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Livingston (basketball)

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Livingston
LeagueScottish Division 2 (1977–1978)
Scottish Division 1 (1978–1987)
BBL (1987–1989)
Scottish Division 1 (1989–1990)
Established1977
Folded1991
HistoryEdinburgh
1977–1987
Livingston
1987–1991
ArenaMeadowbank Arena
(1977–1987)
Forum Arena
(1987–1990)
LocationLivingston, West Lothian
Team coloursRoyal Blue and White
   
OwnershipDavid Murray

Livingston was a professional basketball team that was based in Livingston, Scotland. The team was founded in 1977, under the name Edinburgh, by steel magnate David Murray, and was backed by a sponsorship from his company, Murray International Metals. Using the name Murray International or MIM Livingston, they went on to be one of the most successful clubs in Scottish basketball history, playing first in Edinburgh, and then later moving to Livingston.

History

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During the height of its success, Livingston were Scottish National League Champions seven times between 1979 and 1987. The club were founder members of the British Basketball League, a professional league established in 1987 by leading clubs from England and Scotland. Playing out of the newly built 3,000-seat Forum Arena, Livingston were successful in their inaugural season and with an 81–72 victory over regular season champions Portsmouth, were winners of the first Carlsberg League Championship Final.

In 1988 Murray acquired Rangers Football Club and inherited plans to form a 'sporting club' as the previous owner had bought Carlsberg League club Kingston for £100,000 and moved them to Glasgow.[1] The Glasgow Rangers basketball team made their first appearance alongside Livingston in the 1988–89 season, becoming the league's second Scottish club. Rangers dominated the campaign, pipping Livingston to the regular season title and then beating them in the final of the Championship Play-offs, winning 89–86. Livingston also finished as runners-up in the NatWest League Trophy, losing 89–81 to Bracknell in the Final.

Despite the success of his two basketball teams, Murray was rumoured to have had a fall out with the basketball authorities in 1989 over a proposal to have both teams playing at The Forum Arena on alternate weekends, meaning a home game would be staged every week. The move was blocked and so Murray withdrew his financial support.[2] The Rangers team was sold and moved back to Kingston-upon-Thames in 1989, whilst the Livingston club briefly returned to the Scottish League before becoming the Livingston Bulls.

Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Record in European competition

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Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
1978-79 FIBA Korać Cup First round England Stockport Belgrade 84-83 70-73 154-156
1980-81 FIBA European Champions Cup Group Stage Netherlands EBBC
Group Stage Slovakia Inter Slovnaft
Group Stage Sweden Hageby
1981-82 FIBA European Champions Cup Group Stage Spain FC Barcelona
Group Stage France ASVEL
Group Stage Hungary Honvéd
1982-83 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Switzerland Fribourg Olympic 74-78 77-71 145-155
1983-84 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Finland Torpan Pojat 100-85 82-89 189-167
Second round Spain FC Barcelona 93-94 91-85 178-185
1984-85 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Belgium Oostende 80-76 89-79 159-165
1985-86 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Spain Real Madrid 72-76 75-65 137-151
1986-87 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Italy Milan 83-101 83-83 166-184
1987-88 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Germany Saturn Köln 88-91 98-82 170-189
1988-89 FIBA Korać Cup First round Netherlands Den Helder 77-73 87-93 164-166
1989-90 FIBA European Champions Cup First round Denmark Skovlund 86-59 62-74 [3] 160-121
Round of 16 Croatia Split Jugoplastika 84-97 [4] 122-65 [5] 149-219

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Paul Smith (2012). For Richer, For Poorer: Rangers: The fight for Survival. Random House. ISBN 9781780572826.
  2. ^ Jon Gaunt (2011). Undaunted: The True Story Behind the Popular Shock-Jock. Random House. ISBN 9780753521083.
  3. ^ "Basketball". 29 September 1989.
  4. ^ "Basketball". 26 October 1989.
  5. ^ "Basketball". 3 November 1989.