Allentown Jets
Encyclopedia
Allentown Jets | |
Founded | 1957, as Wilmington Jets |
League | EPBL Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :... 1958-1970 EBA Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :... 1970-1978 CBA Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :... 1978-1981 |
Arena | Rockne Hall, Allentown Central Catholic High School Allentown Central Catholic High School Allentown Central Catholic High School is a private, parochial school located at 301 North Fourth Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States... , Allentown, Pa. |
Team History | Wilmington Jets 1957-1958 Allentown Jets 1958-1979 Lehigh Valley Jets 1979-1981 |
Championships | 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976 |
Division Titles | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 |
The Allentown Jets were a minor league basketball team that played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
from 1958 to 1981. The team was one of the most dominant franchises in CBA/Eastern League history, winning eight playoff championships and twelve division titles.
Originally formed in 1957 as the Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
Jets, the team relocated in 1958 to Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. Among the Jets' top players were center Roman "Big Daddy" Turmon, rebounder Harthorne Wingo
Harthorne Wingo
Harthorne Nathaniel Wingo is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Friendship Junior College, Wingo played four seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the New York Knicks...
, and 3-point specialist Brendan McCann & Bill "BO" White. The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
inducted Richard Koffenberger, who played for the team in Wilmington. The Jets had a working agreement with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, who sent several players to Allentown for playing time.
In 1964, the Jets played an interleague contest with the Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
Tackers of the Midwest Professional Basketball League. The Jets won 138-136, winning the only minor league "World Series of Basketball" interpromotional game ever held.
In 1979, the franchise rebranded itself as the "Lehigh Valley Jets," in an effort to greater regionalize its fanbase; however, after the 1980-81 season the Jets closed up for good.
Year-by-year
Year | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|
1958/59 | EPBL | 8th | Did not qualify |
1959/60 | EPBL | 3rd | Semifinals |
1960/61 | EPBL | 1st | Finals |
1961/62 | EPBL | 1st | Champions |
1962/63 | EPBL | 1st | Champions |
1963/64 | EPBL | 1st | Semifinals |
1964/65 | EPBL | 4th | Champions |
1965/66 | EPBL | 3rd, Eastern | Quarterfinals |
1966/67 | EPBL | 2nd, Western | Semifinals |
1967/68 | EPBL | 1st | Champions |
1968/69 | EPBL | 3rd, Western | Quarterfinals |
1969/70 | EPBL | 1st | Champions |
1970/71 | EBA | 2nd, Southern | Semifinals |
1971/72 | EBA | 1st | Champions |
1972/73 | EBA | 4th | Quarterfinals |
1973/74 | EBA | 1st, Western | Finals |
1974/75 | EBA | 2nd | Champions |
1975/76 | EBA | 1st | Champions |
1976/77 | EBA | 1st | Finals |
1977/78 | EBA | 4th, Western | Did not qualify |
1978/79 | CBA | 2nd, Southern | Semifinals |
1979/80 | CBA | 1st, Southern | Quarterfinals |
1980/81 | CBA | 4th, Eastern | Quarterfinals |
See also
- Continental Basketball Association franchise historyContinental Basketball Association franchise historyThis is a year-by-year list of franchises in the Continental Basketball Association, along with its incarnations as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and Eastern Basketball Association.-1946-47:...
- Delaware DestroyersDelaware DestroyersThe Destroyers are a basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Basketball Alliance. The team formerly played in the National Professional Basketball League before it folded. They play their home games at the Gustine Recreation Center. They started playing in...
- Delaware StarsDelaware StarsThe Delaware Stars are a United States Basketball League franchise in Wilmington, Delaware. They play on the main campus of Wilmington University. They started playing in 2007...
- First State FusionFirst State FusionThe First State Fusion was an announced 2007 expansion team in the American Basketball Association based in Dover, Delaware. The team play for one season.-See also:* Delaware Destroyers* Delaware Stars* Wilmington Bombers* Wilmington Jets...
- Wilmington BombersWilmington Bombers-Wilmington Blue Bombers:The Wilmington Blue Bombers were an American basketball team based in Wilmington, Delaware that was a member of the American Basketball League.-Year-by-year:-Wilmington Bombers:...
- List of professional sports teams in Delaware