1982–83 National Basketball League season

1982–83 National Basketball League season
League National Basketball League
Sport Basketball
Number of teams 13
Roll of Honour
National League champions Crystal Palace Supersonics
  National League runners-up Sunderland
Play Off's champions Sunderland
  Play Off's runners-up Crystal Palace Supersonics
National Cup champions Solent Stars
  National Cup runners-up Birmingham Barrett Bullets

The 1982–83 Just Juice National Basketball League season was the eleventh season of the National Basketball League formed in 1972.[1]

The league was sponsored by Just Juice for the second consecutive year and Crystal Palace won yet another league title but Sunderland claimed the Play Off's and the Solent Stars successfully defended their National Cup crown.[2]
The league received a welcome boost when a new national TV channel called Channel 4 decided to show live action every Monday evening.

Team Changes

Leicester returned to top tier action as the one new team admitted to the expanded 13 team first division which retained the previous twelve members. Team Talbot, Guildford Pirates moved to Bracknell and became the Bracknell Pirates. Sunderland Saints became Sunderland Maestros towards the end of the season following a new two year sponsorship deal with a North East car dealer.
The leagues most famous player Alton Byrd left Crystal Palace to join Murray International Edinburgh.

League Standings

First Division

Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1 Crystal Palace Supersonics 24 21 3 2083 1850 42
2 Sunderland Saints/Maestros 24 18 6 2323 2024 36
3 Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead 24 18 6 2169 1938 36
4 Birmingham Barrett Bullets 24 17 7 2465 2226 34
5 Solent Stars 24 16 8 2383 2068 32
6 Planters Leicester 24 16 8 2176 1972 32
7 TCB Brighton Bears 24 13 11 2216 2207 26
8 John Carr Doncaster 24 12 12 2115 2129 24
9 Club Cantabrica Kingston 24 10 14 2033 2057 20
10 Warrington Lada Vikings 24 7 17 1971 2115 14
11 Manchester Giants 24 4 20 2038 2464 8
12 Bracknell Pirates 24 3 21 1988 2335 6
13 Wakewood Liverpool 24 1 23 1889 2464 2

Second Division

Fine Ceramics Bolton, West Bromwich, Crestol Halifax Hawks, Camden & Hampstead, McEwan Gateshead, Bradford Mythbreakers, Newcastle, Brunel Uxbridge Ducks, Milton Keynes, Team Telecom Colchester, Watford Royals, Ashfield Glass Nottingham

Just Juice Play Off's

Semi-Finals

venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
March 18, Wembley Arena Sunderland Saints/Maestros Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead 76-74
March 18, Wembley Arena Crystal Palace Supersonics Birmingham Barrett Bullets 72-67

Final

Paul Stimpson landed a basket for the Crystal Palace Supersonics which was adjudged to be just after the buzzer. It would have won the game for Palace but the game went into overtime and Sunderland won an incredible match.

19 March[3]
Sunderland Maestros 75–74 aet Crystal Palace Supersonics
Pts: Art Wearren 29, James McCauley 16, Jim Brandon 16, Ken Nottage, Clive Hartley Pts: Greg McCray 20, Dave Shutts 16, Pete Jeremich 12, Dan Lloyd 12, Paul Stimpson 10
Wembley Arena
Attendance: 9,000
Sunderland Coach Tom Becker
Palace Coach Danny Palmer

Asda National Cup

Second Round

Team 1 Team 2 Score
Fine Ceramics Bolton Club Cantabrica Kingston 81-93
Crystal Palace Supersonics West Bromwich 98-69
Sunderland Saints TCB Brighton Bears 96-90
Planters Leicester John Carr Doncaster 71-57
Solent Stars Crestol Halifax Hawks 130-66
Camden & Hampstead McEwan Gateshead 83-72
Bradford Mythbreakers Birmingham Barrett Bullets 69-134

Quarter Finals

Team 1 Team 2 Score
Birmingham Barrett Bullets Planters Leicester 89-87
Club Cantabrica Kingston Sunderland Saints 97-88
Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead Crystal Palace Supersonics 81-84
Camden & Hampstead Solent Stars 58-119

Semi Finals

Leg Team 1 Team 2 Score
First Leg Crystal Palace Supersonics Solent Stars 92-84
Second Leg Solent Stars Crystal Palace Supersonics 83-65
First Leg Club Cantabrica Kingston Birmingham Barrett Bullets 70-83
Second Leg Birmingham Barrett Bullets Club Cantabrica Kingston 80-86

Final

Birmingham's Russ Saunders an imported American scored a record 43 points in a final but still found himself on the losing side.

Live on Channel 4
24 January 1983[4]
Solent Stars 98–97 Birmingham Barrett Bullets
Pts: TJ Robinson 33, Tony Walton 29, Mark Saiers 12, Karl Tatham 12, Paul Philp 4, Ken Watson 4, Roy Lewis 4 Pts: Russ Saunders 43, Greg White 22, Dip Donaldson 11
Granby Halls, Leicester
Attendance: ?
Solent Coach Steve Fitzsimmons
Birmingham Coach Greg White

References

  1. ↑ Matthews & Morrison, Peter & Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records & Results. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  2. ↑ "Men's Senior League Winners". Basketball England.
  3. ↑ "Nicholas Harling. "Haefner a natural successor." Times [London, England] 21 Mar. 1983". The Times Digital Archive.
  4. ↑ "Nicholas Harling. "Solent stage another escape." Times [London, England] 25 Jan. 1983". The Times Digital Archive.

See also

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