PRESS PACK BBL CUP FINAL 2018 www.bbl.org.uk #BRITISHBASKETBALL Contents SCHEDULE ………………………… PAGE 3 THE COMPETITION ………………………… PAGE 4 & 5 HISTORY OF THE FINAL ………………………… PAGE 6 THE ROAD TO THE FINAL ………………………… PAGE 7 GAME RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 8 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 9, 10 & 11 WORCESTER ROSTER ………………………… PAGE 12 CHESHIRE ROSTER ………………………… PAGE 13 TEAM STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 14 & 15 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 16 CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 17 CLUB HISTORY: WORCESTER ………………………… PAGE 18 CLUB HISTORY: CHESHIRE ………………………… PAGE 19 WORCESTER FIXTURES ………………………… PAGE 20 CHESHIRE FIXTURES ………………………… PAGE 21 HEAD TO HEAD RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 22 PAST MEETINGS ………………………… PAGE 23 & 24 2 SCHEDULE 11:30PM: DOORS OPEN 12:06PM: WBBL CUP FINAL Nottingham Wildcats V Caledonia Pride 2:00PM: BBL SLAM DUNK COMPETITION 3:40PM BBL CUP FINAL Worcester Wolves V Cheshire Phoenix INCUDING A SPECIAL HALF TIME PERFORMANCE FROM PLANET JUMP ROPE 5:20PM (approx.): POST-GAME PRESENTATIONS 5:30PM (approx.): POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE 3 The competition The BBL Cup is a straight knock-out competition comprising of the 12 BBL teams. Prior to the 2003-04 season, the BBL clubs were participants in the National Cup, alongside clubs from the national leagues. This is the sixteenth year the Cup Final has been held at Arena Birmingham. Prior to the 2014-15 season, the venue was known as the National Indoor Arena before under-going a £26 million makeover, adding a high-class spectator experience to the amazing action-packed entertainment on court. This is the fifteenth season of the competition in its current format. Esh Group Eagles Newcastle (5 times), Sheffield Sharks (3 times), and Leicester Riders (2 times) are the only three teams to have won the competition more than once. Sheffield Sharks won the inaugural BBL Cup in 2004. The current holders are Esh Group Eagles Newcastle who defeated Glasgow Rocks in the 2017 Cup Final. This is the first Cup Final in six years not to feature Esh Group Eagles Newcastle. Rahmon Fletcher holds the most MVP awards for a BBL Cup Final, all with Newcastle (2015, 2016, 2017). Esh Group Eagles Newcastle hold the most amount of BBL Cup Final appearances in the competition’s history (8). Glasgow Rocks hold 5 appearances whilst Sheffield and Leicester are tied with 3 appearances each. In its fifteen-year history, the BBL Cup Final has never gone into overtime. Four previous finals have come close to heading into overtime. The 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2014 Final saw a winning margin of just 3 points by the two finalist teams. Today, Cheshire will make their second appearance in a Cup Final, having previously made the 2010 Final, then known as Cheshire Jets, losing 86-89 to Sheffield Sharks. This is the very first BBL Cup Final appearance that Worcester Wolves have made. History is guaranteed to be written here today as a win for either Worcester or Cheshire will make it the first ever BBL Cup Final either team has won. The BBL Cup competition got underway on in October with eight BBL teams competing in the First Round (the other four receiving a bye into the Quarter Finals). Cheshire began their journey to the final by first overcoming Bristol Flyers in a close 82-79 encounter. Worcester also began with a strong 101-80 win over Manchester, and London thumped to a 105-67 win over Leeds and Surrey narrowly defeated Plymouth 74-71. 4 In the Quarter Finals, Cheshire narrowly defeated 2017 Cup winners Esh Group Eagles Newcastle by just a single point, 80-79, whilst Worcester comfortably made it into the Semi- Finals with a 97-85 victory over 2017 Runners Up Glasgow Rocks. London ended Leicester’s hopes for another Cup Final appearance with a 67-59 victory, and Sheffield set Surrey home with a 93-64 win. In the Semi-Finals, Cheshire achieved a remarkable turnaround to ensure their trip to Birmingham. Having lost 87-74 in the first leg, many had already written off Cheshire’s chances of seeing their second Cup Final appearance, but thanks to a game high 23 points from Orlan Jackman, Cheshire never let London lead in the contest and were able to take control throughout, and over their 13-point deficit to an 83-67 win away from home. Worcester’s Semi Final clash with DBL Sharks Sheffield was a more comfortable affair compared to Cheshire’s, earning a 10-point advantage in the first leg with a 102-92 win, and then finishing it off with a 71-65 win in the second leg, booking in their first ever BBL Cup Final appearance. 5 HISTORY OF THE FINAL SEASON WINNERS RUNNERS-UP RESULT MVP 2003/2004 Sheffield Sharks Scottish Rocks 83-70 Lynard Stewart (Sheffield) 2004/2005 Brighton Bears Scottish Rocks 90-74 Andrew Alleyne (Brighton) 2005/2006 Newcastle Eagles London Towers 93-69 TJ Walker (Newcastle) 2006/2007 Guildford Heat Scottish Rocks 81-78 Brian Dux (Guildford) 2007/2008 Milton Keynes Lions Newcastle Eagles 69-66 Kevin Griffin (Milton Keynes) 2008/2009 Everton Tigers Plymouth Raiders 103-49 Andre Smith (Everton) 2009/2010 Sheffield Sharks Cheshire Jets 89-86 James Hamilton (Sheffield) 2010/2011 Sheffield Sharks Mersey Tigers 93-66 Steve Dagostino (Sheffield) 2011/2012 Newcastle Eagles Plymouth Raiders 115-94 Charles Smith (Newcastle) 2012/2013 Leicester Riders Newcastle Eagles 85-80 Jay Couisnard (Leicester) 2013/2014 Leicester Riders Newcastle Eagles 72-69 Andrew Sullivan (Leicester) 2014/2015 Newcastle Eagles Glasgow Rocks 84-71 Rahmon Fletcher (Newcastle) 2015/2016 Newcastle Eagles Leicester Riders 94-82 Rahmon Fletcher (Newcastle) 2017/2018 Newcastle Eagles Glasgow Rocks 91-83 Rahmon Fletcher (Newcastle) 6 ROAD TO THE FINAL FIRST ROUND Bristol Flyers 79 – 82 Cheshire Phoenix Worcester Wolves 101 – 80 Manchester Giants London Lions 105 – 67 Leeds Force Surrey Scorchers 74 – 71 Plymouth Raiders QUARTER-FINALS Leicester Riders 59 – 67 London Lions Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 79 – 80 Cheshire Phoenix DBL Sharks Sheffield 93 – 64 Surrey Scorchers Glasgow Rocks 85 – 97 Worcester Wolves SEMI-FINALS Cheshire Phoenix 74 – 87 London Lions London Lions 67 – 83 Cheshire Phoenix (Cheshire Phoenix win on aggregate 157-154) Worcester Wolves 102 – 92 DBL Sharks Sheffield DBL Sharks Sheffield 65 – 71 Worcester Wolves (Worcester Wolves win on aggregate 173-157) FINAL Worcester Wolves v Cheshire Phoenix 7 GAME RECORDS The most points scored in a BBL Cup Final is as follows: By a winning side - 115 Newcastle vs. Plymouth 2012 By a losing side - 94 Plymouth vs. Newcastle 2012 Combined - 209 Newcastle 115-94 Plymouth 2012 The least points scored in a BBL Cup Final is as follows: By a winning side - 81 Guildford vs. Scottish R 2007 By a losing side - 49 Plymouth vs. Everton 2009 Combined - 135 Milton Keynes 69-66 Newcastle 2008 The largest/smallest winning margin in a BBL Cup Final is as follows: Largest - 54pt Everton 103-49 Plymouth 2009 Smallest - 3pt Guildford 81-78 Scottish R 2007 3pt Milton Keynes 69-66 Newcastle 2008 3pt Sheffield 89-86 Cheshire 2010 3pt Leicester 72-69 Newcastle 2014 The most/least points in a quarter/half are as follows: 1st quarter most 35 Newcastle vs. Plymouth 2012 1st quarter least 9 Milton Keynes vs. Newcastle 2008 Combined most 55 Newcastle 35-20 Plymouth 2012 Combined least 22 Milton Keynes 9-13 Newcastle 2008 2nd quarter most 31 Sheffield vs. Cheshire 2010 2nd quarter least 9 Scottish R vs. Guildford 2007 Combined most 54 Newcastle 28-26 Plymouth 2012 Combined least 35 Scottish R 9-26 Guildford 2007 3rd quarter most 31 Newcastle vs. Plymouth 2012 3rd quarter least 6 Plymouth vs. Mersey 2009 Combined most 59 Newcastle 31-28 Plymouth 2012 Combined least 28 Scottish R 11-17 Guildford 2007 28 Plymouth 6-22 Mersey 2009 4th quarter most 38 Cheshire vs. Sheffield 2010 4th quarter least 12 Milton Keynes vs. Newcastle 2008 Combined most 63 Cheshire 38-25 Sheffield 2010 Combined least 33 Milton Keynes 12-21 Newcastle 2008 1st half most 63 Newcastle vs. Plymouth 2012 1st half least 22 Plymouth vs. Mersey 2009 Combined most 109 Newcastle 63-46 Plymouth 2012 Combined least 61 Milton Keynes 33-28 Newcastle 2008 2nd half most 53 Mersey vs. Plymouth 2009 53 Newcastle vs. Leicester 2016 2nd half least 27 Plymouth vs. Mersey 2009 Combined most 100 Newcastle 52-48 Plymouth 2012 Combined least 71 Sheffield 37-34 Scottish R 2004 8 individual RECORDS Most Appearances in a Final Darius Defoe 6 Newcastle Eagles (6) Fabulous Flournoy 6 Newcastle Eagles (6) Andrew Sullivan 4 Newcastle Eagles, Mersey Tigers, Leicester Riders (2) Charles Smith 4 Newcastle Eagles (4) Rahmon Fletcher 3 Newcastle Eagles (3) Andrew Bridge 3 Newcastle Eagles (3) Anthony Martin 3 Plymouth Raiders (2), Newcastle Eagles James Jones 3 Mersey Tigers (2), Plymouth Raiders Lynard Stewart 3 Sheffield Sharks, London Towers, Newcastle Eagles Olu Babalola 3 Newcastle Eagles, Mersey Tigers, Sheffield Sharks Perry Lawson 3 Newcastle Eagles, Sheffield Sharks, Mersey Tigers Yorick Williams 3 Brighton Bears, Milton Keynes Lions, Leicester Riders Most Wins in a Final Darius Defoe 4 Newcastle Eagles (4) Fabulous Flournoy 4 Newcastle Eagles (4) Yorick Williams 3 Brighton Bears, Milton Keynes Lions, Leicester Riders Adrian Anderson 2 Sheffield Sharks (2) Andrew Bridge 2 Newcastle Eagles (2) Andrew Sullivan 2 Newcastle Eagles, Leicester Riders Ashley Chanderley 2 Sheffield Sharks (2) Atiba Lyons 2 Sheffield Sharks (2) Michael Tuck 2 Sheffield Sharks (2) Olu Babalola 2 Mersey Tigers, Sheffield Sharks Perry Lawson 2 Newcastle Eagles, Sheffield Sharks Ryan Patton 2 Sheffield Sharks (2) Most MVP wins in a Final Rahmon Fletcher 3 Newcastle (3) Most Points in a Game Charles Smith 39 Newcastle vs. Plymouth 2012 Steve Dagostino 35 Sheffield vs. Mersey 2011 Joe Chapman 29 Newcastle vs.