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British Basketball League 2006-07




The 2006-07 BBL season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League , started on September 29 , 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks .

There are 10 teams are taking to the field this season, including two new franchises to the BBL, London United and the Worcester Wolves , who both moved up from the English Basketball League during the summer of 2006 .

The new additions were brought in after three teams withdrew from the League before the start of the season. Brighton Bears and London Towers are both taking a "one year break" 1 while Birmingham Bullets have since gone into Liquidation .


NOTABLE OCCURANCES


  • Following on from Brighton and Birmingham 's decision to withdraw from the league, London Towers announced they were to be the third, and most high-profile team to sit out the upcoming season.

  • London United and Worcester Wolves were both elected from the English Basketball League to replace the three departed teams, and to keep franchises in the major markets of London and the Midlands .

  • A £2.5 million sponsorship deal was agreed on September 22 , 2006 , between the BBL and national broadcaster MKTV , including primetime TV coverage of 40 live games per season 2 , high profile sponsorship and a National Community Development Programme.

  • Molten, the world’s leading manufacturer of inflatable sports balls, signed a ball sponsorship with the BBL worth £150,000 prior to the season opening. The new GG7 ball was unveiled on September 25 as the official matchball for the next three seasons.

  • New league franchise Worcester Wolves record their first ever BBL win on October 7 , a 82-79 home victory against Chester Jets .

  • The BBL Cup final took place at the National Indoor Arena , in Birmingham on January 7 , 2007 , and saw Guildford Heat claim their first Championship since foundation 18 months previous, with an 81-78 win against Scottish Rocks . The game was the first ever BBL match to be broadcast live over the internet, reaching a potentially worldwide audience.

  • Plymouth Raiders also won their first silverware since stepping-up to the BBL, with a 74-65 win in the BBL Trophy final against holders Newcastle Eagles on March 4 . Held at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena , the game was the first to be broadcast live on national television in over four years, as part of the sponsorship agreement with MKTV.

  • Leicester Riders guard, and former Los Angeles Lakers star Steve Bucknall , as well as Guildford star Chad McKnight both test positive for Marijuana and are each handed a three month suspension. However, the story only comes to public attention several months later 3 .

  • Chester Jets owner and head coach Mike Burton announced prior to their season finale that he would be retiring from the franchise at the end of the season. Burton's announcement, after 19 years at the helm, put serious doubts of the clubs' future 4 .

  • Despite leading the League for most of the season, Guildford's one point 90-91 loss away to Scottish Rocks on April 1 , ensured that the title race went down to the wire, and only a final day 114-85 win at home to Chester Jets on April 8 guaranteed the 2007 League crown would belong to the Heat.

  • This seasons playoffs will conclude with the Finals Weekend held at the Metro Radio Arena, in Newcastle on April 28 and April 29 .



FINAL STANDINGS






PLAYOFFS


  RD1 Quarter-finals
  RD2 Semi-finals
  RD3 Final
  RD1-seed1 '''1'''
  RD1-team1 '''Guildford Heat'''
  RD1-score1 '''71'''
  RD1-seed2 8
  RD1-team2 London United
  RD1-score2 68
  RD1-seed3 '''4'''
  RD1-team3 '''Scottish Rocks'''
  RD1-score3 '''83'''
  RD1-seed4 5
  RD1-team4 Plymouth Raiders
  RD1-score4 77
  RD1-seed5 '''2'''
  RD1-team5 '''Sheffield Sharks'''
  RD1-score5 '''89'''
  RD1-seed6 7
  RD1-team6 Leicester Riders
  RD1-score6 71
  RD1-seed7 '''3'''
  RD1-team7 '''Newcastle Eagles'''
  RD1-score7 '''110'''
  RD1-seed8 6
  RD1-team8 Milton Keynes Lions
  RD1-score8 84
  RD2-seed1 1
  RD2-team1 Guildford Heat
  RD2-score1 71
  RD2-seed2 '''4'''
  RD2-team2 '''Scottish Rocks'''
  RD2-score2 '''78'''
  RD2-seed3 2
  RD2-team3 Sheffield Sharks
  RD2-score3 73
  RD2-seed4 '''3'''
  RD2-team4 '''Newcastle Eagles'''
  RD2-score4 '''83'''
  RD3-seed1 4
  RD3-team1 Scottish Rocks
  RD3-score1 82
  RD3-seed2 '''3'''
  RD3-team2 '''Newcastle Eagles'''
  RD3-score2 '''95'''



Quarter-finals



Semi-finals



Third-place final



Final



BBL CUP


The 2006-07 edition of the BBL Cup saw the two lowest seeds from the previous season's League rankings face-off with the BBL's two newest additions in the First Round. As expected, the experience of Milton Keynes and Plymouth paid off and both teams advanced to the Quarter-finals to join the rest of their league rivals in the last eight. In the clash of the round, eventual winners Guildford Heat saw off the Plymouth Raiders in a thrilling tie dominated by the shooting of Chad McKnight , who posted 39 points for the Heat.

The Semi-finals saw the leagues four strongest teams drawn against each other, but while Guildford easily dispatched the visiting Sheffield Sharks , the Cup holders Newcastle Eagles , were easily crushed by the mighty Scottish Rocks , where Rocks' Robert Yanders netted a game-high 23 points.


First Round




Quarter-finals




Semi-finals



Final




BBL TROPHY


Group Stage


Northern Group 1

Northern Group 2

Southern Group 1

Southern Group 2


Semi-finals



Final



STATS LEADERS



MONTHLY AWARDS



SEASONAL AWARDS




NOTES





  Before 2005-06 BBL Season
  After 2007-08 BBL Season
  Title BBL Seasons
  Years '''2006-07'''