London Towers

BBL team
color1 = #000000
color2 = #FFFF00
name = London Towers

imagesize = 200px
sponsor = Noray Properties
league = English Basketball League
Division 3 (South)
established = 1984
history = Tower Hamlets
1984-1989
London Docklands
1989-1991
London Towers
1991-present
arena = Harris Sports Centre
(Capacity: Unknown)
location = London, Greater London
coach = flagicon|UK Gary Lyttle
ownership = flagicon|Greece Costi Zombanakis
colours = Yellow, Black and White
website = [http://www.london-towers.co.uk/ London-Towers.co.uk]
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The London Towers is a basketball team which currently plays in the English Basketball League Division 3 (South). The current first team was formed out of the reserve team of the professional senior team, who pulled out of Britain's top league, the BBL, in the summer of 2006.

Franchise history

High risers

Established as Tower Hamlets, in the borough of the same name, the London-based team entered NBL Division 2 in 1984. By 1989 they finished eleventh, out of the eleven teams in the league and were due to be relegated. However, the BBL was suffering a membership crisis at the time, and was about to be reduced to just seven teams. With the newly built Docklands Arena available as a possible venue not too far from the team's roots, the Tower Hamlets franchise was admitted to Britain's top professional league as capital's representatives, London Docklands, for the 1989/90 season.

On the move again

The following season, the Docklands Basketball team left the big Arena as they, in common with other basketball teams at the time, struggled with the cost of a big arena rent. They returned 'home' to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and the Newham Leisure Centre, although their first two seasons yielded just three League victories.

The Towers rise

It was 1991 when the franchise which came to sit astride British basketball finally gained its most well-known label. Renamed London Towers, but still playing at Newham, the club's fortunes turned around in the 1991/92 season, as they finished fourth, and a move to the Sobell Sports Centre in Islington saw them finish third in 1993. In 1994 they moved to the Wembley Stadium Complex, and it was there that they enjoyed their best seasons, winning five titles in two seasons, from 1995 to 1997.

Euro Trip

The 1997-98 season saw the Towers make the European debut appearance, competing in the Euro Cup, however all did not go to plan and the London team were shamed with a 1-9 record in Group E, finishing in last place. The Towers made another appearance in Europe in 2001 where they took part in the prestigious Euroleague, but again the Towers collapsed with a 0-14 record, good enough only for 8th place in Group B.

Moving in Together

Once more though, in 1998 the Towers arena proved too big to pay for and the team moved out of Wembley, "merging" with fellow BBL team Crystal Palace and splitting games between the two arenas until in 1999 they moved full time to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

In 2005, the Towers launched a second team in the English Basketball League as a stepping-stone for their development players. In their first season in Division 3, the team finished runners-up.

The End?

Plans for their own Arena, linking with their community and development work, have been rumoured for several years, but in 2006, the London Towers first team pulled out of BBL, for a "one year break". As a result, the development team now acts as the first team, and the club still operates all of is youth and development teams. Such a step has been taken in the past by teams from both Manchester and Derby and neither has returned to the top league. Rumours abound that the new Croydon Arena in Croydon, South London, will provide the Towers with a new home upon completition.

Home arenas

:London Arena (1989-1991):Newham Leisure Centre (1991-1992):Sobell Sports Centre (1992-1994):Wembley Arena (1994-1999):Crystal Palace Sports Centre (1999-2007):Harris Sports Centre [http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/CentreDetails.asp?cat=33] (2007-present)

Trophies

*1995/96 League Champions, National Cup Winners, League Trophy Winners
*1996/97 Championship Winners, League Trophy Winners
*1998/99 Tournament of Champions Winners, Championship Winners
*1999/00 Southern Conference Champions, League Trophy Winners
*2000/01 Tournament of Champions Winners, Southern Conference Champions

Players

Current roster

"The numbers are established according to the official websites of the team ( [http://www.london-towers.co.uk www.london-towers.co.uk] )."

"As of November 10 2006"

External links

* [http://www.london-towers.co.uk/ Official London Towers website]