Essex Pirates
Encyclopedia
Essex Pirates is currently inactive British Basketball League
team from Southend-on-Sea
, in the county of Essex
. They were founded in 2009 and play their home games at the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
. Following the loss of a major sponsor, the franchise withdrew from the league just two weeks prior to the start of the 2011-12 season
and currently remain inactive, though there are plans to return next year.
had previous flirtations with top-level basketball through the ill-fated Essex Leopards
franchise, still a synonymous name with the area. After mounting costs forced the Greater London Leopards to look away from their traditional London Arena
home, the franchise moved out of London
and settled for a new nest in Brentwood
in 1998. The venture lasted for five seasons before the club folded, to be replaced with the supporter-backed Essex & Herts Leopards in 2004. Though many fans consider it to be a direct continuation of the Leopards name, the new club was, in fact, a separate entity, formed from the rubble of the Ware Rebels. The club have risen to prominence in the lower leagues of the English Basketball League
, and are currently found alternating between venues in Brentwood and Ware in the neighbouring county of Hertfordshire
.
The foundations of the new franchise were already in place through the Essex Basketball Club’s Advanced Apprentice-ship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) basketball training programme which was present at the South East Essex College, and the ambitious plans spearheaded by the programmes’ operator Great Britain
Under 20's coach Tim Lewis.
, formerly of Guildford, London Towers
and Thames Valley Tigers
becoming the first names on the roster. The eventual team sheet would be one centred around young, homegrown players, with the roster being predominantly British ranging from the ages of 20 to 26.
The new team took to their home court at Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
for the first time on October 3, in a home league encounter with London Capital
, eventually going on to win a tight affair 61-60, despite being up 49-37 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Pirates 6ft11 forward Alan Metclalfe led the games’ scoring with 21 points, while Pablo Rodrigo and Colin Sing both fouled out within the last 2 minutes. Pirates secured their first away win a few weeks later on October 15, with a 82-88 victory against the Worthing Thunder
, Taner Adu
of the Pirates posted 29 points for the visitors. On November 27, the club announced the signing of former Plymouth Raiders
guard, Haggai Hundert.
Notes:
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Randy George Haggai Hundert Marcus Knight Walid Mumuni Pablo Rodrigo Dean Williams
David Celestini
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
team from Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, in the county of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. They were founded in 2009 and play their home games at the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre was built in March 1996, with the centre expanding in November 2010 adding Southend Swimming and Diving Centre to the site, with a brand new reception area linking the two centres together, with state-of-the-art, self-swiping turnstiles...
. Following the loss of a major sponsor, the franchise withdrew from the league just two weeks prior to the start of the 2011-12 season
2011–12 British Basketball League season
The 2011–12 season is the 25th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. This season features 11 teams competing, with Durham Wildcats appearing in their first campaign after election from EBL Division 1, whilst the League will not feature Worthing Thunder,...
and currently remain inactive, though there are plans to return next year.
Basketball in Essex
Prior to the creation of the Pirates franchise in 2009, the county of EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
had previous flirtations with top-level basketball through the ill-fated Essex Leopards
Essex Leopards
The Essex Leopards, or just Leopards as they were more commonly known, was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League...
franchise, still a synonymous name with the area. After mounting costs forced the Greater London Leopards to look away from their traditional London Arena
London Arena
The London Arena was an indoor arena and exhibition centre, on the Isle of Dogs, in East London, England...
home, the franchise moved out of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and settled for a new nest in Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
in 1998. The venture lasted for five seasons before the club folded, to be replaced with the supporter-backed Essex & Herts Leopards in 2004. Though many fans consider it to be a direct continuation of the Leopards name, the new club was, in fact, a separate entity, formed from the rubble of the Ware Rebels. The club have risen to prominence in the lower leagues of the English Basketball League
English Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
, and are currently found alternating between venues in Brentwood and Ware in the neighbouring county of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
The foundations of the new franchise were already in place through the Essex Basketball Club’s Advanced Apprentice-ship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) basketball training programme which was present at the South East Essex College, and the ambitious plans spearheaded by the programmes’ operator Great Britain
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
Under 20's coach Tim Lewis.
Pirates set sail
The application to the British Basketball League, the country’s top league, was formally accepted on June 11, 2009, as well as plans to operate several initiatives alongside the BBL team and the existing AASE programme, included an England Basketball Division Four development team and a non-profit community coaching company to deliver coaching into primary schools across the county. The following months saw plenty of action and preparation in time for the inaugural season, and the club announced their first signings in August, with the inclusion of Spaniard starlet Pablo Rodrigo, British international Kyle Dodds and BBL veteran Dean WilliamsDean Williams (basketball)
Dean Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
, formerly of Guildford, London Towers
London Towers
London Towers was a professional basketball team based in London, England. They were one of the most successful and recognised British sports teams of the 1990s, collecting many titles in the British Basketball League as well as regularly competing in European competitions such as the Euroleague...
and Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
becoming the first names on the roster. The eventual team sheet would be one centred around young, homegrown players, with the roster being predominantly British ranging from the ages of 20 to 26.
The new team took to their home court at Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre
Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre was built in March 1996, with the centre expanding in November 2010 adding Southend Swimming and Diving Centre to the site, with a brand new reception area linking the two centres together, with state-of-the-art, self-swiping turnstiles...
for the first time on October 3, in a home league encounter with London Capital
London Capital
London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team based in London, England...
, eventually going on to win a tight affair 61-60, despite being up 49-37 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Pirates 6ft11 forward Alan Metclalfe led the games’ scoring with 21 points, while Pablo Rodrigo and Colin Sing both fouled out within the last 2 minutes. Pirates secured their first away win a few weeks later on October 15, with a 82-88 victory against the Worthing Thunder
Worthing Thunder
Worthing Thunder is a basketball team from Worthing, England. Founded in 1999, until recently they competed in the top-tier British Basketball League, having previously having dominated the lower leagues in recent years, winning back-to-back English Basketball League Division One titles in 2006 and...
, Taner Adu
Taner Adu
Taner Adefemi Adu is a professional basketball player who played college basketball for the University of New Orleans in the NCAA and is a former Plymouth Raiders and Essex Pirates player in the British Basketball League. Taner currently has 11 caps for the England Basketball Team.-References:...
of the Pirates posted 29 points for the visitors. On November 27, the club announced the signing of former Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
guard, Haggai Hundert.
Season-by-season records
| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pld. | W | L | Pts. | Play Offs | Trophy | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Pirates | |||||||||
| 2009–2010 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|12th | 36 | 7 | 29 | 14 | DNQ | ||
| 2010–2011 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|12th | 33 | 1 | 32 | 2 | DNQ | ||
Notes:
- DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.
Current roster
The following information is established according to the official websites of the team (www.essexpirates.com) and of Britain's top professional league, the BBLBritish Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Notable former players
Josh ClarkJosh Clark
-Biography:Clark was born in Bethesda, Maryland. He studied acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts.His first screen role was in the 1976 TV movie The Other Side of Victory...
Randy George Haggai Hundert Marcus Knight Walid Mumuni Pablo Rodrigo Dean Williams
Dean Williams (basketball)
Dean Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
David Celestini
External links
- Official Essex Pirates site
- Essex Pirates photos from Pixel8 Photos
- Essex Pirates on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Essex Pirates on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Essex Pirates news from The Echo