American Professional Basketball League Explained

American Professional Basketball League (APBL)
Pixels:150px
Sport:Basketball
Founded:2010
Folded:2019
Teams:17
Country:United States
Champion:Beltway Bombers (2019)
Most Champs:Beltway Bombers (3)
Website:theAPBL.com
Owner:Brian Graham

The American Professional Basketball League (APBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league that began play in 2010. Originally known as the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL),[1] the league changed its name before the 2012–13 season. The league ceased operations after the 2019 season.[2] Teams were located up and down the Atlantic Coast from New York to Northern Virginia.

History

Formed in 2010 as the ACPBL, the league initially was made up of two teams (Buffalo Stampede, Washington GreenHawks) formerly of the Premier Basketball League, three teams (Beltway Bombers, Garden State Rebels, Tru Hope Trailblazers) formerly of the Eastern Basketball Alliance, and three expansion teams (Hudson Valley Kingz, New York Lions, Westchester Wildkatz).

For the 2016-17 season the APBL narrowed its footprint, with the majority of teams in the New York City metro area. Teams departing included the Bay Area Shuckers, Brooklyn Blazers, D.C. Funkhouse, NoVA Hawks, Rockville Victors and Winchester Storm. New teams joining for 2016–17: APBL United (a league-operated free agent team) and the New York Crusaders. Beltway Bombers captured their second league title in 2017 defeating APBL United 123-105 in the championship game.

Teams

TeamCityArenaFoundedFirst season in APBL
APBL UnitedTravel team---20162016
Baltimore Lords of WarDundalk, MarylandSollers Point Multi-Purpose Center20182018
Beltway BombersLa Plata, MarylandCollege of Southern Maryland20092010
Delaware Eastern Shore GeneralsMilford, DelawareMilford High School20172017
Empire State Basketball ClubWestchester, New York20172017
Harford BuccaneersBaltimore, Maryland20182018
Manhattan PrideManhattan, New YorkLatino Pastoral Action Center20112011
Metropolitan All-StarsWashington D.C.20122017
New York City Black EaglesBrooklyn, New YorkWilliamsburg Community Center20122012
New York City 524Staten Island, New YorkFastbreak Basketball Center20112011
New York CrusadersBrooklyn, New YorkDr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts20152016
New York FearlessNew York, New York20152015
Ocean 11 BrooklynBrooklyn, New YorkWilliamsburg Charter High School20162016
Pelham Bay LegendsThe Bronx, New York20182018
Philadelphia StunnazPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania20172017
TE UnitedNew York City, New York20182018
Westchester PowerWestchester, New York20182018

Former teams

Champions

YearChampionRunner-upResult
2011Tru Hope TrailblazersGarden State Rebels97-96
2012Beltway BombersThe Destroyers127-118
2013NYC 524Rockville Victors118-116
2014Metropolitan All-StarsNYC 52495-74[3]
2015New Jersey ThunderRockville Victors99-98[4]
2016New Jersey ThunderHudson Valley Kingz100-99
2017Beltway BombersAPBL United123-105
2018Delaware Eastern Shore GeneralsAPBL United128-127
2019Beltway BombersNew Jersey Thunder126-105 (OT)

Notable players

Lonny Baxter, Rockville Victors

Adrian Bowie, Bay Area Shuckers[5]

William "Smush" Parker, NYC 524

Chaz Williams, Brooklyn Blazers

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: American Professional Basketball League Announces League Structure . 18 October 2012 . HoopCoach.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141204152236/http://www.hoopcoach.org/profiles/blogs/american-professional-basketball-league-announces-league . 2014-12-04 .
  2. Web site: US Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings . US Basket . 4 June 2019.
  3. Web site: All-Stars are APBL champions. 6 May 2014. USBasket.com.
  4. Web site: New Jersey Thunder are crowned champions. 4 May 2015. USBasket.com.
  5. Web site: Out of the Shell: Interviewing Adrian Bowie. 30 June 2013. Testudo Times.