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East Coast Basketball League

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East Coast Basketball League (ECBL)
SportBasketball
FoundedJune 2014
First season2015
No. of teams21
CountryUnited States
ContinentFIBA Americas (Americas)
Most recent
champion(s)
Carolina Thunder (South)
Hartford Shockers (Mid Atlantic)
(2023)
Most titlesSix (PrimeTime Players)
Official websiteEastCoastBasketballLeague.org

East Coast Basketball League (ECBL) is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in March 2015. The league is centered in the Carolinas with teams also in Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

History

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Five teams (Carolina Gladiators, Fayetteville Crossover, PrimeTime Players, Queen City Express, South Carolina All-Stars)[1] in the ECBL previously played in the Tobacco Road Basketball League. The teams broke away from the TRBL due to changes in the league format.[2]

On August 16, 2014, the ECBL announced the addition of the Fort Gordon Eagles. A military team, the Eagles also compete in the Southeast Military Athletics Conference (SEMAC) from October to February.

Former American Basketball Association team Savannah Storm were admitted to enter the ECBL for Season 1. They would be joined by Columbia Crusaders, Gastonia Crowns and High Point Hawks to round out the 10-team circuit.

The first-ever ECBL Championship was won by PrimeTime Players, 130–113 over the Fayetteville Crossover. The final was played on June 27, 2015, in Fort Mill, South Carolina and streamed live online. Former Catawba College forward Donald Rutherford[3] scored 34 points while grabbing 16 rebounds for PrimeTime and was named game MVP.

Four new teams joined the ECBL for the 2016 season: expansion teams Carolina MPact, Petersburg Revolution, RDU Raptors and Winston-Salem Certified (formerly of the TRBL).

Expansion into Charlotte was announced on April 8, 2016, with the addition of Charlotte Golden Bulls.[4]

At the August 2016 AGM, league board of directors unanimously accepted the expansion application of the Florence Wildcats for 2017.[5] Two teams also announced name changes: Peterburg Cavaliers (formerly Revolution) and North Carolina Coyotes (formerly RDU Raptors).

League owners approved the expansion application of the Carolina Thunder for 2017. The Thunder began as a travel team playing a league schedule on the road. A second travel team, Hickory Hoyas, were added to the schedule before the season opener.

Prior to the 2021 season the league added seven teams to form the new Mid-Atlantic Conference. Teams included Fredericksburg Grizzlies, Hub City Hogs, Philly Cannons, Philly Raiders, Plaistow Shockers, Red Rose Thunder and Western Mass Zombies.

Teams

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Mid-Atlantic Conference City Arena Founded First ECBL

season

Hartford Shockers Hartford, Connecticut East Catholic High School 2019 2021
Philly Raiders Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Germantown Academy 2019 2021
Northern Conference City Arena Founded First ECBL

season

Carolina Chosen Lions Rocky Mount, North Carolina Rocky Mount Prep 2018 2019
Fayetteville Panthers Fayetteville, North Carolina Highland Presbyterian Church Rec Center 2018 2019
Hickory Hoyas Hickory, North Carolina Newton Conover Middle School 2016 2017
North Carolina Capitals Raleigh, North Carolina Garner Road Community Center 2020 2021
Petersburg Cavaliers Petersburg, Virginia Richard Bland College 2015 2016
Rowan County Bulls Cleveland, North Carolina Fifteen Sports Athletic Center 2017 2018
Winston-Salem Wolves Winston-Salem, North Carolina Forsyth Country Day Childress Center 2018 2019
Southern Conference City Arena Founded First ECBL

season

Carolina Crusaders Columbia, South Carolina Glenforest School 2014 2015
Carolina Thunder Hartsville, South Carolina Coach D.B. Thomas Sports Center 2015 2017
Charlotte Tribe Charlotte, North Carolina Mountain Island Fitness 2017 2018
Garden City Magic Augusta, Georgia Episcopal Day School 2019 2021
Gastonia Snipers Gastonia, North Carolina Fort Mill Community Center 2018 2019
PrimeTime Players Fort Mill, South Carolina Legion Collegiate Academy 1991 2015
South Carolina Upstate Redhawks Greenville, South Carolina Greenville First Baptist 2014 2015

Former teams

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  • Augusta Eagles (2015–20)
  • Carolina Gladiators (2015)
  • Carolina Kings (2017)
  • Carolina MPact (2016)
  • Carolina Showtime (2017; 2020)
  • Charlotte Golden Bulls (2017)
  • C-Port Trojans (2015–18)
  • East Carolina Cardinals (2018–19)
  • Fayetteville Crossover (2015–16)
  • Fredericksburg Grizzlies (2021)
  • Gastonia Crowns (2015)
  • Georgia Fire (2020–21)
  • Hickory Hoyas (2017–19; 2020–present) - Suspended from league in 2019 after four games. Returned in 2020.
  • High Point Hawks (2015–17)
  • Philly Cannons (2021)
  • Queen City Express (2015)
  • South Carolina All Stars (2015–18)
  • Winston-Salem Certified (2016–18)
  • Kannapolis Lycans (2020–22)
  • North Carolina Coyotes (2017–22)
  • Lehigh Valley Flight (2022)
  • Coastal Elite Pirates (2021–23)
  • Bishopville Devils (2022–23)
  • Hampton Roads Warriors (2017–20,2023)
  • Florence Wildcats (2017–23)
  • Western Mass Zombies (2021–23)
  • Hub City Hogs (2021–23)
  • Red Rose Thunder (2021–23)
  • Nova Bulls (2022–23)

Champions

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Season Champion Runner-up Result
2015 PrimeTime Players Fayetteville Crossover 130-113[6][7]
2016 PrimeTime Players Fayetteville Crossover 119-100
2017 PrimeTime Players Carolina Thunder 123-105
2018 PrimeTime Players Hickory Hoyas 134-118
2019 PrimeTime Players Winston-Salem Wolves 103-99
2020 none (season suspended due to COVID-19) --- ---
2021: South

2021: Mid-Atlantic

PrimeTime Players

Western Mass Zombies

North Carolina Coyotes

Hub City Hogs

130-128

122-117 (OT)

2022: South

2022: Mid-Atlantic

Petersburg Cavaliers

Hartford Shockers

Carolina Crusaders

Hub City Hogs

134-124

125-114

|- |2023: South 2023: Mid-Atlantic |Carolina Thunder Hartford Shockers |Petersburg Cavaliers The DC Heat |126-102 134-120 |}

ECBL Super Cup

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Winners of the ECBL Mid-Atlantic and ECBL South.

ECBL Super Cup
Year Winner Runner-up Result Location
2021 PrimeTime Players Western Mass Zombies 133-129[8] Combine Academy, Lincolnton, North Carolina
2022 Hartford Shockers Petersburg Cavaliers 130-110 Hartford, CT

References

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  1. ^ "New East Coast Basketball League Created In Aftermath of Significant TRBL Changes". USBasket. July 23, 2014.
  2. ^ "East Coast Basketball League to Begin Play in 2015". ECBL. July 4, 2014. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.
  3. ^ "Four Recieve [sic] Post-Season All-SAC Honors in Men's Basketball". Catawba College Athletics. March 5, 2010. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011.
  4. ^ "ECBL Add Charlotte Golden Bulls For 2017". USbasket. April 8, 2016.
  5. ^ "Florence Wildcats Newest Addition To ECBL". USbasket. August 25, 2016.
  6. ^ "PrimeTime Players Win Inaugural ECBL Title". USBasket. July 2, 2015.
  7. ^ "It's PrimeTime for hoops in Fort Mill". The Herald. April 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "Bracey, Booker lead PrimeTime Players to Super Cup victory". USBasket. June 27, 2021. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021.
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