Elite Basketball League
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | FIBA Americas (Americas) |
| Most recent champion(s) | Arkansas Elite (2016) |
| Most titles |
Little Rock Diamonds Arkansas Elite (1) |
| Official website | www.eblleague.com |
The Elite Basketball League (EBL) is a semi-professional men's basketball league that began play in the fall of 2014.
History
There were 10 charter members competing in the first season, based around Arkansas. The EBL season begins in October and concludes with league playoffs in late April/early May. The first league championship (2014–15) was won by the Little Rock Diamonds,[1] who defeated regular season winner Arkadelphia Bulldogs. The game was played on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.
Season two began in October 2015 with nine teams, three (Arkansas Dream, Arkansas Golden Knights and Ridge City Rippers) new to the league. First season champion Little Rock Diamonds did not return along with Arkansas Premier and Spa City Outlaws. Arkadelphia Bulldogs left to help form a new league, the Elite International Basketball Association.
Bobby Johnson of Southwest Flight set a league-record by scoring 70 points in a game played on February 9, 2016 against the Golden Knights. Johnson bested the previous record of 61 points by Billy Berry of Arkansas Showstoppers.
Regular season winner Arkansas Elite went on to win the nine-team playoffs (best-of 3 series each round) to capture the 2016 championship. Elite defeated Southwest Flight in two-straight games.
Teams
| Team | City | Arena | First season in EBL |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Division | |||
| Delta Storm | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Arkansas Baptist College | 2014 |
| Jonesboro Shooters Inc. | Joneboro, Arkansas | Arkansas Baptist College | 2016 |
| Mountain Home Twin Lakers | Mountain Home, Arkansas | Mountain Home Junior High | 2016 |
| Nashville Nets | Nashville, Tennessee | TBD | 2016 |
| Ridge City Rippers | Black Rock, Arkansas | TBD | 2015 |
| Tennessee Hornets | Nashville, Tennessee | TBD | 2016 |
| Tennessee Sting | Nashville, Tennessee | TBD | 2016 |
| West Memphis Raining 3s | West Memphis, Arkansas | TBD | 2016 |
| South Division | |||
| Arkansas Dragons | Hot Springs, Arkansas | Gospel Light Baptist School | 2014 |
| Arkansas Elite | Bryant, Arkansas | Jack Stephens Center | 2014 |
| Conway Kings | Conway, Arkansas | Hendrix College | 2016 |
| Mid City Bears | TBD | 2016 | |
| North Little Rock Knights | Little Rock, Arkansas | Rose City Community Center | 2015 |
| North Little Rock North Stars | Little Rock, Arkansas | Rose City Community Center | 2016 |
| South Arkansas Orange Storm | Warren, Arkansas | TBD | 2016 |
| Southwest Flight | El Dorado, Arkansas | Salvation Army Gymnasium | 2014 |
Former teams
- Arkadelphia Bulldogs (2014–15)
- Arkansas Dream (2015)
- Arkansas Legends (2014–15)
- Arkansas Premier (2014–15)
- Arkansas Showstoppers (2014–15)
- Little Rock Diamonds (2014–15)
- Spa City Outlaws (2014–15)
Champions
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Little Rock Diamonds | Arkadelphia Bulldogs | 93-83 |
| 2015–16 | Arkansas Elite | Southwest Flight | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
References
- ↑ "Little Rock Diamonds Win EBL Title". Ludwig Media. 3 May 2015.
External links
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