American Professional Basketball League (APBL)
American Professional Basketball League
SportBasketball
Founded2010
Ceased2019
Owner(s)Brian Graham
No. of teams17
CountryUnited States
Last
champion(s)		Beltway Bombers (2019)
Most titlesBeltway Bombers (3)
Official websitetheAPBL.com

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),[1] the league changed its name before the 2012–13 season. The league ceased operations after the 2019 season.[2] Teams were located up and down the Atlantic Coast from New York to Northern Virginia.

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).

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. Beltway Bombers captured their second league title in 2017 defeating APBL United 123-105 in the championship game.

Teams

Team City Arena Founded First season in APBL
APBL United Travel team --- 2016 2016
Baltimore Lords of War Dundalk, Maryland Sollers Point Multi-Purpose Center 2018 2018
Beltway Bombers La Plata, Maryland College of Southern Maryland 2009 2010
Delaware Eastern Shore Generals Milford, Delaware Milford High School 2017 2017
Empire State Basketball Club Westchester, New York 2017 2017
Harford Buccaneers Baltimore, Maryland 2018 2018
Manhattan Pride Manhattan, New York Latino Pastoral Action Center 2011 2011
Metropolitan All-Stars Washington D.C. 2012 2017
New York City Black Eagles Brooklyn, New York Williamsburg Community Center 2012 2012
New York City 524 Staten Island, New York Fastbreak Basketball Center 2011 2011
New York Crusaders Brooklyn, New York Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts 2015 2016
New York Fearless New York, New York 2015 2015
Ocean 11 Brooklyn Brooklyn, New York Williamsburg Charter High School 2016 2016
Pelham Bay Legends The Bronx, New York 2018 2018
Philadelphia Stunnaz Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2017 2017
TE United New York City, New York 2018 2018
Westchester Power Westchester, New York 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)

Champions

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 95-74[3]
2015 New Jersey Thunder Rockville Victors 99-98[4]
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

Adrian Bowie, Bay Area Shuckers[5]

William "Smush" Parker, NYC 524

Chaz Williams, Brooklyn Blazers

References

  1. ↑ "American Professional Basketball League Announces League Structure". HoopCoach.org. October 18, 2012. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ "US Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings". US Basket. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ "All-Stars are APBL champions". USBasket.com. May 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ "New Jersey Thunder are crowned champions". USBasket.com. May 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Out of the Shell: Interviewing Adrian Bowie". Testudo Times. June 30, 2013.
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