St. John's Edge
{{short description|Basketball team in St. John's, Canada}}
{{Infobox basketball club
| color1 = #000000
| color2 = #FCD017
| color3 = #1C36AA
| name = St. John's Edge
| current =
| logo = St. John's Edge logo.png
| image_size = 235px
| division =
| founded = 2017
| league = NBL Canada
| history = St. John's Edge
2017–2020
| arena = Mile One Centre
| city = St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
| colours = Navy blue, gold and grey
{{colour box|#1C36AA}} {{colour box|#FCE13C}} {{colour box|grey}}
| president =
| ownership = Atlantic Sport Enterprises Ltd.
(Irwin Simon, Robert Sabbagh)
| gm = Carl English
| coach = Steven Marcus
| championships =
| titles =
| dancers =
| mascot =
| website = {{URL|http://www.sjedge.ca/|sjedge.ca}}
| h_body =
| h_pattern_b =
| h_shorts =
| h_pattern_s =
| a_body =
| a_pattern_b =
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}}
The St. John's Edge were a Canadian professional basketball team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador,{{cite web |url=http://www.thetelegram.com/sports/other-sports/2017/7/14/nbl-canada-approves-team-for-st--john-s--but-there-are-still-hoo.html |title=NBL Canada approves team for St. John's, but there are still hoops to go through |website=The Telegram |date=July 14, 2017}} that competed in the National Basketball League of Canada. From 2017 to 2020, they played home games at Mile One Centre. They were given a leave of absence from the league in 2021 due to not having a suitable home arena after not being given a new lease for Mile One Centre.
History
On September 18, 2017, the city of St. John's approved the team to play at Mile One Centre.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/stjohns-deal-national-basketball-league-1.4295504 |title=St. John's city council approves agreement to bring pro basketball to Mile One |publisher=CBC News |date=September 18, 2017}} The team is owned by Atlantic Sport Enterprises Ltd, then consisting of John Graham with Irwin Simon and Robert Sabbagh.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/irwin-simon-nbl-canada-rob-sabbagh-st-johns-1.4304365 |title=Who is Irwin Simon and why did he buy a basketball team in St. John's? |work=CBC News |date=September 23, 2017}} On September 28, 2017, St. John's named Jeff Dunlap head coach and Doug Plumb assistant coach.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/jeff-dunlap-nbl-canada-nc-state-ncaa-basketball-1.4311631 |title=NCAA veteran to be head coach of St. John's pro basketball team |website=CBC News |date=September 28, 2017}} Due to a couple of teams in Ontario dropping out for the season causing a divisional imbalance and the lateness in the addition of the Edge, the team played its inaugural season as a member of the Central Division with the teams from Ontario.{{cite web|title=St. John's Edge shows off jerseys ahead of pro-basketball debut|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/st-john-s-edge-basketball-new-name-logo-jerseys-1.4356406|website=CBC News|access-date=17 October 2017|language=en}}
The Edge signed Newfoundland native Carl English, who then finished second in the league in points per game and was named league MVP for the 2017–18 season.{{cite web |last1=McCarthy |first1=Brendan |title=Carl English of St. John's Edge named NBL Canada's most valuable player |url=https://www.thetelegram.com/sports/other-sports/carl-english-of-st-johns-edge-named-nbl-canadas-most-valuable-player-199948/ |website=The Telegram |access-date=November 1, 2018 |date=April 7, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Edge Sign Carl English |url=https://sjnbl.prestosports.com/Edge_Sign_Carl_English |publisher=St. John's Edge |access-date=November 1, 2018 |date=November 15, 2017}} The Edge finished the 2017–18 season second in the division and advanced to the division finals in the playoffs before losing to eventual league champions London Lightning. Head coach and general manager Jeff Dunlap departed after the season to take an assistant coach job at California State University, Northridge{{cite web |url=http://nblcanada.ca/sports/mbkb/2017-18/releases/20180523tunjyj |title=Jeff Dunlap Accepts New Coaching Role |work=NBL Canada |date=23 May 2018}} and was replaced by assistant Doug Plumb.{{cite web |title=Doug Plumb Named Edge Head Coach |url=http://sjnbl.prestosports.com/CoachAnnouncement |publisher=St. John's Edge |access-date=November 1, 2018 |date=July 5, 2018}} In June 2018, Carl English took over general manager duties for the Edge, while remaining a player on the team.{{cite web |last1=Brockerville |first1=Ryan |title=Carl English signs himself to 2nd season with St. John's Edge |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/carl-english-st-johns-edge-1.4766758 |publisher=CBC |access-date=November 1, 2018 |date=July 30, 2018}}
Prior to the 2018–19 season, the NBL Canada added another team in Ontario called the Sudbury Five, but lost another in the Niagara River Lions, creating another divisional imbalance and keeping the Edge in the Central Division. The league decided to play as a single table for the regular season to ease the Edge's travel, but still used the team's overall record in the divisional standings for playoff qualification.{{cite web |url=http://nblcanada.ca/sports/mbkb/2017-18/releases/20180910ikxb5q |title=NBLC's 2018-19 Schedule Features Strong Rivalries & Classic Matchups |website=NBLCanada.ca |date=September 10, 2018}} At the start of the season, head coach Doug Plumb was suspended two games for tampering, and was temporarily replaced by assistant Steven Marcus.{{cite web |title=Edge drop home-opener to Magic at Mile One |url=https://www.thetelegram.com/sports/other-sports/edge-drop-home-opener-to-magic-at-mile-one-262364/ |website=The Telegram |access-date=November 24, 2018 |date=November 23, 2018}} On March 19, 2019, Plumb resigned and Marcus was again named the interim head coach.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sjedge.ca/general/edgeheadcoach |title=Edge Head Coach Doug Plumb Steps Down, Steven Marcus Named Interim Head Coach |publisher=St. John's Edge |date=March 19, 2019}} Marcus was retained as head coach for the 2019–20 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thetelegram.com/sports/local-sports/marcus-officially-named-edge-coach-357633/ |title=Marcus officially named Edge coach |website=The Telegram |date=September 27, 2019}} The Edge were placed in the Atlantic Division for the 2019–20 season after the division lost teams in Cape Breton and Saint John, but the season was curtailed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic while the Edge were in second place in their division and no playoffs were held. The league did not hold a 2020–21 season due to the ongoing restrictions during the pandemic.
On July 15, 2021, the Edge were unable to secure a lease with St. John's Sports and Entertainment (SJSE), the group that owns Mile One Centre, and were announced as not returning to the venue for the 2022 season.{{Cite web |url=https://vocm.com/2021/07/15/new-basketball-franchise/ |title=Tentative Deal Reached for New St. John’s Basketball Franchise |website=VOCM (AM) |date=July 15, 2021}} The Edge's ownership had been negotiating with the arena alongside Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE), the majority owner of the arena's hockey tenant Newfoundland Growlers, where DSE would have taken over as primary owner of the Edge upon the lease renewal. DSE chose not to sign the lease as SJSE had included terms that the Edge's debts for the installation of a 360 LED board must be rectified or taken on by DSE.{{cite web |url=https://www.nlgrowlers.com/en/fast-facts |title=FAST FACTS ON THE NEW BASKETBALL DEAL |website=Newfoundland Growlers |date=July 16, 2021}} SJSE instead awarded a lease to an outside ownership group, 2001 Investments Limited, and their American Basketball Association franchise.{{Cite web |url=https://vocm.com/2021/07/15/deacon-sports-st-johns-edge/ |title=City ‘Edges Out’ Dean MacDonald with New Tentative Basketball Deal |website=VOCM |date=July 15, 2021}} On September 10, the sale of the Edge to DSE was approved by the league if an arena deal could be settled.{{cite web |url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/st-johns-edge-wont-be-part-of-national-basketball-league-of-canada-when-it-resumes-play-100654042/ |title=St. John's Edge won't be part of National Basketball League of Canada when it resumes play |website=Saltwire.com |date=November 4, 2021 |quote=However, the deal was never finalized amid the difficulty in finding a suitable home court, meaning Simon and Sabbagh still officially own the Edge.}} DSE stated they were committed to keeping the Edge in the region, but no home arena was announced at the time.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/nbl-canada-tentatively-approves-sale-of-the-st-johns-edge-to-deacon-sports/n-5744592 |title=NBL Canada Tentatively Approves Sale of the St. John's Edge to Deacon Sports |date=September 10, 2021 |website=OurSports Central}}{{cite web |url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/the-question-moves-from-will-the-st-johns-edge-play-to-where-will-they-play-100632963/ |title=The question moves from 'will the St. John's Edge play?' to 'where will they play?' |website=Saltwire.com |date=September 10, 2021}} The Growlers were also evicted from the arena in October 2021 leading an on-going lease dispute between SJSE and DSE. The Edge were granted a leave of absence by the league in November 2021 in order to obtain a new lease{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/nbl-canada-looks-to-rebuild-the-atlantic-division/n-5761108 |title=NBL Canada Looks to Rebuild the Atlantic Division |website=OurSports Central |date=November 4, 2021}} and the sale of the team to DSE was not finalized. After the deal for the Edge fell through, DSE instead struck a deal to operate a new basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, which they also named the Newfoundland Growlers. The team folded shortly after the conclusion of their only season in the CEBL.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/newfoundland-growlers-basketball-cebl-1.6264009 |title=Meet Newfoundland's new pro basketball team, the … Growlers? Yep, the Growlers |website=CBC.ca |date=November 26, 2021}}
Personnel
= Current roster =
{{See also|St. John's Edge all-time roster}}
{{Basketball roster nationality note}}
{{Basketball roster header
| team = St. John's Edge}}|
{{player3 | num = 3 | nat = USA | first = Montay | last = Brandon | pos = SG/SF | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 225 | year = 1993 | month = 09 | date = 03}}
{{player3 | num = 15 | nat = USA | first = Cane | last = Broome | pos = PG | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 165 | year = 1994 | month = 11 | date = 29}}
{{player3 | num = 13 | nat = CAN | first = Murphy | last = Burnatowski | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 229 | year = 1990 | month = 07 | date = 18}}
{{player3 | num = 55 | nat = CAN | first = Junior | last = Cadougan | pos = PG | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 205 | year = 1990 | month = 05 | date = 07}}
{{player3 | num = 7 | nat = USA | first = Mike | last = Edwards | dab = basketball, born 1997 | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 235 | year = 1997 | month = 05 | date = 20}}
{{player3 | num = 2 | nat = USA | first = Jesse | last = Jones | dab = basketball | pos = PG | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 183 | year = 1993 | month = 01 | date = 10 }}
{{player3 | num = 22 | nat = USA | first = Elijah | last = Macon | pos = PF | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 240 | year = 1993 | month = 11 | date = 03}}
{{player3 | num = 9 | nat = CAN | first = Noel | last = Moffat | pos = SF | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 190 | year = 1993 | month = 08 | date = 09}}
{{player3 | num = 4 | nat = USA | first = Ryan | last = Richardson | pos = SG | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 195 | year = 1995 | month = 11 | date = 14 }}
{{player3 | num = 14 | nat = USA | first = Ahmad | last = Thomas | dab = basketball | pos = SG/SF | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 220 | year = 1995 | month = 02 | date = 08}}
{{player3 | num = 20 | nat = USA | first = Karrington | last = Ward | dab = basketball | pos = SG/SF | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 205 | year = 1993 | month = 03 | date = 14}}
{{player3 | num = 1 | nat = CAN | first = Tyrone | last = Watson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 225 | year = 1990 | month = 07 | date = 12}}
{{Basketball roster footer
| head_coach =
- {{player||USA|Steven Marcus}}
|asst_coach =
- {{player||CAN|Jeff Morrison}}
- {{player||CAN|Glen Sooley}}
|team_man =
- {{player||CAN|Carl English}}
| roster_url = https://sjnbl.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/roster
| transaction_url = https://sjnbl.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/news
|accessdate = December 23, 2019
| legend1 = (I) Inactive
}}
=Franchise leaders=
Statistics (regular season) as of the end of the 2017–18 season{{cite web |title=NBL Canada Postseason Media Guide 2017-18 |url=http://www.nblcanada.ca/sports/mbkb/2017-18/files/3524809.pdf |publisher=NBL Canada |access-date=November 4, 2018}}
| class="wikitable" | |
| Statistic | Leader |
|---|---|
| Points | Charles Hinkle (817) |
| Rebounds | Charles Hinkle (248) |
| Assists | Alex Johnson (225) |
| Steals | Charles Hinkle (44) |
| Blocks | Charles Hinkle (21) |
= Notable players =
{{Basketball notable players criteria}}
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Ransford Brempong (2018)
- {{flagicon|ALB}} Rashaun Broadus (2017–2018)
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Junior Cadougan (2018–2020)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Glen Davis (2018–2019)
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Carl English (2017–2019 )
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Grandy Glaze (2017–2018)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Charles Hinkle (2017–2018)
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Alex Johnson (2017–2018)
- {{flagicon|COD}} Chadrack Lufile (2018)
- {{flagicon|JAM}} Ryan Reid (2018)
- {{flagicon|IND}} Satnam Singh (2018–2019)
Season-by-season record
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Season | rowspan="2"|Coach | colspan="5"|Regular season | colspan="5"|Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | GP | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| 2017–18 | Jeff Dunlap | 40 | 25 | 15 | {{winpct|25|15}} | 2nd in Central Division
| 9 | 5 | 4 | {{winpct|5|4}} | Lost in Division Finals |
| 2018–19 | Doug Plumb Steven Marcus | 40 | 21 | 19 | {{winpct|21|19}} | 2nd in Central Division
| 15 | 7 | 8 | {{winpct|7|8}} | Lost League Finals |
| 2019–20 | Steven Marcus | 20 | 11 | 9 | {{winpct|11|9}} | colspan=6 |Season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| colspan="2" |Totals | 100 | 57 | 43 | {{winpct|57|43}} | — | 24 | 12 | 12 | {{winpct|12|12}} | — |
References
{{reflist|30em}}