1987–88 British Basketball League season

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1987–88 BBL season
LeagueBritish Basketball League
SportBasketball
Number of teams15
Roll of Honour
BBL championsPortsmouth
Play-off's championsLivingston
National Cup championsKingston
BBL Trophy championsLivingston
British Basketball League seasons

The 1987–88 BBL season was the first season of the British Basketball League (known as the Carlsberg League for sponsorship reasons), a breakaway competition formed by teams from the English National League and the Scottish National League. The season featured a total of 15 teams, playing 28 games each.

Portsmouth, reigning champions of the English League claimed the regular season title with a dominating campaign led by the likes of Alan Cunningham and Colin Irish. They weren't able to repeat their success in the post-season play-off's as third-seed Livingston, the reigning Scottish champions, caused a huge upset with an 81–72 win over Portsmouth in the final.[1] Kingston won their fourth consecutive National Cup and Livingston claimed the inaugural BBL Trophy.

In the National League (the tier below the Carlsberg League) the Worthing Bears won the league with a 100% (18–0) record and in the play-off semi-final Billy Hungrecker scored a record 73 points in a 119–110 overtime win over Plymouth Raiders, before defeating Brixton TopCats in the final.

Carlsberg League (Tier 1)[edit]

Final standings[edit]

Pos Team Pld W L % PF PA Pts
1 Portsmouth F.C. 28 26 2 0.928 2677 2189 52
2 Kingston 28 24 4 0.857 2931 2475 48
3 Livingston 28 22 6 0.785 2762 2299 44
4 Manchester United 28 21 7 0.750 2718 2345 42
5 Calderdale Explorers 28 20 8 0.714 2694 2256 40
6 Bracknell Tigers 28 17 11 0.607 2623 2435 34
7 Birmingham Bullets 28 14 14 0.500 2638 2757 28
8 Solent Stars 28 14 14 0.500 2638 2757 28
9 Leicester City Riders 28 14 14 0.500 2780 2678 28
10 Bolton & Bury Giants 28 12 16 0.428 2460 2485 24
11 Hemel & Watford Royals 28 9 19 0.321 2647 2893 18
12 Sunderland 76ers 28 8 20 0.285 2588 2905 16
13 Derby Rams 28 4 24 0.142 2062 2640 8
14 Oldham Celtics 28 3 25 0.107 2435 3040 6
15 Crystal Palace 28 2 26 0.071 2281 2981 4
= League winners
= Qualified for the play-offs

Carlsberg League playoffs[edit]

Playoffs[edit]

Quarter-finals[edit]

(1) Portsmouth vs. (8) Solent Stars

Solent Stars 103–113 Portsmouth
Portsmouth win series, 2–0

(2) Kingston vs. (7) Birmingham Bullets

Kingston 114–102 Birmingham Bullets
Kingston win series, 2–0

(3) Livingston vs. (6) Bracknell Tigers

Livingston 92–67 Bracknell Tigers
Livingston win series, 2–1

(4) Manchester United vs. (5) Calderdale Explorers

Manchester United 83–73 Calderdale Explorers
Manchester win series, 2–0

Semi-finals[edit]

9 April 1988
Portsmouth 98–90 Manchester United
9 April 1988
Kingston 88–101 Livingston

Final[edit]

10 April 1988[2]
Murray International Metals Livingston 81–72 Portsmouth
Pts: Graeme Hill (MVP) 23, Rolton Way 23, Tommy Collier 12, Lewis Young 11 Pts: Colin Irish 28, Alan Cunningham 18, Rich Strong 12
Wembley Arena
Attendance: ?
Livingston Coach Jody Gardner
Portsmouth Coach Dan Lloyd

National League (Tier 2)[edit]

Final standings[edit]

Pos Team Pld W L % Pts
1 Worthing Bears 18 18 0 1.000 36
2 Brixton Topcats 18 14 4 0.778 28
3 Tower Hamlets 18 12 6 0.667 24
4 Plymouth Raiders 18 12 6 0.667 24
5 Gateshead 18 11 7 0.611 22
6 Aberdare 18 9 9 0.500 18
7 Ellesmere Port Jets 18 7 11 0.389 14
8 Market Harborough 18 3 15 0.167 6
9 Cardiff 18 2 16 0.111 4
10 Stevenage 18 2 16 0.111 4
= League winners

Prudential National Cup[edit]

Second round[edit]

Leicester City Riders 105–73 IIIE Gateshead
Calderdale Explorers 95–78 Oldham Celtics
North London College 70–137 Polycell Kingston

Quarter-finals[edit]

Polycell Kingston 108–100 Alphaprint H. Hempstead Watford Royals
Sharp Manchester United 83–80 Calderdale Explorers
Leicester City Riders 104–93 Drapers Tools Solent Stars
Portsmouth 98–88 Sunderlands 76ers

Semi-finals[edit]

Polycell Kingston 109–91 Leicester City Riders
Portsmouth 107–90 Sharp Manchester United

Final[edit]

14 December 1987[3]
Kingston 90–84 Portsmouth
Pts: Martin Clark 31, Joel Moore 25, Danny Davis 11, Steve Bontrager 11 Pts: Alan Cunningham 32, Mike Spaid 14, Karl Tatham 11, Rich Strong 10, Marc Glass 10, Colin Irish 2
Royal Albert Hall, London
Attendance: 5,000
Kingston Coach Kevin Cadle
Portsmouth Coach Dan Lloyd

NatWest Trophy[edit]

Group stage[edit]

North Group 1

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1. Calderdale Explorers 10 6 5 1 0.833
2. Manchester United 10 6 5 1 0.833
3. Bolton & Bury Giants 4 6 2 4 0.333
4. Oldham Celtics 0 6 0 6 0.000

North Group 2

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1. Livingston 12 6 6 0 1.000
2. Leicester City Riders 6 6 3 3 0.500
3. Sunderland 76ers 6 6 3 3 0.500
4. Derby Rams 0 6 0 6 0.000

South Group 1

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1. Kingston 12 6 6 0 1.000
2. Hemel & Watford Royals 4 6 2 4 0.333
3. Crystal Palace 4 6 2 4 0.333
4. Birmingham Bullets 4 6 2 4 0.333

South Group 2

Team Pts Pld W L Percent
1. Portsmouth 8 4 4 0 1.000
2. Bracknell Tigers 4 4 2 2 0.500
3. Solent Stars 0 4 0 4 0.000

Semi-finals[edit]

Calderdale Explorers vs. Livingston

Livingston 90–67 Calderdale Explorers
Livingston win on aggregate, 158–142

Kingston vs. Portsmouth

Kingston 80–74 Portsmouth
Portsmouth win on aggregate, 168–167

Final[edit]

30 March 1988
Livingston 96–91 Portsmouth
Pts: Rolton Way 35, Tommy Collier 19, Lewis Young 17 Pts: Alan Cunningham 32, Marc Glass 25, Colin Irish 24
Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham
Attendance: 2,000
Livingston Coach Jody Gardner
Portsmouth Coach Dan Lloyd

Seasonal awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ BBL Media Guide 2003/04, page 15
  2. ^ "Nicholas Harling. "Gardner is off to the quiet life." Times [London, England] 12 Apr. 1988". The Times.
  3. ^ "Nicholas Harling. "Kingston's cup with four in a row record." Times [London, England] 15 Dec. 1987". The Times.
Preceded by BBL seasons
1987–88 		Succeeded by
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