1978–79 National Basketball League season

1978–79 National Basketball League season
LeagueNational Basketball League
SportBasketball
Number of teams11
Roll of Honour
National League championsDoncaster Ziebart Panthers
  National League runners-upCrystal Palace Chevrons
Playoffs championsCrystal Palace Chevrons
  Playoffs runners-upCoventry Team Fiat
National Cup championsDoncaster Ziebart Panthers
  National Cup runners-upCrystal Palace Chevrons
National Basketball League seasons

The 1978–79 Rotary Watches National Basketball League season was the seventh season of the National Basketball League.[1]

The league was sponsored by Rotary Watches and the number of teams participating increased to eleven.

Doncaster completed the league and National Cup double, but Crystal Palace won the newly introduced Playoffs.[2]

Team changes

Leicester switched back to Loughborough and Bedford dropped out of the league. Bracknell and Sunderland joined; the latter playing at the Crowtree Leisure Centre in the centre of Sunderland.

National League

First Division

Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1 Doncaster Ziebart Panthers 20 17 3 1831 1588 34
2 Crystal Palace Chevrons 20 16 4 1895 1628 32
3 London 'Slick Willies Y' Metros 20 15 5 1938 1752 30
4 Coventry Team Fiat 20 13 7 1851 1602 26
5 Milton Keynes All-Stars * 20 13 7 1866 1671 24
6 Swithland Motors Loughborough All-Stars 20 10 10 1778 1902 20
7 Sunderland Sunblest 20 7 12 1903 1938 15
8 Manchester ATS Giants 20 7 13 1847 1945 14
9 Stockport Belgrade 20 7 13 1663 1756 14
10 Bracknell Bullets 20 3 16 1611 2001 6
11 Exeter St Lukes TSB 20 1 19 1654 2054 2

deducted two points *

Second Division

Pos Team P W L F A Pts
1 Guildford Pirates 18 15 3 1620 1426 30
2 Hemel Hempstead Lakers 18 15 3 1688 1427 30
3 Leeds Larsen Lions 18 13 5 1728 1453 26
4 Telefusion Blackpool 18 12 6 1513 1467 24
5 Nottingham 18 12 6 1783 1607 24
6 Brighton Rucanor 18 10 8 1648 1576 20
7 Bromley 18 6 12 1638 1743 12
8 Maidenhead Sonics 18 4 14 1354 1588 7*
9 Birmingham Bulldogs 18 2 16 1426 1724 3*
10 Derby CFE 18 1 17 1423 1810 2

Rotary Watches playoffs

Semi-finals

venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
March 16, Wembley Arena Doncaster Ziebart Panthers Coventry Team Fiat 72-75
March 16, Wembley Arena Crystal Palace Chevrons London 'Slick Willies Y' Metros 100-78

Third Place

venue & date Team 1 Team 2 Score
March 17, Wembley Arena Doncaster Ziebart Panthers London 'Slick Willies Y' Metros 98-85

Final

17 March
Crystal Palace Chevrons 75–63 Coventry Team Fiat
Pts: Mark Saiers 23

Butlins National Cup Final

January 1979
Doncaster Ziebart Panthers 73–71 Crystal Palace Chevrons
Pts: Bryan Dunn 22, Cliff Bell 21, Dan Lloyd 15, John Belk 9, Ian Day 7, Ian Redford 2 (winning basket) Pts: Kenny Walton 16
Sheffield
Attendance: 1,600

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.[permanent dead link‍]

See also