Cheshire Phoenix

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Cheshire Phoenix
Cheshire Phoenix logo
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 Vacant
Website CheshirePhoenix.com
Uniforms
Kit body.png
Home jersey
Kit shorts.png
Team colours
Home
Kit body.png
Away jersey
Kit shorts.png
Team colours
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 Under previous ownership, the team was known as Cheshire Jets, but due to financial difficulties the franchise was withdrawn from the League in November 2012 and was replaced by the Phoenix.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, whose tenure came to an end in May 2016.

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
1986–1987 NBL 2 10th 18 1 17 2 .056 DNQ DNQ 1st Round
1987–1988 NBL 1 7th 18 7 11 14 .389 DNQ DNQ 2nd Round
Cheshire Jets
1988–1989 NBL 1 8th 20 6 14 12 .300 DNQ DNQ 2nd Round
1989–1990 NBL 1 6th 22 10 12 20 .455 Quarter-final DNQ 1st Round
1990–1991 NBL 1 1st 22 17 5 34 .773 Quarter-final DNQ Quarter-final
1991–1992 BBL 11th 30 2 28 4 .067 DNQ 1st Round 3rd Round
1992–1993 BBL 10th 33 10 23 20 .303 DNQ 1st Round Quarter-final
Chester Jets
1993–1994 BBL 11th 36 11 25 22 .306 DNQ 1st Round Quarter-final
1994–1995 BBL 12th 36 6 30 12 .167 DNQ 1st Round Quarter-final
1995–1996 BBL 12th 36 8 28 16 .222 DNQ Quarter-final 4th Round
1996–1997 BBL 5th 36 24 12 48 .667 Semi-final Runner-up 4th Round
1997–1998 BBL 10th 36 15 21 30 .417 DNQ 1st Round 4th Round
1998–1999 BBL 11th 36 10 26 20 .278 DNQ Quarter-final Quarter-final
1999–2000 BBL N 4th 36 17 19 34 .472 Quarter-final Quarter-final 1st Round
2000–2001 BBL N 2nd 36 25 11 50 .694 Quarter-final Winners 1st Round
2001–2002 BBL N 1st 32 24 8 48 .750 Winners Winners Winners
2002–2003 BBL 3rd 40 28 12 56 .700 Quarter-final Winners Runner-up
2003–2004 BBL 5th 36 22 14 44 .611 Runner-up Winners 1st Round
2004–2005 BBL 1st 40 32 8 64 .800 Runner-up Semi-final Semi-final
2005–2006 BBL 7th 40 17 23 34 .425 Quarter-final 1st Round Semi-final
2006–2007 BBL 9th 36 10 26 20 .278 DNQ Quarter-final 1st Round
Cheshire Jets
2007–2008 BBL 11th 33 9 24 18 .273 DNQ Semi-final Quarter-final
2008–2009 BBL 8th 33 15 18 30 .455 Quarter-final 1st Round Quarter-final
2009–2010 BBL 4th 36 22 14 44 .611 Quarter-final Runner-up Runner-up
2010–2011 BBL 4th 33 20 13 40 .606 Semi-final 1st Round Semi-final
2011–2012 BBL 6th 30 13 17 26 .433 Semi-final 1st Round Quarter-final
Cheshire Phoenix
2012–2013 BBL 11th 33 10 23 20 .303 DNQ Semi-final 1st Round
2013–2014 BBL 5th 33 18 15 36 .545 Quarter-final Semi-final 1st Round
2014–2015 BBL 4th 36 26 10 52 .722 Semi-final 1st Round Quarter-final
2015–2016 BBL 7th 33 16 17 32 .485 Semi-final Quarter-final Semi-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.

  • DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify
  • TBC denotes To Be Completed
  • (*)Current season

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, 2009–10 2

Cup

  • National Cup Winners: 2001–02 1
  • National Cup Runners Up: 2000–01, 2009–10 2

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.
F 0 United States Kinu Rochford 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
G 1 United States Akeem Ellis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 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)
F 22 United Kingdom Pyke, Matthew 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
PF 24 United Kingdom Daniel Huffor 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
PG 25 United States Quincy Taylor 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • United Kingdom James Brice
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Updated: 22 May 2016

Notable former players

To appear in this section a player must have either:
  • Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
  • Played at least one official international match for his senior national team or one NBA game at any time.

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3

Retired numbers

  • 11 Dave Gardner, C, 1990–1995, 1997–1998 & 1999–2003

See also

References

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External links

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