals85-70
Plymouth RaidersLondon Towers77-99
Chester JetsBirmingham Bullets

Quarter Finals
Team 1 Team 2 Score
Sheffield SharksLeicester Riders66-69
London TowersManchester Giants75-67
Birmingham BulletsWorthing Bears111-80
Thames Valley TigersLeopards97-89

Semi Finals
Team 1 Team 2 1st Leg 2nd Leg
Thames Valley TigersBirmingham Bullets63-5563-70
London TowersLeicester Riders76-7484-90

Final
17 January 1998[2]
Thames Valley Tigers 82–78 Leicester Riders
Pts: John McCord 27, Dameon Page 18, Casey Arena 14, Jason Siemon 14, Tony Holley Pts: Billy Singleton 24, Gene Waldron 21, JaRon Boone 12, James Havrilla, Geno Ford
Sheffield Arena
Attendance: ?
Tigers coach Paul James
Riders coach Bob Donewald

uni-ball Trophy

Group stage

Northern Group

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1.Newcastle Eagles 65320.600
2.Leicester Riders 65320.600
3.Manchester Giants 65320.600
4.Sheffield Sharks 45230.400
5.Chester Jets 45230.400
6.Derby Storm 45230.400

Southern Group

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1.Gtr. London Leopards 105501.000
2.Thames Valley Tigers 65320.600
3.Birmingham Bullets 65320.600
4.Watford Royals 45230.400
5.Crystal Palace 45230.400
6.Worthing Bears 05050.000

Sheffield finished ahead of Chester and Derby by having the best record in matches between the three teams and qualify as fourth-placed finishers with the best record ahead of Watford on basket difference. London Towers received a bye into Quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals

Greater London Leopards vs. Thames Valley Tigers

January 14, 1998
Greater London Leopards 83–79 Thames Valley Tigers
January 21, 1998
Thames Valley Tigers 87–95 Greater London Leopards
Greater London wins on aggregate, 178–166

London Towers vs. Manchester Giants

January 14, 1998
London Towers 90–69 Manchester Giants
January 21, 1998
Manchester Giants 69–69 London Towers
London wins on aggregate, 159–138

Newcastle Eagles vs. Birmingham Bullets

January 13, 1998
Newcastle Eagles 70–66 Birmingham Bullets
January 24, 1998
Birmingham Bullets 86–95 Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle wins on aggregate, 165–152

Sheffield Sharks vs. Leicester Riders

January 13, 1998
Sheffield Sharks 97–94 Leicester Riders
January 21, 1998
Leicester Riders 83–99 Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield wins on aggregate, 196–177

Semi-finals

London Towers vs. Newcastle Eagles

February 3, 1998
London Towers 92–74 Newcastle Eagles
February 13, 1998
Newcastle Eagles 89–89 London Towers
London wins on aggregate, 181–163

Sheffield Sharks vs. Greater London Leopards

February 4, 1998
Sheffield Sharks 103–85 Greater London Leopards
February 12, 1998
Greater London Leopards 90–82 Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield wins on aggregate, 185–175

Final
March 8, 1998
Sheffield Sharks 82–79 London Towers
Pts: John Amaechi (MVP) 40, Terrell Myers, Mark Robinson, Wilbur Johnson
Rebs: John Amaechi, 16		 Pts: Danny Lewis 23, Keith Robinson, James Hamilton, Neville Austin, Marco Baldi, Tamir Berkovitch
Rebs: Keith Robinson, 13
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham
Attendance: ?
Sharks coach Chris Finch
Towers coach Kevin Cadle

Dairylea Dunkers All-Star Game
March 22, 1998
7.05pm GMT
Northern All-Stars 168–175 Southern All-Stars
Pts: Leon McGee, 25 Pts: John White, 32

Statistics leaders
CategoryPlayerStat
Points per game Tony Dorsey (Birmingham Bullets)26.09
Rebounds per game Makeba Perry (Greater London Leopards)11.81
Assists per game Cleave Lewis (Watford Royals)5.78
Steals per game Casey Arena (Thames Valley Tigers)3.11
Blocks per game Brendan Graves (Derby Storm)2.77

Seasonal awards

References
  1. Mark Woods (1998). "Leopards are the Champions". BritBall. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  2. ""For the Record." Times [London, England] 19 Jan. 1998". The Times Digital Archive.
Preceded by
1996–97 season		 BBL seasons
1997–98		 Succeeded by
1998–99 season
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