East Coast Basketball League
Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | June 2014 |
No. of teams | 18 |
Country | United States |
Continent | FIBA Americas (Americas) |
Most recent champion(s) | PrimeTime Players (2016) |
Most titles | PrimeTime Players (2) |
Official website | EastCoastBasketballLeague.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 and Virginia.
Five of the 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]
The ECBL will broadcast games live and delayed online via Chris Schieman Media & Marketing.[3]
History
On August 16, 2014 the ECBL announced[4] 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 named the 11th franchise to enter the ECBL.[5]
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[6] 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.[7] In addition, another former TRBL team (Lumberton Showstoppers) announced their intention to join the league for 2017.[8]
At the August AGM, league board of directors unanimously accepted the expansion application of the Florence Wildcats for 2017.[9] Two teams also announced name changes: Peterburg Cavaliers (formerly Revolution) and Sparkle City Splash (formerly South Carolina All-Stars).
League owners approved the expansion application of the Carolina Thunder for 2017. The Thunder will begin as a travel team playing a league schedule on the road.
Teams
North Division | City | Arena | Founded | First ECBL season |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carolina Kings | Greenville, North Carolina | TBA | 2016 | 2017 |
Charlotte Golden Bulls | Charlotte, North Carolina | TBA | 2016 | 2017 |
Fayetteville Crossover | Fayetteville, North Carolina | John D. Fuller Recreational/Athletic Complex | 2011 | 2015 |
Hampton Roads Warriors | Hampton, Virginia | TBA | 2015 | 2017 |
High Point Hawks | High Point, North Carolina | Nathanael S. Morehead Recreation Center | 2013 | 2015 |
Lumberton Showstoppers | Lumberton, North Carolina | Bill Sapp Recreational Center | 2014 | 2017 |
Petersburg Cavaliers | Petersburg, Virginia | Richard Bland College | 2015 | 2016 |
Raleigh-Durham United Raptors | Durham, North Carolina | Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club | 2015 | 2016 |
Winston-Salem Certified | Salem, North Carolina | Salem Baptist Christian School | 2014 | 2016 |
South Division | City | Arena | Founded | First ECBL season |
Carolina Crusaders | Columbia, South Carolina | Greenview Park | 2014 | 2015 |
Carolina Thunder | Dillon, South Carolina | Dillon Wellnes Center | 2015 | 2017 |
Florence Wildcats | Florence, South Carolina | Florence YMCA | 2016 | 2017 |
Fort Gordon Eagles | Augusta, Georgia | Fort Gordon | 2013 | 2015 |
PrimeTime Players | Fort Mill, South Carolina | Banks Street Gym | 1991 | 2015 |
Savannah Storm | Savannah, Georgia | Savannah High School | 2010 | 2015 |
South Carolina Showtime | Orangeburg, South Carolina | TBA | 2016 | 2017 |
South Carolina Upstate Redhawks | Greenville, South Carolina | Legacy Charter School | 2014 | 2015 |
Spark City Splash | Spartanburg, South Carolina | Whitlock Flexible Learning Center | 2011 | 2015 |
Former teams
- Carolina Gladiators (2015)
- Carolina MPact (2016)
- Gastonia Crowns (2015)
- Queen City Express (2015)
Champions
Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | PrimeTime Players | Fayetteville Crossover | 130-113[10][11] |
2016 | PrimeTime Players | Fayetteville Crossover | 119-100 |
References
- ↑ "New East Coast Basketball League Created In Aftermath of Significant TRBL Changes". USBasket. 23 July 2014.
- ↑ "East Coast Basketball League to Begin Play in 2015". ECBL. 4 July 2014.
- ↑ "ECBL to Broadcast Game of the Week". Schieman Media & Marketing. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ↑ "Fort Gordon Eagles Join ECBL". ECBL. 16 August 2014.
- ↑ "ECBL adds Savannah Storm to 2015 Lineup". Savannah Storm. 20 October 2014.
- ↑ "Four Recieve(sic) Post-Season All-SAC Honors in Men's Basketball". Catawba College Athletics. 5 March 2010.
- ↑ "ECBL Add Charlotte Golden Bulls For 2017". USbasket. 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "Lumberton Showstoppers Join ECBL". USbasket. 6 June 2016.
- ↑ "Florence Wildcats Newest Addition To ECBL". USbasket. 25 August 2016.
- ↑ "PrimeTime Players Win Inaugural ECBL Title". USBasket. 2 July 2015.
- ↑ "It's PrimeTime for hoops in Fort Mill". The Herald. 4 April 2016.