American Professional Basketball League
The American Professional Basketball League (APBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league that began play in 2010. Originally known as the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL),[1] the league changed their name before the 2012–13 season. The league ceased operations after the 2019 season.[2]
American Professional Basketball League | |
Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | 2010 |
Ceased | 2019 |
Owner(s) | Brian Graham |
No. of teams | 17 |
Country | United States |
Last champion(s) | Beltway Bombers (2019) |
Most titles | Beltway Bombers (3) |
Official website | theAPBL.com |
Teams were located up and down the Atlantic Coast from New York to Northern Virginia.
History
Formed in 2010 as the ACPBL, the league initially was made up of two teams (Buffalo Stampede, Washington GreenHawks) formerly of the Premier Basketball League, three teams (Beltway Bombers, Garden State Rebels, Tru Hope Trailblazers) formerly of the Eastern Basketball Alliance, and three expansion teams (Hudson Valley Kingz, New York Lions, Westchester Wildkatz).
For the 2016-17 season the APBL narrowed its footprint, with the majority of teams in the New York City metro area. Teams departing included the Bay Area Shuckers, Brooklyn Blazers, D.C. Funkhouse, NoVA Hawks, Rockville Victors and Winchester Storm. New teams joining for 2016–17: APBL United (a league-operated free agent team) and the New York Crusaders.
Beltway Bombers captured their second league title in 2017 defeating APBL United 123-105 in the championship game. Derrell Armstrong was named game MVP.
Teams
Team | City | Arena | Founded | First season in APBL |
---|---|---|---|---|
APBL United | Travel team | --- | 2016 | 2016 |
Baltimore Lords of War | Dundalk, Maryland | Sollers Point Multi-Purpose Center | 2018 | 2018 |
Beltway Bombers | La Plata, Maryland | College of Southern Maryland | 2009 | 2010 |
Delaware Eastern Shore Generals | Milford, Delaware | Milford High School | 2017 | 2017 |
Empire State Basketball Club | Westchester, New York | 2017 | 2017 | |
Harford Buccaneers | Baltimore, Maryland | 2018 | 2018 | |
Manhattan Pride | Manhattan, New York | Latino Pastoral Action Center | 2011 | 2011 |
Metropolitan All-Stars | Washington D.C. | 2012 | 2017 | |
New York City Black Eagles | Brooklyn, New York | Williamsburg Community Center | 2012 | 2012 |
New York City 524 | Staten Island, New York | Fastbreak Basketball Center | 2011 | 2011 |
New York Crusaders | Brooklyn, New York | Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts | 2015 | 2016 |
New York Fearless | New York, New York | 2015 | 2015 | |
Ocean 11 Brooklyn | Brooklyn, New York | Williamsburg Charter High School | 2016 | 2016 |
Pelham Bay Legends | The Bronx, New York | 2018 | 2018 | |
Philadelphia Stunnaz | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 2017 | 2017 | |
TE United | New York City, New York | 2018 | 2018 | |
Westchester Power | Westchester, New York | 2018 | 2018 |
Former teams
- Bay Area Shuckers (2011–16)
- Brooklyn All Game (2012–14)
- Brooklyn Blazers (2012–16)
- Brooklyn Firebirds (2012–13)
- Buffalo Stampede (2010–11)
- Capital City Express (2012–14)
- D.C. Drew All Stars (2014)
- D.C. Funkhouse Piranhas (2013–16)
- Garden State Rebels (2010–12)
- Gotham City Revolution (2013–14)
- Hartford Lightning (2011–12)
- Hudson Valley Hype (2014)
- Hudson Valley Kingz (2010–16)
- Long Island United (2014)
- Metropolitan All-Stars (2012–14)
- New Jersey Thunder (2013–16)
- New York Lions (2010–11)
- North Jersey Pros (2011–12)
- NoVA Hawks (2012–16)
- Philadelphia Destroyers (2011–14)
- Rockville Victors (2012–17)
- Toms River Shooters (2011–12)
- Tri-City Suns (2011)
- Tru Hope Trailblazers (2010–11)
- Washington GreenHawks (2010) - team dissolved and replaced by Tri-City Suns in January 2011
- Westchester Wildkatz (2010–11)
- Winchester Storm (2012–16)
Champions
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Tru Hope Trailblazers | Garden State Rebels | 97-96 |
2012 | Beltway Bombers | The Destroyers | 127-118 |
2013 | NYC 524 | Rockville Victors | 118-116 |
2014 | Metropolitan All-Stars | NYC 524 | 95-74[3] |
2015 | New Jersey Thunder | Rockville Victors | 99-98[4] |
2016 | New Jersey Thunder | Hudson Valley Kingz | 100-99 |
2017 | Beltway Bombers | APBL United | 123-105 |
2018 | Delaware Eastern Shore Generals | APBL United | 128-127 |
2019 | Beltway Bombers | New Jersey Thunder | 126-105 (OT) |
League Awards
Season | Most Valuable Player | Coach of the Year |
---|---|---|
2010-11 | Hugh Jones, Beltway Bombers | Emory Addison, Tru Hope Trailblazers |
2011-12 | Antoinne Morgano, Garden State Rebels | Dallas Comegys, The Destroyers |
2012-13 | Fahreed Cheatham, The Destroyers | Jamaal Schools, Rockville Victors |
2013-14 | Aaron Collins, NYC 524 | Alvin Brown, Metropolitan All-Stars |
2014-15 | Semaj Inge, New Jersey Thunder | Kenny Avent, New Jersey Thunder |
2015-16 | Dele Ojo, Rockville Victors | Chaz Dudley, Beltway Bombers |
2016-17 | Shavar Richardson, APBL United | Chaz Dudley, Beltway Bombers |
2017-18 | ||
2018-19 | Derrell Armstrong, Beltway Bombers |
Notable players
Lonny Baxter, Rockville Victors
Adrian Bowie, Bay Area Shuckers[5]
Elyon Bush, Metropolitan All-Stars
Terrance Carter, Metropolitan All-Stars
Fahreed Cheatham, The Destroyers
Kevin Clark, Bay Area Shuckers
Aaron Collins, NYC 524
Edward Jones, NoVA Hawks
Phil Grant, NYC 524
Roman Perez, NYC Black Eagles
Camontae Griffin, Beltway Bombers, Bay Area Shuckers
Doug Herring Jr., Hudson Valley Kingz
Semaj Inge, New Jersey Thunder
Hugh "Baby Shaq" Jones, Rockville Victors
Antoine Morgano, New Jersey Pros
William "Smush" Parker, NYC 524
Dele Ojo, Rockville Victors
Chaz Williams, Brooklyn Blazers
James "Stixx" Williams, NYC 524
References
- "American Professional Basketball League Announces League Structure". HoopCoach.org. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-12-04.
- US Basket https://www.usbasket.com/APBL/news/577321/The-APBL-to-cease-operations. Retrieved 4 June 2019. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - "All-Stars are APBL champions". USBasket.com. 6 May 2014.
- "New Jersey Thunder are crowned champions". USBasket.com. 4 May 2015.
- "Out of the Shell: Interviewing Adrian Bowie". Testudo Times. 30 June 2013.