1987–88 British Basketball League season

1987–88 British Basketball League season
League	British Basketball League
Sport	Basketball
Number of teams	15
Roll of Honour
BBL champions	Portsmouth
Play Off's champions	Livingston
National Cup champions	Kingston
BBL Trophy champions	Livingston

The 1987–1988 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)

Final standings

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

	= League winners
	= Qualified for the Play-offs

National League (Tier 2)

Aberdare, Brixton TopCats, Cardiff, Ellesmere Port, Gateshead, Market Harborough, Plymouth Raiders, Stevenage, Tower Hamlets, Worthing Bears

Carlsberg League Play-offs

Quarter-finals

(1) Portsmouth vs. (8) Solent Stars

Portsmouth

115–86

Solent Stars

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

(2) Kingston vs. (7) Birmingham Bullets

Birmingham Bullets

102–117

Kingston

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

(3) Livingston vs. (6) Bracknell Tigers

Bracknell Tigers

79–74

Livingston

Livingston

102–85

Bracknell Tigers

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

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

Calderdale Explorers

77–79

Manchester United

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

Semi-finals

9 April 1988

Portsmouth

98–90

Manchester United

Wembley Arena, London

9 April 1988

Kingston

88–101

Livingston

Wembley Arena, London

Final

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

Prudential National Cup

Second Round

Team 1	Team 2	Score
Loftys Travel Ellesmere Port	Sunderland 76er's	94-99
Leicester City Riders	IIIE Gateshead	105-73
Sharp Manchester United	BPCC Derby Rams	114-72
Drapers Tools Solent Stars	Brunel Crystal Palace London	117-98
Alphaprint Hemel Hempstead Watford Royals	JHB Oil Plymouth	106-79
Calderdale Explorers	Oldham Celtics	95-78
North London College	Polycell Kingston	70-137
Portsmouth	Bracknell Tigers	85-82

Quarter Finals

Team 1	Team 2	Score
Polycell Kingston	Alphaprint Hemel Hempstead Watford Royals	108-100
Sharp Manchester United	Calderdale Explorers	83-80
Leicester City Riders	Solent Stars	104-93
Portsmouth	Sunderland 76er's	98-88

Semi Finals

Team 1	Team 2	Score
Polycell Kingston	Leicester City Riders	109-91
Portsmouth	Sharp Manchester United	107-90

Final

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

Group stage

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

Calderdale Explorers vs. Livingston

Calderdale Explorers

75–68

Livingston

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

Kingston vs. Portsmouth

Portsmouth

94–87

Kingston

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

Final

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

Most Valuable Player: Daryl Thomas (Hemel & Watford Royals)
Coach of the Year: Gary Johnson (Calderdale Explorers)
All-Star Team:
- Steve Bontrager (Kingston)
- Alan Cunningham (Portsmouth F.C.)
- Dan Davis (Kingston)
- Vic Flemming (Livingston)
- Marcus Gaither (Birmingham Bullets)
- Colin Irish (Portsmouth F.C.)
- Gary Johnson (Calderdale Explorers)
- Phil Smith (Solent Stars)
- Daryl Thomas (Hemel & Watford Royals)
- Clyde Vaughan (Leicester City Riders)

References

↑ BBL Media Guide 2003/04, page 15
↑ "Nicholas Harling. "Gardner is off to the quiet life." Times [London, England] 12 Apr. 1988". The Times Digital Archive.
↑ "Nicholas Harling. "Kingston's cup with four in a row record." Times [London, England] 15 Dec. 1987". The Times Digital Archive.

Preceded by 1986-1987 season	BBL seasons 1987–88	Succeeded by 1988–89 season

British Basketball League
Bristol Flyers Cheshire Phoenix Glasgow Rocks Leeds Force Leicester Riders London Lions Manchester Giants Newcastle Eagles Plymouth Raiders Sheffield Sharks Surrey Scorchers Worcester Wolves
Competitions	BBL Championship (Play-off Finals) BBL Cup BBL Trophy Cup Winners' Cup (defunct) Women's British Basketball League
Seasons	1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Awards	Individual: Coach of the Year Most Valuable Player Team: British Team of the Year Defensive Team of the Year Team of the Year
Other	BBL TV Expansion British Basketball Union English Basketball League Scottish Basketball Championship National Cup National Basketball League

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