Detroit Panthers (PBL)
Encyclopedia
The Detroit Panthers are an American
minor-league basketball team in the Premier Basketball League
. Formerly a member of the American Basketball Association, the team was previously known as the Detroit Dogs and the Detroit Wheels. The Panthers were one of the charter franchises of the ABA and won the league's first championship as the Detroit Dogs.
, a star with the original ABA in the 1970s. The Dogs finished with a 24-20 record and the best record in the Eastern Division, facing the Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs
in the first round of the playoffs. After trailing for most of the game, Detroit rallied and won 117-112, moving to the second round. In the semifinals, Detroit handled the Indiana Legends
119-105, and advanced to the new ABA's first championship game against the heavily-favored Chicago Skyliners
, owners of a 31-12 record. Detroit would get off to a fast start and easily defeat the Skyliners, 107-91. Gee Gervin (George's son), who led the team during the regular season, won the first-ever ABA Championship Game MVP Award.
During their second season, 2001–02, the Detroit Dogs struggled as a team, losing five games in a row at one point. A late-season rally gave the Dogs a 11-17 record, good enough for fourth place and a playoff spot. The Phoenix Eclipse
promptly eliminated Detroit, 112-97.
In 2005-2006, the Wheels officially came off for Detroit, as they endured the worst season in their history, thanks to various injuries to key players. A long losing streak deposited the Wheels into last place in the Freddie Lewis Division with a 6-17 record. After another losing season and no playoffs, the Wheels were ready to reinvent themselves yet again.
in Detroit on March 14, 2007 http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2007031406005. For unknown reasons, the Panthers did not show up for the game, thus forfeiting the game and their season. (In a press release, the league stated that Detroit was one of five teams that qualified for the playoffs but chose not to compete http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2007031906001 for what league CEO Joe Newman called "valid acceptable reasons.")
for the 2009 season. The Panthers went 6-14. In October 2009, the Panthers announced they'd be sitting out the 2010 PBL season.
* Both Wilmington and Detroit need to make up a game, so Detroit is home for the game although it will be played very near Wilmington's home gym.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
minor-league basketball team in the Premier Basketball League
Premier Basketball League
The Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season and thirteen teams for the 2009 season. Nine teams from Canada and the United States...
. Formerly a member of the American Basketball Association, the team was previously known as the Detroit Dogs and the Detroit Wheels. The Panthers were one of the charter franchises of the ABA and won the league's first championship as the Detroit Dogs.
2000-2002: Detroit Dogs
Initially founded in 2000 as one of the new ABA's charter franchises, the Detroit Dogs quickly became one of the league's better teams. Their first coach was Detroit's own George GervinGeorge Gervin
George "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
, a star with the original ABA in the 1970s. The Dogs finished with a 24-20 record and the best record in the Eastern Division, facing the Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs
Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs
The Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs was an American Basketball Association team based in St. Petersburg, Florida.The team began play in the fall of 2000. The team played in the Bayfront Center Arena. The team played only the 2000-2001 ABA season....
in the first round of the playoffs. After trailing for most of the game, Detroit rallied and won 117-112, moving to the second round. In the semifinals, Detroit handled the Indiana Legends
Indiana Legends
The Indiana Legends were an ABA team from 2000-2002. The owner of the team is current owner & founder Joe Newman. In 2000, the team played in Hinkle Fieldhouse and reached the semifinals in the playoffs, only to lose to the Detroit Dogs....
119-105, and advanced to the new ABA's first championship game against the heavily-favored Chicago Skyliners
Las Vegas Rattlers
The Las Vegas Rattlers were an American Basketball Association team based in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.- 2000-2001: Chicago Skyliners :The Chicago Skyliners were one of the charter franchises of the American Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois. The team began play in the fall of...
, owners of a 31-12 record. Detroit would get off to a fast start and easily defeat the Skyliners, 107-91. Gee Gervin (George's son), who led the team during the regular season, won the first-ever ABA Championship Game MVP Award.
During their second season, 2001–02, the Detroit Dogs struggled as a team, losing five games in a row at one point. A late-season rally gave the Dogs a 11-17 record, good enough for fourth place and a playoff spot. The Phoenix Eclipse
Phoenix Eclipse
The Phoenix Eclipse was an American Basketball Association team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The team began play in the fall of 2001 and played in the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix...
promptly eliminated Detroit, 112-97.
2003-2006: Detroit Wheels
For the 2002-03 season, the ABA took the year off, but returned in the 2003-04 season. In an effort to rebrand themselves, the Detroit Dogs re-named themselves the Detroit Wheels, as a reference to the car-building industry that made the city famous. The Wheels struggled both on and off the court, with several games cancelled due to an inability to secure arena dates (a common problem in the ABA). Detroit managed to play just 12 games and finished with a losing record at 4-8. In 2004-05, they finished with the same record, missing the playoffs for two consecutive years.In 2005-2006, the Wheels officially came off for Detroit, as they endured the worst season in their history, thanks to various injuries to key players. A long losing streak deposited the Wheels into last place in the Freddie Lewis Division with a 6-17 record. After another losing season and no playoffs, the Wheels were ready to reinvent themselves yet again.
2006-2007: Detroit Panthers
As the Detroit Panthers, the team turned things around as they went on a six-game winning streak during the 2006-07 regular season. The Panthers, led by 6'6" guard, Tyrone Mack, finished with a 16-10 record, taking the North Division title, and gearing up for a championship run, according to Panthers' website http://www.detroitpanthers.com/PR-031107.html. In the playoffs, they were slated to face the Peoria KingsPeoria Kings
The Peoria Kings was an expansion team of the American Basketball Association who began play in 2006 and ended play in 2007. They played at The Riverplex....
in Detroit on March 14, 2007 http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2007031406005. For unknown reasons, the Panthers did not show up for the game, thus forfeiting the game and their season. (In a press release, the league stated that Detroit was one of five teams that qualified for the playoffs but chose not to compete http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2007031906001 for what league CEO Joe Newman called "valid acceptable reasons.")
2007: Off Year
After giving up their playoff season, the Detroit Panthers suspended operations for the 2007-08 season, and eventually dropped out of the ABA2008-present: Welcome to the PBL
In the spring of 2008, the team joined the Premier Basketball LeaguePremier Basketball League
The Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season and thirteen teams for the 2009 season. Nine teams from Canada and the United States...
for the 2009 season. The Panthers went 6-14. In October 2009, the Panthers announced they'd be sitting out the 2010 PBL season.
ABA
- 2000-2001: 24-20, W 1st rd. Tampa Bay 117-112,W 2nd rd. Indiana 119-105, W Finals Chicago 107-91
- 2001-2002: 11-17, L 1st round Phoenix 112-97
- 2002-2003: did not play
- 2003-2004: 4-8, missed playoffs
- 2004-2005: 4-8, missed playoffs
- 2005-2006: 6-17, missed playoffs
- 2006-2007: 16-10, forfeited 1st round vs Peoria
- 2007-2008: did not play
Current roster
Head Coach: Terry Sare| # | Pos. | Ht. | Player | Acquired | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
PG | 5'11 | Giovanni Riley | 2008 | Wisconsin-Whitewater UW-Whitewater Warhawks The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks are the athletic teams of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Twenty Warhawk athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III... |
| 3 | |
PG | 6'0 | Brian Woodland | 2008 | Henderson State Henderson State University Henderson State University, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, is a four-year public liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges... |
| 5 | |
PF | 6'8 | Willie Mitchell Willie Mitchell (basketball) Willie Dion Mitchell III is an American professional basketball player. In high school, he was the 1994 Mr. Basketball of Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan and the University of Alabama-Birmingham before becoming a professional. He has had multiple stints in the Continental... |
2008 | Alabama-Birmingham UAB Blazers men's basketball The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I men's college basketball, and have competed in Conference USA since 1995... |
| 10 | |
SF | 6'7 | David Myers | 2008 | Michigan Michigan Wolverines men's basketball The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the... |
| 11 | |
PG | 6'2 | Reginald Riley | 2008 | Newman Newman University Newman University is a coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The university offers both undergraduate and masters level programs.-History:... |
| 14 | |
SF | 6'6 | Tyrone Mack | 2008 | Northwestern Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball The Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team representing Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference. Men's basketball was first introduced at Northwestern in 1901... |
| 22 | |
SG | 6'3 | Kyle Johnson Kyle Johnson (basketball) Kyle Johnson is a British basketball player who currently plays for APOEL in Cyprus.-College career:Johnson's college career spanned four season where he averaged 11.6 points per game whilst making a Long Island University record 124 appearances... |
2008 | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin.... |
| 23 | |
SF | 6'5 | Jasen Hunt | 2008 | Central State Central State University Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:... |
| 30 | |
SG | 6'4 | Micah Kirstein | 2008 | St. Francis (IL) |
| 33 | |
SG | 6'5 | Stane's Bufford | 2008 | Western Michigan Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball The Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school's team competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004... |
| 44 | |
C | 6'6 | Corey Gupton | 2008 | Park Park University Park University is an independent, private institution of higher education based in Parkville, Missouri. Established in 1875 as a small church-related college, it has now expanded into an electronic learning institution and provider of education courses for the U.S... |
| 45 | |
C | 6'9 | Justin Fiori | 2008 | Schoolcraft Schoolcraft College Schoolcraft College is a two-year community college located in Livonia, Michigan with a satellite campus in Garden City, Michigan. Schoolcraft College was established in 1961. Originally named Northwest Wayne County Community College, the name of the college was changed because of the length... |
2009 season schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... /Away Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... |
Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location/Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 3 | Mid-Michigan Destroyers Mid-Michigan Destroyers The Mid-Michigan Destroyers were a franchise in the Premier Basketball League which began play in the 2009 season. Based in Bay City, they trained at the JJKN Hoops Training Center The Mid-Michigan Destroyers were a franchise in the Premier Basketball League which began play in the 2009 season. ... |
Home | 109-114 | Brian Woodland (27) | Brian Woodland & David Myers (7) | Reginald Riley (5) | Groves High School | 1-0 |
| January 4 | Chicago Throwbacks Chicago Throwbacks The Chicago Throwbacks are a team of the Premier Basketball League that begin play in fall 2007. Their home arena is Attack Athletics on Chicago's West Side.... |
Home | 110-106 | Corey Gupton (22) | Stane's Bufford (9) | Brian Woodland & Micah Kirstein (5) | Groves High School | 1-1 |
| January 10 | Mid-Michigan Destroyers | Away | 107-102 | Stane's Bufford (26) | Willie Mitchell Willie Mitchell (basketball) Willie Dion Mitchell III is an American professional basketball player. In high school, he was the 1994 Mr. Basketball of Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan and the University of Alabama-Birmingham before becoming a professional. He has had multiple stints in the Continental... (8) |
Brian Woodland (7) | Bay City Western High School Western High School (Auburn, Michigan) Bay City Western High School is an American high school located at 500 Midland Road, Auburn, Michigan. Its mascot is the Warrior, and its colors are brown and gold. The school fight song consists of music from the march Winchester , with original words written for Western High... |
2-1 |
| January 17 | Battle Creek Knights Battle Creek Knights The Battle Creek Knights are a team in the Independent Basketball Association located in Battle Creek, Michigan. They previously played in the Premier Basketball League and in the International Basketball League.-2005 season:... |
Away | 101-109 | Stane's Bufford (26) | Willie Mitchell (10) | Brian Woodland (4) | Kellogg Arena Kellogg Arena The Kellogg Arena is an 9,800-seat multi-purpose arena in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA. It was built in 1980. It seats 4,675, for basketball games, 4,859, for ice shows, 4,433, for the circus, 1,500, for theatrical shows and concerts, 6,200 for end-stage concerts and 6,500 for center-stage... |
2-2 |
| January 18 | Chicago Throwbacks | Away | 107-119 | James Head James Head James David Head is a Canadian television director.-Cameraman:Head began his career as a cameraman on various film crews. In 1985, he was a second assistant camera for the concert film 9012Live by Yes. In 1987, he was a second assistant camera for the movie Stakeout... (17) |
James Head (10) | Giovanni Riley (3) | Attack Athletics Attack Athletics The Attack Athletics is a state-of-the-art training center that includes 4 NBA regulation courts, and a 1,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Michael Jordan's personal trainer Tim Grover. The facility was designed by Cornerstone Architects Ltd... |
2-3 |
| January 24 | Augusta Groove | Home | 131-115 | Stane's Bufford (27) | Willie Mitchell (10) | Giovanni Riley (9) | Groves High School | 2-4 |
| January 31 | Battle Creek Knights | Home | 119-106 | Brian Woodland (20) | James Head (9) | Brian Woodland (8) | Groves High School | 2-5 |
| February 8 | Chicago Throwbacks | Home | 114-113 | Stane's Bufford (28) | Chuck Bailey (8) | Randy Gill (7) | Groves High School | 2-6 |
| February 13 | Halifax Rainmen | Away | 89-100 | Stane's Bufford (22) | Chuck Bailey (13) | Randy Gill (11) | Halifax Metro Centre Halifax Metro Centre The Halifax Metro Centre was built in 1978, in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The building is next to the World Trade and Convention Centre, at the foot of Citadel Hill. It is the largest arena in Halifax. It originally featured a full ring of bright orange seats around the playing surface,... |
2-7 |
| February 15 | Wilmington Sea Dawgs Wilmington Sea Dawgs The Wilmington Sea Dawgs are a team of the Tobacco Road Basketball League in Wilmington, North Carolina. The Sea Dawgs began play in 2006 as a member of the American Basketball Association and later played as a founding member of the Premier Basketball League and a founding member of the... |
Away | 95-101 | Stane's Bufford (27) | Chuck Bailey (13) | Randy Gill (3) | Schwartz Center Joe and Barbara Schwartz Center The Joe and Barbara Schwartz Center is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. With a capacity of 1,800 people, it is home to the Cape Fear Sea Devils junior college basketball and volleyball teams, and also to the Wilmington Sea Dawgs of... |
2-8 |
| February 20 | Battle Creek Knights | Away | 133-143 | Randy Gill (35) | Chuck Bailey (14) | Randy Gill (5) | Kellogg Arena | 2-9 |
| February 22 | Mid-Michigan Destroyers | Away | 118-103 | Chuck Bailey (30) | Walter Waters (17) | Brian Woodland (10) | Western High School | 3-9 |
| February 28 | Battle Creek Knights | Home | 108-110 | Randy Gill (35) | Chuck Bailey (15) | Randy Gill (14) | Groves High School | 4-9 |
| March 6 | Chicago Throwbacks | Away | 123-116 | Brian Woodland (30) | Randy Gill (5) | Randy Gill (3) | Attack Athletics | 5-9 |
| March 8 | Montreal Sasquatch | Home | 115-119 | Stane's Bufford (26) | Michael Manciel & Walter Waters (13) | Stane's Bufford (6) | Groves High School | 6-9 |
| March 15 | Augusta Groove | Home | 136-132 | Walter Waters (28) | Walter Waters (15) | Brian Woodland & Randy Gill (7) | Groves High School | 6-10 |
| March 21 | Augusta Groove | Away | 119-123 | Brian Woodland (45) | Michael Manciel (12) | Oscar Sanders (5) | Richmond Academy Academy of Richmond County The Academy of Richmond County is a public high school listed on the National Register of Historic Places located in Augusta, Georgia, USA. Originally known as Richmond County Military Academy, and commonly known as Richmond Academy, it was chartered in 1783... |
6-11 |
| March 22 | Wilmington Sea Dawgs | Home* | 110-91 | Stane's Bufford (29) | Walter Waters (12) | Michael Manciel & Brian Woodland (3) | Brunswick Community College | 6-12 |
| March 28 | Wilmington Sea Dawgs | Home | 107-103 | Stane's Bufford (31) | Walter Waters (11) | Brian Woodland (6) | Groves High School | 6-13 |
| March 29 | Wilmington Sea Dawgs | Home | 121-104 | Brian Woodland (41) | Walter Waters (16) | Stane's Bufford (9) | Groves High School | 6-14 |
* Both Wilmington and Detroit need to make up a game, so Detroit is home for the game although it will be played very near Wilmington's home gym.