Basketball Skegness

Skegness Basketball, formerly known as the Skegness Sealions, are an English basketball team playing in the British Pro-Amateur League Upper Division, Lincolnshire Section. The team play at the Skegness Sports Centre, and are coached by local school teacher Paul Cooke.

The 2006-2007 season

The season of 2006-2007 was probably one of the worst since the club was formed in early 1994. 'The Sealions' (as previously known) played in the Lockets Conference 3rd Division, Central West Section however a hapless season saw them finish 10th (last) in the league, with just three wins to their name all season. One of crumb of comfort the team could have taken from the season was that they gained home victories over local rivals the Louth Yellow-Bellies and Louth United. The team also gained a surprise away win at eventual 3rd placed Hunstaton Hatters in the penultimate game of the season, with a 68-65 victory in Norfolk. These victories could not cover up the horrific season the club suffered. Skegness suffered heavy defeats to the Lincoln Tigers (twice, both at home), the Sleaford Tigers plus not to mention a home defeat to lower league side the Horncastle Trojans in a Lincolnshire Challenge Cup game on Christmas Eve of 2006. The final game of the campaign was against relegation threatened Basketball Hull. Hull needed to win by eight points or more to survive and send the Ipswich Ioians down. However Hull could only manage a 76-72 over time victory as they found themselves relegated with Skegness. The end-of-season woe was worsened by the news that after 161 games in charge, coach Tony Winter was leaving to spend more time with his family during weekends, when he would usually be coaching Skegness. Winter has coached Skegness since 2002, winning just twenty-seven of his 161 games in charge.

Bad Records

Due to 2 consecutive poor seasons, Skegness had recorded some rather unwanted statistics.
* Skegness has won just 5 out of their last 63 games
* Skegness have won just 2 out of their last 39 away games
* Skegness have not won two games consecutively since April 2002. All these poor records led some people to give Skegness the affectionate term of 'The worst team in English non-league basketball'

History

The 'Skegness Sealions' were formed in 1994 by then player, soon to be coach, Tony Winter. Skegness entered the Non-League 2nd Division, North-West Section in the 1994-1995 season. Skegness were then relegated in 1997, but were promoted back up to the 2nd Division, Lincolnshire region in 2001. Despite a solid 2001-2002 campaign, the Sealions were dropped down a division due to the re-structure of English non-league basketball in 2002. Skegness finished 7 out of 11 in the league, but with the bottom five being forced down a division, Skegness were then placed into the Conference 3rd Division, Central West Section. This relegation is something that Skegness have seemingly yet to recover from, having only won 15 games since their forced demotion. The Sealions dropped into the British Pro-Amateur Leagues finally in 2007, after five years of struggle. The British Pro-Amateur Leagues, are also known as 'basketball's answer to The Sunday League in soccer.'

The name change

After the exit of long-serving coach Tony Winter in May 2007, new coach Paul Cooke decided to change the name of the Skegness Sealions, hoping to breathe a fresh new life into the club. He wanted a neutral, 'sensible' name, therefore opting for 'Skegness Basketball' The change will come into force for the club's debut season in the British Pro-Amateur League,Upper Division, Lincolnshire Section,starting in September 2007.

The future

Skegness are now planning for the 2007-2008 season, hoping for a quick return to the non-league pyramid. Coach Paul Cooke is searching the schools of Skegness, hoping to find a new breed of youngsters that will join the club. On 21 May 2007, Skegness Basketball confirmed they would be staying at the Skegness Sports Centre. For the 2007-2008 season, co-Pro-Am League team the MAT (Mablethorpe and Trusthorpe) Tykes will play at the Skegness Sports Centre as their home ground is being re-developed.

Fixtures 2007-2008

The following is a list of the confirmed fixtures for Basketball Skegness during the 2007-2008 season. All home games to be played at the Skegness Sports Centre. All are league games unless stated. Skegness' score is written first.

*Sat 5 Oct: CLEETHORPES GLORY (H)Won 57-53
*Fri 12 Oct: Scunthorpe College (A, BBLNS1stperlimrnd)Won 68-59
*Sat 13 Oct: CROWLE (H)Won 61-60 (After 2OT)
*Tue 16 Oct: Cleethorpes Glory (A, BBLNS2ndperlimrnd) Lost 54-58
*Fri 19 Oct: MAT Tykes (A)Lost 60-65
*Sun 21 Oct: Hunstaton Hatters (A, Friendly)Lost 54-76
*Mon 22 Oct: Horncastle Trojans (A)Lost 61-63
*Sat 27 Oct: HORNCASTLE TROJANS (H)Won 71-65
*Sat 3 Nov: LINCOLN COLLEGE (H)Lost 62-69
*Sun 4 Nov: Army Lincoln (A)Lost 57-73
*Fri 9 Nov: Crowle (A)Won 65-62
*Sat 10 Nov: IMMINGHAM AND KILLINGHOLME (H)Won 66-57
*Sun 11 Nov: Cleethorpes Glory (A)Lost 58-69
*Fri 16 Nov: MAT Tykes (A)Lost 72-75
*Sun 18 Nov: ARMY LINCOLN (H)Lost 64-84
*Wed 21 Nov: Trusthorpe Youths (A, Lincolnshire ChallCup)Won 62-47
*Sat 24 Nov: CLUB SPALDING (H)Won 69-66 (After OT)
*Mon 26 Nov: Horncastle Trojans (A)Lost 62-64
*Thu 29 Nov: Lincoln College (A Lost 58-65
*Sat 1 Dec: ARMY LINCOLN (H, Friendly)Lost 54-61
*Fri 7 Dec: Immingham and Killingholme (A)Lost 53-54
*Sat 8 Dec: Woodhall Spa (A) Won 70-60
*Sat 15 Dec: CLEETHORPES GLORY (H, Lin.Pro-Am Upper Cup)Lost 61-64
*Mon 17 Dec: Immingham and Killingholme (A,LPROAMCUP)Won 62-51
*Sat 22 Dec: LINCOLN COLLEGE (H)Lost 57-75
*Mon 24 Dec: Woodhall Spa (A, Lin. Pro-AM Upper Cup)Won 72-68
*Sat 29 Dec: MAT Tykes (H)Lost 62-72
*Wed 2 Jan: Club Spalding (A)Won 69-63
*Sat 5 Jan: IMMINGHAM AND KILLINGHOLME (H, LPROAMCUP) Won 67-66
*Sat 12 Jan: WOODHALL SPA (H)Lost 59-65
*Tue 15 Jan: Lincoln College (A)Won 64-60
*Sat 19 Jan: HORNCASTLE TROJANS (H, LPROAMCUP) Won 82-53
*Sun 20 Jan: Cleethorpes Glory (A, LPORAMCUP)Won 61-56
*Thu 24 Jan: Cleethorpes Glory (A)Lost 58-68
*Sat 26 Jan: WHITBY REDCARS (H, Friendly)Won 72-70
*Fri 1 Feb: Horncastle Trojans (A, LPROAMCUP)Lost 54-59
*Sun 3 Feb: MAT TYKES (H)Lost 61-68
*Sat 9 Feb: LINCOLN COLLEGE (H)Lost 57-63
*Sun 10 Feb: Army Lincoln (A)Lost 49-71
*Thu 14 Feb: WOODHALL SPA (H, LPROAMCUP) Won 67-60
*Sat 16 Feb: HORNCASTLE TROJANS (H)Won 71-67
*Mon 18 Feb: Woodhall Spa (A)Lost 61-64
*Sat 23 Feb: ARMY LINCOLN (H)Won 82-75
*Fri 29 Feb: Club Spalding (A)Won 66-56
*Sun 2 Mar: IMMINGHAM AND KILLINGHOLME (H)Won 58-44
*Sun 9 Mar: CLUB SPALDING (H)Won 64-63
*Sat 15 Mar: CLEETHORPES GLORY (H)Lost 53-59
*Fri 21 Mar: CROWLE (H)Lost 67-81
*Sun 23 Mar: Immingham and Killingholme (A)Lost 59-68
*Sat 29 Mar: WOODHALL SPA (H)Won 75-69
*Thu 3 Apr: Cleethorpes Glory (A)
*Sat 5 Apr: LINCOLNSHIRE PRO-AM UPPER FINAL
*Sat 12 Apr: Crowle (A)
*Sun 13 Apr: Immingham and Killingholme (A)
*Sat 19 Apr: MABLETHORPE MARROONS (H, Friendly)

The 2007-2008 season

2007-2008 has been a slightly better season for Skegness. They have won 14 out of their 35 league games so far and finished second in their group for the Lincolnshire Pro-Am Upper Cup, just missing out on the Semi-Final group stage by points difference to the Cleethorpes Glory. Skegness currently sit in 7th place out of the 10 teams competing in the Lincolnshire Pro-Am Upper Section. Hopes of an immediate promotion back to the non-league pyramid were ended after a poor late 2007. Relegation looked on the cards around February but a good run has helped Skegness to stay clear of the drop zone. They finish the season with three away games, needing one win to be mathmatically safe from relegation. James Smith has been the standout performer for Skegness, producing 21 MVP performances so far. Paul Cooke has developed Skegness into a young, talented team, giving the 50 strong home supporters reasons to be cheerful after years in the shadows of English basketball