Huish Tigers

The origins of a basketball team in Taunton stem back to the late 1980s. In 1990, the team were called Taunton Community Basketball Club competing in South West Division Two. Ronnie Heath joined as a player and coach and by 1992 the team had rebranded as Taunton Tigers.{{cite web|last1=Yabsley|first1=Paul|last2=Heath|first2=Ronnie|title=Starting Tigers and the growth of Basketball in Somerset|url=https://somersetbasketball.co.uk/updates/starting-tigers-and-the-growth-of-basketball-in-somerset|date=9 October 2017|publisher=Somerset Basketball League|accessdate=26 February 2025}}

During the 1990s, the team progressed up through the local leagues coached by Ian Hunt before competing in the National Basketball League. Taunton Tigers were founder-members of the new NBL Division Three in 1997. Finishing in a respectable fifth place they were promoted to Division Two, as the higher divisions were expanding. The move proved fully justified, as they finished runners-up in 1999 and won the playoffs moving the team straight into Division One.

Regrettably, the conclusion of the 2000-01 season saw a league reorganisation, and despite finishing eighth, they were relegated to NBL Division Two. With Division One now divided into the Conference and NBL 1, this effectively became the fourth tier.

Although they finished third in NBL 2 South in 2002, the constant changes in division had stretched their resources, and they chose to withdraw from the league to guarantee their survival for another opportunity to play in the national league.{{cite web |url=http://pawprint75.co.uk/Clubs/taunton_tigers.htm |title=Taunton Tigers|publisher=Pawprint Basketball Services|accessdate=3 March 2025|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226205410/http://pawprint75.co.uk/Clubs/taunton_tigers.htm|archivedate=26 December 2008}}

Rejoining the national league Division Three West in 2004-05 saw the team perform well, earning them third place overall. Under coach Ronnie Heath, they won back to back promotions in 2005–06 and 2006–07 to propel them from NBL Division Three,{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0506.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2005/06 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124412/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0506.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }} to NBL Division One. The club finished eighth in the league in their maiden season, avoiding relegation.{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0708.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2007/08 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124433/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0708.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }}

The following 2008-09 season brought disappointment, just two wins were recorded in the league, and they finished bottom, missing out on the post-season.{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0809.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2008/09 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124439/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0809.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }} Despite this, they remained in the top division for the following 2009-10 season which was expanded to twelve teams. The team won twelve league matches and seventeen overall, and enjoyed their greatest success in Division One.{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0910.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2009/10 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124445/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men0910.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }}

At the club's annual general meeting in 2010, it was revealed that the club was heavily in debt. The club's committee resigned, and combined with a number of key players announcing their retirement, the club were forced to withdraw from Division One. England Basketball would not let the club drop to Division Two, and instead the club had to move to Division Four.{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/news/1011/30-09-10.asp |title=A new era dawns for the Taunton Tigers |publisher=Taunton Tigers |date=30 September 2010 |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124452/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/news/1011/30-09-10.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012}}

In 2010-11, the team won their first season in Division Four South West, recording seven wins in the league and thirteen overall,{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men1011.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2010/11 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124457/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men1011.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }} and competed in Division Three South in the 2011–12 season, but came seventh.{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men1112.asp |title=Taunton Tigers Mens Team 2011/12 |publisher=Taunton Tigers |accessdate=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401124638/http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/men1112.asp |archivedate=1 April 2012 }}

From 2010-17, the Taunton Tigers Basketball Charity (1137558) helped fund team activities and associated community projects. When this was disbanded, all funds were transferred to the Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP).{{cite web|url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5010370/full-print|title=Taunton Tigers Basketball Club Charity Number:1137758|publisher=Charity Commission for England and Wales|accessdate=28 February 2025}}

In 2013, the Taunton Tigers became the Huish Tigers being based at the Richard Huish College following a long partnership together.{{cite web|title=Tigers Basketball - Richard Huish College|url=https://www.huish.ac.uk/tigers/basketball/|accessdate=25 February 2025}}

In 2017-18 and 2018-19, the team were runners up in the National Basketball League Division Four South West. In 2019-20 the team played in the NBL Division Three South West coming fourth overall.{{cite web|title=Standings - England Basketball|url=https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/leagues/nbl/standings|publisher=England Basketball|accessdate=26 February 2025}} Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic the remaining 2020-21 season was cancelled.{{cite web|title=Lockdown: Non-elite season cancelled, Covid testing for elite {{!}} Basketball England|url=https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/news/2021/lockdown-non-elite-season-cancelled-covid-testing-for-elite/|date=13 January 2021|accessdate=2 May 2025|website=Basketball England}}

Since 2021, the team has competed in the Somerset Basketball League (SBL).{{cite web|url=https://somersetbasketball.co.uk/competitions/|title=Somerset Basketball Competitions|publisher=Somerset Basketball League| accessdate=25 February 2025}} In 2021-22 and 2024-25 Huish Tigers were the SBL league and playoff champions, runners up in the 2022-23 playoffs and third place in the 2023-24 league.{{cite web|title=Huish Tigers Senior Men|url=https://somersetbasketball.co.uk/team/huish-tigers-senior-men/|accessdate=25 February 2025}}

{{cite web|url= http://www.englandbasketball.co.uk/articles/article.aspx?aid=146&pid=387|title=Results Archive - Senior Men -League|publisher=England Basketball|accessdate=28 February 2025|url-status=dead |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20120815052330/http://www.englandbasketball.co.uk/articles/article.aspx?aid=146&pid=387 |archivedate=15 August 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/teams/|title=Taunton Tigers Teams|publisher=Taunton Tigers|accessdate=25 February 2025}}

Notes:

• From 2000-2003 the NBL Conference operated as the second tier league, ahead of Division One.
• In 2003 the NBL was replaced by the EBL, which reinstated Division One as the second tier.

Taunton Tigers played at multiple venues across Taunton mostly due to having multiple teams and not owning their own venue:{{cite web|title=Venues - Taunton Tigers Basketball Club|url=https://www.tauntontigers.co.uk/venues/|accessdate=25 February 2025}}

• Blackbrook Leisure Centre
• Somerset College of Arts and Technology
• Wellsprings Leisure Centre

Taunton Tigers moved into the newly opened Wellsprings Leisure Centre in 2004{{cite web|url=https://everyoneevents.com/ee-venues/taunton-event-venues/wellsprings-leisure-centre/|title=Wellsprings Leisure Centre|publisher=Everyone Events|accessdate=5 March 2025}} and made it their home venue until 2012.

• Richard Huish College

Taunton Tigers utilised Richard Huish College for some matches moving into the college's inflatable sports dome in August 2006. In 2013, they were succeeded by Huish Tigers, who now play in the Sycamore sports hall which opened in January 2017 replacing the sports dome.{{cite web|title=Facilities|url=https://www.huish.ac.uk/about-huish/facilities/|publisher=Richard Huish College|accessdate=28 February 2025}}{{cite news|author=|title=New £1.9m sports hall for Taunton's Richard Huish College|url=https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/13925911.new-19m-sports-hall-for-tauntons-richard-huish-college/|newspaper=Somerset County Gazette|date=30 October 2015|accessdate=28 February 2025}}

• WEBBA Division One Winners: 1994/95 & 1995/96
• NBL Division Two Runners Up: 1998/99
• EBL Division Three South West Runners Up: 2005/06
• EBL Division Four South West Winners: 2010/11
• EBL Division Four South West Runners Up: 2017/18 & 2019/20
• SBL Champions: 2021/22 & 2024/25

• NBL Division Two Playoff Winners: 1998/99
• EBL Division Two Playoff Finalists: 2006/07
• SBL Playoff Champions: 2021/22 & 2024/25
• SBL Playoff Finalists: 2022/23

• West of England Men's Cup: 1995/96, 1996/97, 1999/2000 & 2000/01

• Patrons Cup 2nd Place: 2005/06 & 2006/07

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.huish.ac.uk/tigers/basketball/ Official Huish Tigers website]

• [http://www.facebook.com/tauntontigersbasketball Tigers Basketball] on Facebook

• [https://somersetbasketball.co.uk/team/huish-tigers-senior-men/ Huish Tigers Somerset Basketball League Profile]

• [http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk Official Taunton Tigers website (Archive)]

Category:Basketball teams in England

Category:Former British Basketball League teams

Category:Sport in Taunton

Category:Basketball teams established in 1992