British Basketball League 2006-07

The 2006-07 BBL season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks.

There are 10 teams are taking to the field this season, including two new franchises to the BBL, London United and the Worcester Wolves, who both moved up from the English Basketball League during the summer of 2006.

The new additions were brought in after three teams withdrew from the League before the start of the season. Brighton Bears and London Towers are both taking a "one year break" [cite web| author = Rob Dugdale | title = Towers owner to suspend franchise for new season | url = http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1834014,00.html | year = 2006 | accessdate = 2007-03-24 | publisher = The Guardian ] while Birmingham Bullets have since gone into liquidation.

Notable occurences

*Following on from Brighton and Birmingham's decision to withdraw from the league, London Towers announced they were to be the third, and most high-profile team to sit out the upcoming season.
*London United and Worcester Wolves were both elected from the English Basketball League to replace the three departed teams, and to keep franchises in the major markets of London and the Midlands.
*A £2.5 million sponsorship deal was agreed on September 22, 2006, between the BBL and national broadcaster MKTV, including primetime TV coverage of 40 live games per season [cite web| author = BBC | title = BBL signs up with new broadcaster | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_5368000/5368682.stm | year = 2006 | accessdate = 2007-04-09 | publisher = BBC Sport ] , high profile sponsorship and a National Community Development Programme.
*Molten, the world’s leading manufacturer of inflatable sports balls, signed a ball sponsorship with the BBL worth £150,000 prior to the season opening. The new GG7 ball was unveiled on September 25 as the official matchball for the next three seasons.
*New league franchise Worcester Wolves record their first ever BBL win on October 7, a 82-79 home victory against Chester Jets.
*The BBL Cup final took place at the National Indoor Arena, in Birmingham on January 7, 2007, and saw Guildford Heat claim their first Championship since foundation 18 months previous, with an 81-78 win against Scottish Rocks. The game was the first ever BBL match to be broadcast live over the internet, reaching a potentially worldwide audience.
*Plymouth Raiders also won their first silverware since stepping-up to the BBL, with a 74-65 win in the BBL Trophy final against holders Newcastle Eagles on March 4. Held at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena, the game was the first to be broadcast live on national television in over four years, as part of the sponsorship agreement with MKTV.
*Leicester Riders guard, and former Los Angeles Lakers star Steve Bucknall, as well as Guildford star Chad McKnight both test positive for marijuana and are each handed a three month suspension. However, the story only comes to public attention several months later [cite web| author = Richard Taylor | title = BBL kept in the dark on positive drug test | url = http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article2388307.ece | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-03-24 | publisher = The Independent ] .
*Chester Jets owner and head coach Mike Burton announced prior to their season finale that he would be retiring from the franchise at the end of the season. Burton's announcement, after 19 years at the helm, put serious doubts of the clubs' future [cite web| author = Richard Taylor | title = Jets' future in doubt after Burton quits | url = http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article2430098.ece | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-07 | publisher = The Independent ] .
*Despite leading the League for most of the season, Guildford's one point 90-91 loss away to Scottish Rocks on April 1, ensured that the title race went down to the wire, and only a final day 114-85 win at home to Chester Jets on April 8 guaranteed the 2007 League crown would belong to the Heat.
*Newcastle, playing in front of their home fans at the Metro Radio Arena on April 29, were victorious against a resiliant Scottish Rocks in the climax to the BBL Finals Weekend and the BBL season, as they claimed their third consecutive Playoff Championship with a 95-82 win.

BBL Championship

Final standings

Southern Group 1

Monthly awards

easonal awards

*Most Valuable Player: Brian Dux (Guildford) and Jeff Bonds (Sheffield)
*Coach of the Year: Paul James (Guildford)
*All-Star First Team:
**Jeff Bonds (Sheffield)
**Brian Dux (Guildford)
**Mike Martin (Guildford)
**Carlton Aaron (Plymouth)
**Robert Yanders (Scots Rocks)
*All-Star Second Team:
**Blake Shelton (Sheffield)
**Jazwyn Cowan (Chester)
**Sterling Davis (Scots Rocks)
**Tarick Johnson (London)
**Fabulous Flournoy (Newcastle)

Notes