Plymouth Raiders

BBL team
color1 = #FFFFFF
color2 = #008000
name = Plymouth Raiders

imagesize = 200px
sponsor = Wrigleys
league = British Basketball League
established = 1983
history = Plymouth Raiders
1983-present
arena = Pavilions
(Capacity: 1,480)
location = Plymouth, Devon
coach = flagicon|UK Gary Stronach
ownership = PLC
colours = Green, White and Black
website = [http://www.plymouthraiders.com/ PlymouthRaiders.com]
h_body = 008000
h_pattern_b = _thinwhitesides
h_shorts = 008000
h_pattern_s = _whitesides
a_body = FFFFFF
a_pattern_b = _thingreensides
a_shorts = 008000
a_pattern_s = _blanksides

The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Airwaves Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Plymouth Pavilions arena and compete in the professional British Basketball League.

Franchise history

Plymouth Raiders entered the English National Basketball League in 1983 and were the longest serving team in the league before exiting to join the British Basketball League in 2004.

Since season 1996/97 they had been one of the top teams in National Basketball League Division 1 and the Conference League and winners of both league and play-off titles. The Conference was the original Division 1 league for clubs who could meet the highest standards in English basketball but this league has now reverted to being called Division 1.

Season 1985/86 saw their first chance for a championship - reaching the final of the National Trophy, a feat that they also achieved in 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999. Their best league position prior to winning the Conference league in 2000/01 was 2nd place in seasons 1996/97, 1997/98 and 1998/99 and winning through to the play off finals in each of these three seasons. More than 500 Plymouth fans travelled to Wembley Arena to see them win the play-off championship in 1997 and again in Guildford in 1999. A feat which the Raiders repeated yet again at Wembley in 2001when they added this trophy to the NBL Conference League Trophy.

The Raiders home court is at the Plymouth Pavilions. With its state-of-the-art technical facilities it provides the ideal environment for the basketball enthusiast. The result being that Raiders play their games to packed houses with in some instances games sold out weeks before the event.

Over the years Raiders have carried out considerable coaching and development programmes not only in the city of Plymouth but also throughout the counties of Devon and Cornwall. These culminated in the setting up of the Raidercoach Basketball Academy in September 1998 an extremely successful venture bringing top quality coaching to the children of the two counties.

In 2004 Plymouth Raiders were elected to join the British Basketball League, the top tier of basketball in the United Kingdom.

In 2008 Plymouth Raiders reached the playoffs in the BBL for the first time in their history, they finished in 3rd place after losing to Guildford Heat in the semi finals and beating Newcastle Eagles in the 3rd/4th place play offs.

Home arenas

:Mayflower Centre (1983-1991):Torbay Leisure Centre (1991-1992):Mayflower Centre (1992-1996):Plymouth Pavilions (1996-present)

eason-by-season records

Notes:
*From 2000-2003 the NBL Conference operated as the second tier league, ahead of Division One.
*In 2003 the NBL was replaced by the EBL, which reinstated Division One as the second tier.
*In 2004 Plymouth stepped up to the fully professional BBL, the country's top tier league.
*DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.

Trophies

League

* NBL Conference Winners: 2000/01 1
* EBL Division One Winners: 2003/04 1
* NBL Division One Runners Up: 1996/97, 1997/98 & 1998/99 3
* NBL Conference Runners Up: 2001/02, & 2002/03 2

Playoffs

* NBL Division One Play Off Winners: 1996/97, & 1998/99 2
* NBL Conference Play Off Winners: 2000/01 1
* EBL Division One Play Off Runners Up: 2003/04 1

Trophy

* National Trophy Runners Up: 1985/86, 1993/94, 1996/97, 1997/98 & 1998/99 5
* BBL Trophy Winners: 2006/07 1

Cup

* National Cup Winners: 2003/04 1
* BBL Cup Winners' Cup Runners Up: 2007/08 1

Players

Current roster

"The numbers are established according to the official websites of the team ( [http://www.plymouthraiders.com www.plymouthraiders.com] ) and Britain's top professional league, the BBL ( [http://www.bbl.org.uk www.bbl.org.uk] )."

"As of December 13 2007"

Plymouth Raiders II

The club also operates a reserve team called Plymouth Raiders II, or officially as Teazers Plymouth Raiders II for sponsorship reasons. The team was established in 2004, after Raiders' senior team departed from the EBL to join the professional BBL. In their rookie season Raiders II won EBL Division 3 West, with just two defeats, and were promoted to English Basketball League Division 2, the third-tier of National League competition, where they finished in sixth place.

Raiders II often play home games at the Pavilions prior to the senior team, and fans who pre-book tickets for BBL games can watch Raiders II for free.

Notable former players

*flagicon|USA Carlton Aaron
*flagicon|USA Todd Cetnar
*flagicon|Canada flagicon|Greece Nick Chatzinikolis
*flagicon|Sudan flagicon|UK Deng Deng
*flagicon|USA Trent Forbes
*flagicon|UK Rob Harper
*flagicon|UK Gareth Laws
*flagicon|Nigeria Daniel Okonkwo
*flagicon|USA Solomon Sheard
*flagicon|UK Gary Stronach
*flagicon|Canada flagicon|UK Chris Webber
*flagicon|UK Roderick Wellington
*flagicon|UK Dean Williams
*flagicon|UK Mark Leach

External links

* [http://www.plymouthraiders.com Official Plymouth Raiders website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/plymouthraiders Plymouth Raiders on MySpace]