Crystal Palace (basketball)

Crystal Palace was a basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL) and then the British Basketball League (BBL), until they merged with the London Towers in 1998. They played in the Crystal Palace Sports Centre and were the most successful team in Britain throughout the seventies and early eighties.^[1]

History

In 1966 the Old Suttonians basketball club was founded by several ex pupils of Sutton Grammar School including David Last and Terry Doherty who both performed the role of director of the club in future years.^[2] In 1972 the club entered the new National League as Sutton basketball club and finished third of six teams. the following season they relocated to Crystal Palace and became the Sutton & Crystal Palace club. Success arrived quickly with a league and cup double the very next season.

In 1975 the club dropped the Sutton prefix and gained sponsorship from Cinzano which helped propel them into being the best club in Britain. The team would go on to complete three consecutive doubles of National League and National Cup.^[3] The team became regarded as the pioneers of UK basketball and their early players included Jim Guymon, Martin Hall, Mark Saiers, Pete Jeremich and Paul Philp. An incredible treble ensued in the 79-80 season and other players to represent the club included players such as Dan Lloyd, Bob Roma, Paul Stimpson, Mick Bett and Alton Byrd, the latter considered the man who revolutionised basketball in Britain.^[4] Further success followed and it was not until the advent of Channel 4 TV coverage and big spending football club takeovers that Palace lost their mantle as top club.
In September 1986 Crystal Palace and Brunel Uxbridge & Camden Ducks joined forces with fixtures being split between the Crystal Palace Sports Centre and Brunel University.^[5] Immediate glory returned to the club when after finishing fourth in the league they went on to win the 1987 play Off's but after just one season the club ran into financial difficulty and were forced to sell many players and change their name back to just Crystal Palace.^[6]

Following the completion of the 1988 season the club dropped out of the Carlsberg League into the National League before failing to compete for the first time in the 1990/91 season. A return to action came the following season when Crystal Palace lined up in the third division of the revamped Carlsberg League finishing runners up to another former basketball giant the Solent Stars.

The 1993–1994 season saw Budweiser sponsor tier 1 of the league which as a consequence meant the National League was restructured moving Palace into division one where they finished Runner-up to Coventry Crusaders. The following season Alton Byrd returned to the club as player/general manager kick starting a successful season as they won Division One.^[7] The league win was repeated the following year because Palace had remained in the National League after their application to join the Budweiser League (tier 1) was rejected.

In 1996 a return to the top tier in for the first time since 1988 ensued. After two mediocre seasons the club merged with London Towers and the name Crystal Palace (the most successful UK basketball club in history at the time) ceased to exist.

Season-by-season records

Season	Div.	Pos	Pld.	W	L	Pts.	Play-offs	Trophy	Cup
Sutton & Crystal Palace
1973–1974	NBL	Winners	14	13	1	26	N/A	N/A	Winners
1974–1975	NBL	Runner-up	18	16	2	34	N/A	N/A	Runner-up
Crystal Palace
1975–1976	NBL	Winners	18	17	1	35	N/A	N/A	Winners
1976–1977	NBL	Winners	18	18	0	36	N/A	N/A	Winners
1977–1978	NBL	Winners	18	18	0	36	N/A	N/A	Winners
1978–1979	NBL	Runner-up	20	16	4	32	Winners	N/A	Runner-up
1979–1980	NBL	Winners	20	18	0	36	Winners	N/A	Winners
1980–1981	NBL	Runner-up	18	16	2	36	Runner-up	N/A	Winners
1981–1982	NBL	Winners	22	20	2	40	Winners	N/A	Quarter-finals
1982–1983	NBL	Winners	24	21	3	42	Runner-up	N/A	Semi-finals
1983–1984	NBL	Runner-up	36	25	11	50	Semi-finals	N/A	Semi-finals
1984–1985	Carlsberg League 1	10th place	26	10	16	20	DNQ	N/A	Quarter-finals
1985–1986	Carlsberg League 1	5th place	28	17	11	33	Third Place	N/A	First round
Brunel & Crystal Palace London
1986–1987	Carlsberg League 1	4th place	24	17	7	35	Winners	N/A	Quarter-finals
Crystal Palace
1987–1988	Carlsberg League 1	15th place	28	2	26	4	DNQ	Group stage	Second round
1988–1989	Carlsberg League 1	11th place	20	2	18	4	DNQ	Group stage	Quarter-finals
1989–1990	National League 1	3rd place					Third place	N/A	Second round
1991–1992	National League 3	2nd place	22	18	4	36
1992–1993	National League 2	3rd place	22	16	6	32
1993–1994	National League 1	Runner-up	18	12	6	24
1994–1995	National League 1	Winners	22	21	1	42
1995–1996	National League 1	Winners	22	22	0	44
1996–1997	Budweiser League	12th place	36	5	31	10
1997–1998	Budweiser League	11th place	36	8	28	16

Notable former players

• Alton Byrd
• Mark Saiers
• Paul Stimpson
• Dan Lloyd
• Pete Jeremich
• Mick Bett
• Jim Guymon
• Bob Roma
• Paul Philp
• Richard Scantlebury

References

1. Matthews & Morrison, Peter & Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records & Results. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
2. "Nicholas Harling. "Good win in new home." Times [London, England] 7 Oct. 1986: 46". The Times Digital Archive.
3. "Men's Senior League Winners". Basketball England.
4. "Where are they now?". sfgate.com.
5. ""Clubs join forces." Times [London, England] 4 Sept. 1986". The Times Digital Archive.
6. "Julian Desborough. "Players sold as Palace battle for survival." Times [London, England] 9 Sept. 1987". The Times Digital Archive.
7. ""Byrd moves to Palace." Times [London, England] 11 Aug. 1994". The Times Digital Archive.

See also

• British Basketball League
• London Towers
• List of English National Basketball League seasons