1979–80 National Basketball League season explained

1979–80 National Basketball League season
League:National Basketball League
Sport:Basketball
No Of Teams:10
Playoffs:Roll of Honour
Conf1:National League
Conf2:Play-offs
Conf2 Champ:Crystal Palace Chevrons
Conf2 Runner-Up:Coventry Team Fiat
Conf3:National Cup
Conf3 Champ:Crystal Palace Chevrons
Conf3 Runner-Up:Doncaster Ziebart Panthers
Seasonslist:List of English National Basketball League seasons
Seasonslistnames:National Basketball League
Prevseason Year:1978–79
Nextseason Year:1980–81

The 1979–80 Rotary Watches National Basketball League season was the eighth season of the National Basketball League.[1]

The league was sponsored by Rotary Watches for the second consecutive year and Crystal Palace won an unprecedented treble of League, Playoffs and National Cup. Crystal Palace were helped by Alton Byrd, who would become the best known name in British basketball and pick up the season MVP award.[2]

Team changes

Malcolm Chamberlain, the owner of the London Metros uprooted the team, relocating from London to Kingston upon Thames and the Tolworth Recreation Centre, rebranding as Kingston. With their added sponsorship they would be known as Kelly Girls International Kingston. Guildford Pirates, the NBL Division 2 champions, joined the league and following a sponsorship deal would be Team Talbot, Guildford. Runners-up Hemel Hempstead also joined the league and would be known as Hemel Hempstead Ovaltine playing at Bletchley Leisure Centre. The Blackpool Pacemakers completed the newcomers to the league. The Milton Keynes All-Stars, Loughborough All-Stars, Exeter St Lukes TSB and Bracknell Bullets all dropped out.

National League standings

Division One

width=20Poswidth=300Teamwidth=20Pwidth=20Wwidth=20Lwidth=25Fwidth=25Awidth=20Pts
1 18 18 0 1936 1498 36
2 18 14 4 1751 1673 28
3 Coventry Team Fiat 18 14 4 1788 1644 28
4 18 12 6 1686 1634 24
5 18 10 8 1836 1702 20
6 Sunderland Sunblest 18 9 9 1672 1683 18
7 Stockport Belgrade 18 5 13 1763 1874 9
8 18 3 15 1533 1754 6
9 Blackpool Pacemakers 18 3 15 1612 1839 6
10 18 2 16 1592 1873 4

Division Two

width=20Poswidth=300Teamwidth=20Pwidth=20Wwidth=20Lwidth=25Fwidth=25Awidth=20Pts
1 Nottingham 14 11 3 1269 1155 22
2 Camden & Hampstead 14 11 3 1449 1327 22
3 Leeds Larsen Lions 14 11 3 1346 1218 22
4 Brighton 14 8 6 1332 1290 16
5 Exeter St Lukes 14 7 7 1311 1287 14
6 Team Hemeling Birmingham 14 3 11 1334 1467 6
7 Plymouth Panasonic 14 3 11 1261 1396 6
8 Brunel Ducks 14 2 12 1253 1435 4

Rotary Watches playoffs

Semi-finals

width=200venue & datewidth=200Team 1width=200Team 2width=60Score
March 14, Wembley Arena Doncaster Ziebart Panthers Coventry Team Fiat 84-100
March 14, Wembley Arena Crystal Palace Chevrons Hemel Hempstead Ovaltine 98-75

Third Place

width=200venue & datewidth=200Team 1width=200Team 2width=60Score
March 15, Wembley Arena Doncaster Ziebart Panthers Hemel Hempstead Ovaltine 84-75

Final

[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Matthews & Morrison, Peter & Ian. The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records & Results. 1987. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 0-85112-492-5. registration.
  2. Web site: Men's Senior League Winners. Basketball England.
  3. Web site: Nicholas Harling. "Basketball." Times [London, England] 17 Mar. 1980]. The Times Digital Archive.