American Professional Basketball League
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = American Professional Basketball League (APBL)
| logo =File:American Pro Basketball League.jpg
| pixels = 150px
| caption = American Professional Basketball League
| sport = Basketball
| founded = 2010
| folded = 2019
| fame =
| motto =
| teams = 17
| country = United States
| champion = Beltway Bombers (2019){{fact|date=July 2021}}
| most_champs = Beltway Bombers (3){{fact|date=July 2021}}
| website = [http://www.theapbl.com theAPBL.com]
| owner = Brian Graham {{fact|date=July 2021}}
}}
The American Professional Basketball League (APBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league that began play in 2010. Originally known as the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL),{{Cite web|url=http://www.hoopcoach.org/profiles/blogs/american-professional-basketball-league-announces-league |title=American Professional Basketball League Announces League Structure |date=18 October 2012 |website=HoopCoach.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204152236/http://www.hoopcoach.org/profiles/blogs/american-professional-basketball-league-announces-league |archivedate=2014-12-04 }} the league changed its name before the 2012–13 season. The league ceased operations after the 2019 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.usbasket.com/APBL/news/577321/The-APBL-to-cease-operations |website=US Basket |accessdate=4 June 2019|title=US Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings }} Teams were located up and down the Atlantic Coast from New York to Northern Virginia.{{fact|date=July 2021}}
History
Formed in 2010 as the ACPBL, the league initially was made up of two teams (Buffalo Stampede, Washington GreenHawks) formerly of the Premier Basketball League, three teams (Beltway Bombers, Garden State Rebels, Tru Hope Trailblazers) formerly of the Eastern Basketball Alliance, and three expansion teams (Hudson Valley Kingz, New York Lions, Westchester Wildkatz).{{fact|date=July 2021}}
For the 2016-17 season the APBL narrowed its footprint, with the majority of teams in the New York City metro area. Teams departing included the Bay Area Shuckers, Brooklyn Blazers, D.C. Funkhouse, NoVA Hawks, Rockville Victors and Winchester Storm. New teams joining for 2016–17: APBL United (a league-operated free agent team) and the New York Crusaders.{{fact|date=July 2021}} Beltway Bombers captured their second league title in 2017 defeating APBL United 123-105 in the championship game.{{fact|date=July 2021}}
Teams
| class="wikitable" width=75%
! Team ! City ! Arena ! Founded ! First season in APBL |
| APBL United
| Travel team | --- | 2016 | 2016 |
| Baltimore Lords of War
|Sollers Point Multi-Purpose Center |2018 |2018 |
| Beltway Bombers
| College of Southern Maryland | 2009 | 2010 |
| Delaware Eastern Shore Generals
|2017 |2017 |
| Empire State Basketball Club
| |2017 |2017 |
| Harford Buccaneers
| |2018 |2018 |
| Manhattan Pride
| Latino Pastoral Action Center | 2011 | 2011 |
| Metropolitan All-Stars
| |2012 |2017 |
| New York City Black Eagles
| Williamsburg Community Center | 2012 | 2012 |
| New York City 524
| Fastbreak Basketball Center | 2011 | 2011 |
| New York Crusaders
|Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts | 2015 | 2016 |
| New York Fearless
| | 2015 | 2015 |
| Ocean 11 Brooklyn
|Williamsburg Charter High School |2016 |2016 |
| Pelham Bay Legends
| |2018 |2018 |
| Philadelphia Stunnaz
| |2017 |2017 |
| TE United
| |2018 |2018 |
| Westchester Power
| |2018 |2018 |
= Former teams =
- Bay Area Shuckers (2011–16)
- Brooklyn All Game (2012–14)
- Brooklyn Blazers (2012–16)
- Brooklyn Firebirds (2012–13)
- Buffalo Stampede (2010–11)
- Buffalo Warriors (2011–12)
- Capital City Express (2012–14)
- D.C. Drew All Stars (2014)
- D.C. Funkhouse Piranhas (2013–16)
- Garden State Rebels (2010–12)
- Gotham City Revolution (2013–14)
- Hartford Lightning (2011–12)
- Hudson Valley Hype (2014)
- Hudson Valley Kingz (2010–16)
- Long Island United (2014)
- Metropolitan All-Stars (2012–14)
- New Jersey Thunder (2013–16)
- New York Lions (2010–11)
- North Jersey Pros (2011–12)
- NoVA Hawks (2012–16)
- Philadelphia Destroyers (2011–14)
- Rockville Victors (2012–17)
- Toms River Shooters (2011–12)
- Tri-City Suns (2011)
- Tru Hope Trailblazers (2010–11)
- Washington GreenHawks (2010) - team dissolved and replaced by Tri-City Suns in January 2011
- Westchester Wildkatz (2010–11)
- Winchester Storm (2012–16){{fact|date=July 2021}}
Champions
| class="wikitable" width=50% |
| bgcolor="#efefef"
! Year ! Champion ! Runner-up ! Result |
| 2011
| Tru Hope Trailblazers | Garden State Rebels | 97-96 |
| 2012
| Beltway Bombers | The Destroyers | 127-118 |
| 2013
| NYC 524 | Rockville Victors | 118-116 |
| 2014
| Metropolitan All-Stars | NYC 524 |
| 2015
|New Jersey Thunder |Rockville Victors |
| 2016
|New Jersey Thunder |Hudson Valley Kingz |100-99 |
| 2017
|Beltway Bombers |APBL United |123-105 |
| 2018
|Delaware Eastern Shore Generals |APBL United |128-127 |
| 2019
|Beltway Bombers |New Jersey Thunder |126-105 (OT) |
Notable players
Lonny Baxter, Rockville Victors
[http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Adrian_Bowie/136160 Adrian Bowie], Bay Area Shuckers{{Cite web|url = http://www.testudotimes.com/2013/6/30/4478618/out-of-the-shell-interviewing-adrian-bowie|title = Out of the Shell: Interviewing Adrian Bowie|date = 30 June 2013|accessdate = |website = Testudo Times|publisher = |last = |first = }}
William "Smush" Parker, NYC 524
Chaz Williams, Brooklyn Blazers
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.theapbl.com Official APBL website]
{{ACPBL|state=expanded}}
{{Men's professional basketball leagues}}
Category:Defunct basketball leagues in the United States
Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States