Battle Creek Flight

The Battle Creek Flight are a team in the Independent Basketball Association (IBA) located in Battle Creek, Michigan. They previously played in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) and in the International Basketball League. The team was known as the Battle Creek Knights prior to the 2013–14 season.

Battle Creek Flight
Founded2004
LeagueIBL (2004–08)
PBL (2008–09)
IBL (2009–10)
IBA (2011–present)
Team historyBattle Creek Knights
(2004–2013)
Battle Creek Flight
(2013–present)
Based inBattle Creek, Michigan
ArenaKellogg Arena
2004–present
ColorsBlack, Silver, Orange
OwnerScott Niecko
Head coachTerry Sare
Championships1 (2005: IBL)
Division titles2 (2005: IBL, 2009: PBL)
DancersIllegal Motion
MascotSir Jam A Lot

2005 season
Previous logo used from 2004 to 2013

The Knights lived up to their nickname of "The IBL's Power Team", by beating opponents by an average of 128–114. The Knights were led in scoring by Mike Williams, at 22.4 ppg. The Knights were undefeated in the regular season, and won the championship game, beating the Dayton Jets 124–121, for a final record of 21–0.

In addition to being the IBL's power team on the court, the Knights also led the league in attendance. Playing at Kellogg Arena, crowds of 2,500+ were not uncommon, and the team drew 1,854 to the championship and All-Star game, which they hosted. Three Knights made the all-star team; Bobby Madison, Jamal Gooding, and Mike Williams.

2006 season

The 2006 Knights were a victim of the IBL's expansion. The team finished 11–10, respectable, yet a far cry from being undefeated. The team lost their only playoff game 144–139 to the Holland Blast, an expansion team. Again, three all-stars were named, Logan Vander Velden, Mike Williams, and Jay Youngblood. Youngblood was also in the top 25 scorers, averaging 22.0 ppg (he also played part of the season with the Cuyahoga Falls Cougars. After the season, coach Williams resigned and was replaced by former Knight Logan Vander Velden.

2007 season

With Vander Velden at the helm, the Knights began to regain their winning ways, and locked into the 5th seed for the IBL playoffs, where they were eliminated by the defending champion Elkhart Express in the East final.

2008 season

The Knights started off with a 1–4 record, but rebounded to eventually end the regular season with a record of 9–11. The Knights opened the playoffs with a win against the Elgin Racers 116–100, only to fall to the Elkhart Express in the Eastern Conference finals 130–147.

During the off season, the Knights announced a switch to the winter playing Premier Basketball League (PBL).[1]

2009 season

In their first year in the PBL, the Knights reeled off 12 straight wins before falling on the road to the Wilmington Sea Dawgs. They would lose only one other game and finish with a regular season record of 18–2, taking first place in the PBL's Central Division. However, after controversy in the PBL championship series against the Rochester Razorsharks, the Knights left the PBL, first announcing they were taking a year off, but later changing that to playing in the IBL for 2010.

Current roster

As of December 27, 2013

Head Coach: Terry Sare

# Pos. Ht. Player Acquired College
34 F 6'7" Antione Lundy 2012 South Alabama
23 G 6'4" Tihon Johnson 2012 Mountain State
5 G 6'4" Dave Boykin 2012 Bridgeport
– PG 5'10" Ameer Watts 2012 Missouri Southern State
1 PG 5'10" Marcus Lancaster 2012 Montevallo
7 F 6'5" Corey Massey 2011 Alma
11 PG 6'2" Ben Fuller 2012 Liberty
10 SF 6'5" Randon Dyer 2011 Did not attend college

2009 season schedule
Date Opponent Score High points High rebounds High assists Location (Att.) Record
January 2 Chicago Throwbacks W 120–113 Rashi Johnson, Kenny Langhorne (19) Florentino Valencia (11) Rashi Johnson (11) Kellogg Arena (1,257) 1–0
January 8 Wilmington Sea Dawgs W 96–95 Kenny Langhorne (24) Chris Gaines (9) Rashi Johnson (6) Kellogg Arena 2–0
January 10 at Chicago Throwbacks W 106–94 Rashi Johnson (25) Rashi Johnson, Chris Wesby (5) Rashi Johnson (5) Attack Athletics 3–0
January 17 Detroit Panthers W 109–101 Rashi Johnson (24) Jason Arbet, Chris Wesby (7) Rashi Johnson (10) Kellogg Arena 4–0
January 19 Augusta Groove W 107–98 Florentino Valencia (18) Florentino Valencia (11) Rashi Johnson (10) Kellogg Arena 5–0
January 24 at Mid-Michigan Destroyers W 120–116 Kenny Langhorne (29) Kenny Langhorne (10) Jeremy File, Deon Rose, Coleco Buie, Chris Gaines, Rashi Johnson (1) Western High School 6–0
January 31 at Detroit Panthers W 119–106 Kenny Langhorne (23) Jeremy File (6) Jeremy File, Rashi Johnson (4) Groves High School 7–0
February 5 Quebec Kebs W 104–101 Kenny Langhorne (20) Coleco Buie, Rashi Johnson (6) Rashi Johnson (5) Kellogg Arena 8–0
February 6 Chicago Throwbacks W 117–112 Kenny Langhorne (19) Jason Arbet (9) Rashi Johnson (12) Kellogg Arena 9–0
February 13 at Quebec Kebs W 94–86 Kenny Langhorne (23) Florentino Valencia (14) Allen White, Frank Phillips, Jason Arbet (1) Pavillon de la Jeunesse 10–0
February 19 Mid-Michigan Destroyers W 131–111 Kenny Langhorne (19) Kenny Langhorne (7) Rashi Johnson (12) Kellogg Arena 11–0
February 20 Detroit Panthers W 143–133 Coleco Buie (32) Frank Phillips (7) Rashi Johnson (15) Kellogg Arena 12–0
February 22 at Wilmington Sea Dawgs L 121–117 Kenny Langhorne (21) Rashi Johnson (7) Frank Phillips, Rashi Johnson (5) Schwartz Center 12–1
February 27 Buffalo Stampede W 114–90 Kenny Langhorne (24) Frank Phillips (10) Rashi Johnson (7) Kellogg Arena 13–1
March 1 at Detroit Panthers L 110–108 Florentino Valencia (19) Frank Phillips (9) Jeremy File (5) Groves High School 13–2
March 8 at Chicago Throwbacks W 114–109 Florentino Valencia (20) Rashi Johnson (10) Rashi Johnson (7) Attack Athletics 14–2
March 13 Chicago Throwbacks W 123–120 Chris Gaines (21) Deon Rose (10) Rashi Johnson (7) Kellogg Arena 15–2
March 22 at Augusta Groove W 122–97 Kenny Langhorne (24) Frank Phillips (7) Jason Arbet, Frank Phillips (3) Richmond Academy 16–2
March 27 at Chicago Throwbacks W 121–95 Rashi Johnson (38) Kenny Langhorne, Rashi Johnson (5) Rashi Johnson (5) Attack Athletics 17–2
March 28 at Buffalo Stampede W 109–106 Kenny Langhorne (23) Florentino Valencia (10) Rashi Johnson (8) Koessler Athletic Center 18–2
Playoffs
Semifinal series
April 3 at Wilmington Sea Dawgs L 112–108 Rashi Johnson, Frank Phillips (22) Frank Phillips (14) Rashi Johnson (7) Schwartz Center 18–3
April 5 Wilmington Sea Dawgs W 111–90 Kenny Langhorne (20) Kenny Langhorne (7) Rashi Johnson (8) Kellogg Arena 19–3
April 6 Wilmington Sea Dawgs W 119–112 Rashi Johnson (24) Frank Phillips (1) Rashi Johnson (10) Kellogg Arena 20–3
PBL Finals
April 19 at Rochester Razor Sharks L 152–115 Coleco Buie (24) Kenny Langhorne (8) Rashi Johnson (6) Blue Cross Arena 20–4

Season results
YearWinsLossesPct.Finish
20052101.0001st – East Division
20061110.524T-5th – East Division
2007149.6093rd – East Division
20081012.4554th – East Division
2009182.9001st – Central Division

2005 – IBL Champions

All-Stars

2005
  • Jamel Gooding
  • Bobby Madison
  • Mike WIlliams

2006
  • Jamel Gooding
  • Logan Vander Velden
  • Jay Youngblood

2007
  • Isaac Jefferson
  • Nick Zachery

2008
  • Bobby Madison

References
  1. "Premier Basketball League Welcomes Battle Creek Knights". Our Sports Central. 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.