Cheshire Phoenix Basketball Team

Cheshire Phoenix is a professional basketball team based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. The team competes in the British Basketball League (BBL) and plays their home games at the Cheshire Oaks Arena.

History

The team was established in 1984 as the Ellesmere Port Jets before changing their name to Cheshire Jets in 1988. In 1994, the club moved to the Northgate Arena in Chester and rebranded as the Chester Jets, during which time they experienced their most successful period. The team reverted back to their original name, Cheshire Jets, in 2007, to encompass the entire county.

In 2012, the club underwent financial difficulties, but was rescued by fans and local businesses, leading to its rebranding as Cheshire Phoenix, a Community Interest Club (CIC). The team has been a member of the British Basketball League (BBL) since its inception and plays home games at the Cheshire Oaks Arena in Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

The Cheshire Phoenix are run by a board of directors and supported by a dedicated volunteer base, which is integral to the team’s identity. The club is committed to achieving success on and off the court, evidenced by its efforts to promote healthy lifestyles and basketball among young people through programs like Hoops4Health.

Looking ahead, Cheshire Phoenix seeks to build upon its successes over the past few years and continually improve each season.

Arena

Cheshire Phoenix plays their home games at the Cheshire Oaks Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,400.

Rivalries

The team has a local rivalry with the Manchester Giants, with whom they compete for the title of the best team in the North West of England.

Ownership

Cheshire Phoenix is a more community-based model than other BBL franchises, being a registered Community Interest Company, ran by its board of directors and supported by a dedicated volunteer base.

Notable Players

Cheshire Phoenix has had many notable players over the years, perhaps none more-so than Billy Singleton. Singleton is the 4th leading scorer in BBL history & 5th leading rebounder, while being 3rd in field goal percentage, playing for the team for 8 seasons, while being player-coach for 2.

They also signed former NBA player Julius Hodge in 2014.

Current Head Coach

The current head coach of Cheshire Phoenix is Ben Thomas, who took over the position in 2017 on an interim basis, before being given the role permanently in the 2017-18 season.

Former Head Coaches

Former head coaches of Cheshire Phoenix include John Coffino, John Lavery, Matt Lloyd, and Robbie Peers.

Cheshire Phoenix All-Time Statistical Leaders

Record	Record Holder	Number
Appearances	James Hamilton	258
Points	Calvin Davis	3754
Rebounds	Calvin Davis	1955
Assists	James Hamilton	608
Steals	James Hamilton	426
Blocks	Calvin Davis	299

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