2023–24 National Basketball League (England) season

2023–24 NBL season
LeagueNBL England
SportBasketball
2023–24
National Basketball League (England) seasons
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The 2023–24 NBL season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball League and the 9th season of the competition under its current title.[1]

114 teams competed across the three divisions of the league, which form the second, third and fourth tiers of the British basketball league system, an increase of 8 teams on the 2022–23 season.

NBL Division 1

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2022–23 season:

Promoted from Division 2

Relegated to Division 2

Withdrew from league

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Location of teams in 2023–24 NBL Division 1
Club Location Last Season
Barking Abbey London (Barking) 12th
Bradford Dragons Bradford 7th
City of Birmingham Rockets Birmingham 1st, D2 North
Derby Trailblazers Derby 3rd
Essex Rebels Colchester 11th
Hemel Storm Hemel Hempstead 1st
London Elite London (Harlesden) 1st, D2 South
Loughborough Riders Loughborough 5th
Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne 9th
Nottingham Hoods Nottingham 10th
Reading Rockets Reading 4th
Thames Valley Cavaliers London (Uxbridge) 6th
Worthing Thunder Worthing 2nd

Regular season

Pos Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Derby Trailblazers (C) 24 20 4 2314 1964 +350 40 Qualification to Playoffs
2 Essex Rebels 24 20 4 2102 1883 +219 40
3 Hemel Storm 24 19 5 2322 1967 +355 38
4 Reading Rockets 24 16 8 2078 1947 +131 32
5 Newcastle University 24 14 10 2131 2136 −5 28
6 Loughborough Riders 24 14 10 2043 2022 +21 28
7 Bradford Dragons 24 11 13 2092 2111 −19 22
8 Nottingham Hoods 24 11 13 2215 2272 −57 22
9 City of Birmingham Rockets 24 9 15 2024 2095 −71 18
10 Thames Valley Cavaliers 24 8 16 2047 2214 −167 16
11 Worthing Thunder 24 7 17 1943 2096 −153 14
12 Barking Abbey (R) 24 4 20 1813 2126 −313 8 Relegation to Division 2
13 London Elite (R) 24 3 21 1814 2105 −291 6
Source: Basketball England Official Website
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Playoffs

Quarter-finals

13 Apr 2024
Derby Trailblazers 108–67 Nottingham Hoods
13 Apr 2024
Essex Rebels 79–87 Bradford Dragons
13 Apr 2024
Hemel Storm 90–80 Loughborough Riders

Semi-finals

20 Apr 2024
Derby Trailblazers 84–87 Reading Rockets
20 Apr 2024
Hemel Storm 80–79 Bradford Dragons

Final

28 Apr 2024
Reading Rockets 84–87 Hemel Storm

Awards

  • Player of the Year: Sam Masten (Derby Trailblazers)[3]
  • Coach of the Year: Matt Shaw (Derby Trailblazers)
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Raheem May-Thompson (Derby Trailblazers)
  • Young Player of the Year: Joe Buchanan (Bradford Dragons)
  • Team of the Year:
    • Sam Masten (Derby Trailblazers)
    • Hakeem Sylla (Hemel Storm)
    • Malcolm Smith (Derby Trailblazers)
    • Luke Busumbru (Essex Rebels)
    • Justin Hopkins (Newcastle University)
  • British Team of the Year:
    • Hakeem Sylla (Hemel Storm)
    • Hafeez Abdul (Worthing Thunder)
    • Luke Busumbru (Essex Rebels)
    • Mitch Clarke (Reading Rockets)
    • Justin Hedley (Loughborough Riders)

NBL Division 2

Regular season

North
Pos Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
1 Bristol Hurricanes (P) 22 20 2 1791 1475 +316 40
2 St Helens Saints 22 17 5 1885 1680 +205 34
3 Manchester Magic 22 14 8 1564 1479 +85 28
4 Teesside Lions 22 13 9 1804 1667 +137 26
5 Leicester Warriors 22 12 10 1852 1798 +54 24
6 Worcester Wolves 22 10 12 1648 1651 −3 20
7 Derbyshire Arrows 22 10 12 1821 1881 −60 20
8 Bristol United 22 9 13 1719 1768 −49 18
9 Myerscough College 22 9 13 1674 1732 −58 18
10 Bristol Flyers II 22 9 13 1702 1762 −60 18
11 Northamptonshire Titans (R) 22 6 16 1705 1883 −178 12
12 Doncaster Eagles (R) 22 3 19 1614 2003 −389 6
Source: Basketball England Official Website
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
South
Pos Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
1 Milton Keynes Breakers (P) 22 21 1 2402 1538 +864 42
2 Solent Kestrels 22 21 1 2151 1514 +637 42
3 Richmond Knights 22 16 6 1814 1623 +191 32
4 Cardiff Met Archers 22 13 9 1817 1776 +41 26
5 Cobham Scorchers 22 13 9 1723 1759 −36 26
6 Westminster Warriors 22 9 13 1810 1888 −78 18
7 Newham All-Stars 22 8 14 1485 1689 −204 16
8 Greenwich Titans 22 8 14 1600 1814 −214 16
9 London Stars 22 8 14 1663 1937 −274 16
10 Ipswich 22 7 15 1791 1878 −87 14
11 Brighton Bears (R) 22 5 17 1571 1780 −209 10
12 Oaklands Wolves (R) 22 3 19 1437 2068 −631 6
Source: Basketball England Official Website
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Playoffs

Quarter-finals

07 Apr 2024
St Helens Saints 81–80 Richmond Knights
13 Apr 2024
Milton Keynes Breakers 108–69 Teesside Lions
13 Apr 2024
Solent Kestrels 95–65 Manchester Magic

Semi-finals

20 Apr 2024
Bristol Hurricanes 51–110 Solent Kestrels

Final

NBL Division 3

Basketball England announced proposed structure changes prior to the start of the 2023–24 season. Division 3 would be limited to forty teams from the 2024/25 season, with all Division 3 teams competing in 2023/24 for a spot in the 2024/25 structure. The remaining teams will form a new Conference League sitting under Division 3, with promotion and relegation taking place between the new Division 3 and Conference leagues via promotion playoffs.[4]

Regular season

North
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Leeds LDM 16 12 4 24 2024–25 Division 3
2 Tees Valley Mohawks 16 11 5 22
3 Charnwood Riders 16 10 6 20
4 West Yorkshire Hawks 16 10 6 20
5 Sheffield Sharks II 16 10 6 20
6 Sheffield Elite 16 8 8 16 2024–25 Conference
7 City of Leeds 16 4 12 8
8 Team Sunderland 16 4 12 8
9 Calderdale Explorers 16 2 14 4
Source: Basketball England Official Website
North West
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Liverpool 20 19 1 38 Promotion to 2024–25 Division 2
2 Cheshire Wire 20 16 4 32 2024–25 Division 3
3 Manchester Swarm 20 14 6 28
4 Tameside 20 12 8 24
5 Stockport Falcons 20 9 11 18
6 Manchester Kings 20 9 11 18 2024–25 Conference
7 Barrow Thorns 20 7 13 14
8 Preston 20 7 13 14
9 Manchester Giants II 20 7 13 14
10 Myerscough College II 20 5 15 10
11 Tameside Vikings 20 4 16 8
Source: Basketball England Official Website
Midlands
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Loughborough Riders II 14 13 1 26 2024–25 Division 3
2 Nottingham Trent University 14 12 2 24
3 Warwickshire Hawks 14 9 5 18
4 Derby Trailblazers II 12 6 6 12
5 Birmingham City University 14 6 8 12 2024–25 Conference
6 Coventry Flames 12 4 8 8
7 Stourport Spartans 14 3 11 6
8 Big Sky Dudley 12 0 12 0
Updated to match(es) played on 03 April 2024. Source: Basketball England Official Website
East
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Essex Rebels II 18 18 0 36 Promotion to 2024–25 Division 2
2 Hertfordshire Storm 18 13 5 26 2024–25 Division 3
3 Chelmsford Charge 18 12 6 24
4 Cambridge Cats 18 11 7 22
5 University of East Anglia 18 9 9 18
6 Anglia Ruskin University 18 8 10 16 2024–25 Conference
7 Bedford Thunder 18 7 11 14
8 Northampton Mavericks 18 7 11 14
9 Northamptonshire Titans II 18 4 14 8
10 Oaklands Wolves II 18 1 17 2
Source: Basketball England Official Website
London
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 East London Phoenix 18 16 2 32 2024–25 Division 3
2 Islington Panthers 18 14 4 28
3 London Sharks 18 14 4 28
4 London New City College 17 10 7 20
5 CoLA Southwark Pride 17 10 7 20
6 London Thunder 18 6 12 12 2024–25 Conference
7 London Westside 17 5 12 10
8 Hackney Jedis 18 5 13 10
9 Barking Abbey II 17 4 13 8
10 Brixton Topcats 16 3 13 6
Updated to match(es) played on 03 April 2024. Source: Basketball England Official Website
South
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Barnet Bulldogs 20 19 1 38 Promotion to 2024–25 Division 2
2 Oxford Hoops 20 16 4 32 2024–25 Division 3
3 Greenhouse Sports 20 16 4 32
4 Surrey Scorchers II 20 14 6 28
5 London United 20 11 9 22
6 Reading Rockets II 20 9 11 18
7 West Herts Warriors 20 6 14 12 2024–25 Conference
8 Surrey Rams 20 5 15 10
9 London Warriors 20 5 15 10
10 London Elite II 20 4 16 8
11 Winchester Royals 20 3 17 6
Source: Basketball England Official Website
South East
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Crawley Storm 12 11 1 22 2024–25 Division 3
2 Kent Crusaders 12 9 3 18
3 Portsmouth Force 12 7 5 14
4 Bracknell Cobras 12 6 6 12
5 Canterbury Crusaders 12 5 7 10 2024–25 Conference
6 Eastbourne Neptunes 12 4 8 8
7 Brighton Bears II 12 0 12 0
Source: Basketball England Official Website
South West
Pos Team Pld W L Pts
1 Cardiff City 14 13 1 26 Promotion to 2024–25 Division 2
2 Plymouth Marjon University 14 10 4 20 2024–25 Division 3
3 Plymouth Raiders 14 9 5 18
4 Bath 14 8 6 16
5 Cardiff Met Archers II 14 7 7 14
6 Gloucester City Kings 14 6 8 12 2024–25 Conference
7 Exeter Spartans 14 2 12 4
8 Cornwall Titans 14 1 13 2
Source: Basketball England Official Website

Playoffs

First Round

06 Apr 2024
Liverpool 93–77 Hertfordshire Storm
06 Apr 2024
Cardiff City 79–70 Kent Crusaders
06 Apr 2024
Crawley Storm 112–70 Greenhouse Sports
06 Apr 2024
Leeds LDM 72–110 Nottingham Trent Univ.
06 Apr 2024
Loughborough Riders II 99–92 Islington Panthers
06 Apr 2024
Barnet Bulldogs 109–102 Plymouth Marjon University
06 Apr 2024
East London Phoenix 76–67 Cheshire Wire
07 Apr 2024
Essex Rebels II 101–89 Tees Valley Mohawks

Quarter-finals

13 Apr 2024
Liverpool 75–68 Crawley Storm
13 Apr 2024
Cardiff City 79–81 Loughborough Riders II
13 Apr 2024
Barnet Bulldogs 96–80 East London Phoenix

Semi-finals

20 Apr 2024
Barnet Bulldogs 97–78 Liverpool

Final

27 Apr 2024
Essex Rebels II 85–62 Barnet Bulldogs

References

  1. ^ "NBL, WNBL & Jnr. NBL structures announced for 2023/24 season". Basketball England. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Team Solent Kestrels withdraw from NBL Division One". Basketball England. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  3. ^ "2023/24 NBL Awards week: NBL Division One". BasketballEngland.co.uk. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  4. ^ "2023/24 NBL season information". Basketball England. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.