Everton Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Mersey Tigers are a professional basketball
team based in the city of Liverpool
, in England
. The club was established in 2007 as a start-up franchise of the British Basketball League
, the country's elite competition. The Tigers started competing at the start of the 2007-08 season
, and won the BBL Cup in their second season as well as finishing as runners-up in the league.
Previously, under the name Everton Tigers, the club was an Official Partner of the Everton Football Club
organisation and an amalgam of the Toxteth Tigers community youth programme which started in 1968. The team's head coach is Tony Garbelotto
, a current assistant coach to the Great Britain’s national team
. The franchise also operate the Tigers Basketball Academy in partnership with Childwall Sports College
, founded in 2009. However in July 2010 Everton withdrew funding the club re-launched as Mersey Tigers.
based on a sound business plan, community focus and their association with a Premier League football club.
The club was part of Bill Kenwright
's Everton FC organisation, who became the fifth football
club in the history of British basketball to field a basketball team, following in the footsteps of Manchester United
, Glasgow Rangers
, Portsmouth
and Newcastle United (Now Newcastle Eagles
).
Based around the community work of Everton Football Club, headed by Gary Townsend, and existing community basketball club Toxteth Tigers, the new club specifically targeted youth development as one of the main goals, while the senior team was to be spearheaded by Henry Mooney, head of the Toxteth
programme.
On August 17, it was announced that Tigers would be using the Greenbank Sports Academy in Sefton Park as their home venue which holds a capacity for 800 spectators. However, according to various articles in the media it is believed that the long-term ambition of the club is to occupy the 7,513-seat capacity Echo Arena
, which was completed in early 2008.
, Calvin Davis and BBL veteran Delme Herriman
. The players were officially presented in front of 40,000 fans at Goodison Park
on September 20, during the half-time of the football team's UEFA Cup
home game against FC Metalist Kharkiv
. The assembled squad played their first ever game on September 29, 2007, an exhibition match away to neighbouring Manchester Magic
. Despite trailing for most of the match, with Magic leading 71-62 in the final two minutes, Tigers salvaged the match and pulled together a 14-0 run, storming to a 71-76 victory.
Tigers' inaugural league campaign tipped-off with an away defeat to Plymouth Raiders
on October 6. Despite early domination from the Tigers, they consistently lost the lead throughout the game and lost 82-73, with Chris Haslam
and Tony Robertson both posting 21 points each. The Tigers' first home game, on October 12, also ended in defeat, with visiting fellow rookies London Capital
running out 58-69 winners at Greenbank. The clubs' first main sponsor for the 2007-08 season was announced the following week, the press release stating that locally-based Bibby Maritime Ltd, the world's leading provider of floating accommodation, had agreed a deal to partner the first team and their development teams with sponsorship.
An impressive start to the season for the rookie franchise was buoyed in December, when coach Henry Mooney pulled off a major coup with the signing of Great Britain
international Richard Midgley
from Newcastle Eagles
. Liverpool's interest in its new local basketball team developed significantly as the season progressed, and with this in mind, the club moved the local derby home game against Cheshire Jets
from their usual Greenbank home to the brand-new Echo Arena, selling out the entire 7,513-seat capacity venue within days of tickets going on sale. The match was also the first time the Tigers featured in a live televised broadcast, through the league's partnership with Setanta Sports
. The historic game was played on March 19, 2008, and the capacity crowd witnessed a spirited Tigers suffer defeat, finishing 80-103. The team completed their rookie season with a 16-17 record, finishing in 7th place and qualifying for the end-of-season Play-off’s, an incredible achievement for any brand-new franchise. The fairytale season, came to an abrupt end however in the Quarter-final of the Play-offs, with the Tigers going down 81-72 away to eventual champions Guildford Heat
.
, assistant coach of Great Britain
, as the new first team coach. The announcement was made on April 30, and also indicated that Garbelotto’s predecessor Henry Mooney would take the rein
s as Head of Basketball Development. Garbelotto’s first signing of the season was announced several weeks later, with the capture of veteran star Tony Dorsey
from Guildford adding to a roster that already included Delme Herriman
, John Simpson
, Richard Midgley
and Chris Haslam
. James Jones, also from Guildford, was the second confirmed signing of the summer on July 10. Following the inclusion of Andre Smith
and Marcus Bailey on the new-look roster, the Tigers’ secured a massive coup with the signing of Josh Gross from Austin Toros
of the NBA D-League where he averaged 14 points-per-game in 45 games. Despite the impressive signings, an under-strength Tigers lost their opening game, an exhibition with Manchester Magic
at the Echo Arena, going down to a 61–65 defeat, while a pre-season three-game series in Belgium
with Dexia Mons-Hainaut
and Antwerp Diamond Giants
, ended 1–2.
The Tigers opened their league campaign with a comprehensive 61-80 demolition of Sheffield Sharks
in Sheffield, summer signing Andre Smith posted a game-high 29 points and collected 15 rebounds on his way to claiming the MVP. A week later, Tigers destroyed London Capital
107-69 at Greenbank, Andre Smith again in the limelight with 33 points. Tigers’ first loss of the season came on October 24, at home to Worcester Wolves
, in which the visitors scalped a 101-106 victory with Smith again recording a 32-point haul and contributing to his Player of the Month award for October. During the same week, following the release of John Simpson
, Tigers announced the signing of Olu Babalola
.
After eliminating Sheffield (69-88) and Milton Keynes Lions
(75-97) in the BBL Cup
, the Tigers found themselves in a semi-final match-up with last season's runner-up Newcastle Eagles
and just one round away from the team's first-ever appearance in a major final. Newcastle edged the first leg with a 112-105 victory at the Metro Radio Arena however Everton rallied and with a 97-86 victory - 202-198 over the series - subsequently reached the Final for the first time in history, where they would face the Plymouth Raiders
. The game was played at the traditional home of the BBL Cup, the National Indoor Arena
in Birmingham
on January 18, 2009. Although on paper the teams were closely matched, Tigers went on to destroy the Raiders and write themselves into the history books, not only by claiming their first piece of silverware but also by recording the biggest winning margin in BBL history, showing no mercy in a 103–49 victory.
A month later and the Tigers, having finished top of BBL Trophy
Group 2, found themselves in another semi-final clash with Newcastle, who took revenge by scrapping to a 82-88 victory in Liverpool, dumping Everton out of the competition. The Tigers finished the regular season as runner-up to Newcastle, with a 24–9 record (1-2 against the Eagles), and qualified as second seed for the post-season play-off in which they were drawn to play Scottish Rocks
. Everton made light work of the game and progressed to the Finals Weekend
in Birmingham with a 84-64 home victory. Despite staking a claim for the league’s MVP award, Andre Smith didn’t travel with his team to Birmingham due to personal reasons and didn’t figure throughout the weekend. The Semi-final, against the season’s surprise package Leicester Riders
was equally as straightforward as the Quarter-final, sweeping past the Riders 81-65, and thus Everton qualified for its first ever Play-off Final, facing familiar foes in the form of Newcastle Eagles. The match proved to be one of the most memorable in recent years and even though it was Newcastle who prevailed in a close contest, winning 87-84, it was Everton who stole the show. After trailing for most of the game, the Tigers found themselves 70-52 down at the end of the third quarter. Down but not out, Great Britain international Richard Midgley fought valiantly and his 36-point haul - a new record in Final’s history - helped Everton claw back to within 2 points of the leading Eagles. But with only 9 seconds left, and Everton in the penalty, their forced fouls were enough for Newcastle to hold on and win the game.
at the NBA Summer League
. In a quest to develop future talent, the club announced the launch of the new Everton Tigers Basketball Academy in partnership with Childwall Sports College
. On the eve on the new season, the franchise announced that Chairman Gary Townsend would be stepping down to assume a similar role at football
club Notts County
, to be replaced by Vice-Chairman Martyn Best. This could have been a huge loss for the club, having already lost star player Richard Midgley, who retired through injury earlier in the summer. However, Best, a co-founder of PR agency Paver smith, and Henry Mooney, helped secure the ongoing support of Everton football club as Official Partner and has helped stabilise the Tigers. On-court, the Tigers opened the season with an away defeat to Leicester (95-98), new signing Dzaflo Larkai making his debut by posting 22 points. The first home fixture with visiting Guildford was played out of the Echo Arena, and saw the hosts conquer in an 85-79 victory. Tigers’ defence of their BBL Cup crown didn’t last long as the holders crashed out in the Quarter-final following an overtime defeat to Sheffield, 99-90.
Despite many challenges facing the Tigers during this third season, they overcame injuries to Kevin Bell and James Jones, the untimely departure of Larkei, and kept in contention for a top 5 spot all season. Trey Moore joined towards the end of the season, and the team gained a strong momentum as the play-offs loomed. Kevin Bell's return from a hand injury helped propel the Tigers to the play-off final, with in particular to crushing defeats of Newcastle Eagles. The play-off final against the Glasgow Rocks showed the full spirit of the Tigers, and a great comeback by the Rocks was halted for an stirring and nerve-jangling 8 point win for the Tigers. Kevin Bell was MVP, and Chris Hulme received an emotional send-off in his last professional game.
During the close season, Gary Townsend returned to Liverpool and took ownership of the franchise with the Everton Tigers becoming the Mersey Tigers, and another new age for the Tigers began.
Tony Garbelotto began his third season as head coach with the audacious signing of GB capatain and former Eagle, Andrew Sullivan. Tigers favourites James Jones and Andrew Thompson signed on their for third and second season's respectively.
Notes:
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Chuck Evans
Josh Gross Delme Herriman
James Jones Perry Lawson
Richard Midgley
Nate Reinking
John Simpson
Andre Smith
Drew Sullivan
Andrew Thomson Tafari Toney
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in the city of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The club was established in 2007 as a start-up franchise of the British Basketball League
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
, the country's elite competition. The Tigers started competing at the start of the 2007-08 season
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
, and won the BBL Cup in their second season as well as finishing as runners-up in the league.
Previously, under the name Everton Tigers, the club was an Official Partner of the Everton Football Club
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
organisation and an amalgam of the Toxteth Tigers community youth programme which started in 1968. The team's head coach is Tony Garbelotto
Tony Garbelotto
Tony Garbelotto is an English basketball coach. He became head coach of Everton Tigers in 2008, and is an assistant coach to Chris Finch with Great Britain....
, a current assistant coach to the Great Britain’s national team
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
. The franchise also operate the Tigers Basketball Academy in partnership with Childwall Sports College
Childwall Sports College
Childwall School or Childwall Sports College is a secondary school located in the Childwall area of Liverpool, L15 6XZ , Merseyside, England.-Admissions:...
, founded in 2009. However in July 2010 Everton withdrew funding the club re-launched as Mersey Tigers.
Establishment
The Everton Tigers was officially presented as the 12th member of the British Basketball League on June 19, 2007, after a professional basketball franchise was awarded to the city of LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
based on a sound business plan, community focus and their association with a Premier League football club.
The club was part of Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
's Everton FC organisation, who became the fifth football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club in the history of British basketball to field a basketball team, following in the footsteps of Manchester United
Manchester Giants
Manchester Giants was a team in the British Basketball League from 1990 to 2001.During its existence, the team won the Trophy in 1999 and the BBL Championship in 2000. The tenure of coach Nick Nurse, which included these two seasons, was the most successful period in the club's history...
, Glasgow Rangers
Guildford Kings
Guildford Kings was a successful British basketball franchise, most prominent in the British Basketball League during the early 1990s. They ceased operations at the end of the 1993-94 season....
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and Newcastle United (Now Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
).
Based around the community work of Everton Football Club, headed by Gary Townsend, and existing community basketball club Toxteth Tigers, the new club specifically targeted youth development as one of the main goals, while the senior team was to be spearheaded by Henry Mooney, head of the Toxteth
Toxteth
Toxteth is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre, Dingle, Edge Hill, Wavertree and Aigburth.-Description:...
programme.
On August 17, it was announced that Tigers would be using the Greenbank Sports Academy in Sefton Park as their home venue which holds a capacity for 800 spectators. However, according to various articles in the media it is believed that the long-term ambition of the club is to occupy the 7,513-seat capacity Echo Arena
Liverpool Echo Arena
Echo Arena Liverpool is the arena half of ACC Liverpool located on the former King's Dock in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. The BT Convention Centre forms the other half of the complex...
, which was completed in early 2008.
2007-08 season
After months of speculation in the rumour mill prior to the season opening, Everton boasted several high-profile signings including that of Chris HaslamChris Haslam (basketball)
Chris Haslam was a British professional basketball player who played for Everton Tigers in the British Basketball League.He learned his game at University of Wyoming in the NCAA I in the mid 90's...
, Calvin Davis and BBL veteran Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman is a British former professional basketball player.Herriman, who grew up in Widnes, England, played college basketball in the United States for Wright State University...
. The players were officially presented in front of 40,000 fans at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
on September 20, during the half-time of the football team's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
home game against FC Metalist Kharkiv
FC Metalist Kharkiv
FC Metalist Kharkiv is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kharkiv. It competes in the Ukrainian Premier League, the highest football level in the country. Founded in 1925, the team worked its way up the rungs of the Soviet football system, eventually being promoted to the Soviet Top...
. The assembled squad played their first ever game on September 29, 2007, an exhibition match away to neighbouring Manchester Magic
Manchester Magic
Manchester Magic is an English basketball team from Manchester, competing in the English Basketball League, Division 3. They play their home games at the Amaechi Basketball Centre, which was funded by former NBA star John Amaechi....
. Despite trailing for most of the match, with Magic leading 71-62 in the final two minutes, Tigers salvaged the match and pulled together a 14-0 run, storming to a 71-76 victory.
Tigers' inaugural league campaign tipped-off with an away defeat to Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
on October 6. Despite early domination from the Tigers, they consistently lost the lead throughout the game and lost 82-73, with Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam (basketball)
Chris Haslam was a British professional basketball player who played for Everton Tigers in the British Basketball League.He learned his game at University of Wyoming in the NCAA I in the mid 90's...
and Tony Robertson both posting 21 points each. The Tigers' first home game, on October 12, also ended in defeat, with visiting fellow rookies London Capital
London Capital
London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team based in London, England...
running out 58-69 winners at Greenbank. The clubs' first main sponsor for the 2007-08 season was announced the following week, the press release stating that locally-based Bibby Maritime Ltd, the world's leading provider of floating accommodation, had agreed a deal to partner the first team and their development teams with sponsorship.
An impressive start to the season for the rookie franchise was buoyed in December, when coach Henry Mooney pulled off a major coup with the signing of Great Britain
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
international Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley is a retired British professional basketball player who finished his career at the age of 26. His final club was Everton Tigers of the British Basketball League...
from Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
. Liverpool's interest in its new local basketball team developed significantly as the season progressed, and with this in mind, the club moved the local derby home game against Cheshire Jets
Cheshire Jets
The Cheshire Jets are a British professional basketball team based in the city of Chester, in Cheshire, England. Formerly known as the Chester Jets, their home court is the Northgate Arena and they play in the top-tier British Basketball League....
from their usual Greenbank home to the brand-new Echo Arena, selling out the entire 7,513-seat capacity venue within days of tickets going on sale. The match was also the first time the Tigers featured in a live televised broadcast, through the league's partnership with Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
. The historic game was played on March 19, 2008, and the capacity crowd witnessed a spirited Tigers suffer defeat, finishing 80-103. The team completed their rookie season with a 16-17 record, finishing in 7th place and qualifying for the end-of-season Play-off’s, an incredible achievement for any brand-new franchise. The fairytale season, came to an abrupt end however in the Quarter-final of the Play-offs, with the Tigers going down 81-72 away to eventual champions Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat
Guildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
.
2008–09 season
After an incredible first season, the club looked to build on the success by appointing Tony GarbelottoTony Garbelotto
Tony Garbelotto is an English basketball coach. He became head coach of Everton Tigers in 2008, and is an assistant coach to Chris Finch with Great Britain....
, assistant coach of Great Britain
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
, as the new first team coach. The announcement was made on April 30, and also indicated that Garbelotto’s predecessor Henry Mooney would take the rein
Rein
Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.-Use for riding:...
s as Head of Basketball Development. Garbelotto’s first signing of the season was announced several weeks later, with the capture of veteran star Tony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.-Biography:...
from Guildford adding to a roster that already included Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman is a British former professional basketball player.Herriman, who grew up in Widnes, England, played college basketball in the United States for Wright State University...
, John Simpson
John Simpson (basketball)
John Simpson is a professional basketball player who played in the British Basketball League.Guard Simpson joined the Liverpool based Everton Tigers from local-rivals Cheshire Jets during the summer of 2007, ending a three year spell at the club. In March 2010 he tested positive for marijuana and...
, Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley is a retired British professional basketball player who finished his career at the age of 26. His final club was Everton Tigers of the British Basketball League...
and Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam (basketball)
Chris Haslam was a British professional basketball player who played for Everton Tigers in the British Basketball League.He learned his game at University of Wyoming in the NCAA I in the mid 90's...
. James Jones, also from Guildford, was the second confirmed signing of the summer on July 10. Following the inclusion of Andre Smith
Andre Smith (basketball)
Andre Smith is an American former basketball player. He is best known for his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the late 1970s and early 1980s....
and Marcus Bailey on the new-look roster, the Tigers’ secured a massive coup with the signing of Josh Gross from Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
of the NBA D-League where he averaged 14 points-per-game in 45 games. Despite the impressive signings, an under-strength Tigers lost their opening game, an exhibition with Manchester Magic
Manchester Magic
Manchester Magic is an English basketball team from Manchester, competing in the English Basketball League, Division 3. They play their home games at the Amaechi Basketball Centre, which was funded by former NBA star John Amaechi....
at the Echo Arena, going down to a 61–65 defeat, while a pre-season three-game series in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
with Dexia Mons-Hainaut
Dexia Mons-Hainaut
Dexia Mons-Hainaut is a Belgian professional basketball club that is based in Mons, Wallonia. The club competes in the highest division of the Belgian League. The club's home arena is Mons Arena.-History:...
and Antwerp Diamond Giants
Antwerp Diamond Giants
Antwerp Giants is a Belgian professional basketball club based in Antwerp. Their home arena is Lotto Arena.Antwerpse, Zaziko, Brabo, Oxaco, Tunnel and more Antwerp basketball teams formed a union called SOBABEE which merged with Racing Mechelen BC. The club was called Racing Basket Antwerpen then...
, ended 1–2.
The Tigers opened their league campaign with a comprehensive 61-80 demolition of Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield...
in Sheffield, summer signing Andre Smith posted a game-high 29 points and collected 15 rebounds on his way to claiming the MVP. A week later, Tigers destroyed London Capital
London Capital
London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team based in London, England...
107-69 at Greenbank, Andre Smith again in the limelight with 33 points. Tigers’ first loss of the season came on October 24, at home to Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in...
, in which the visitors scalped a 101-106 victory with Smith again recording a 32-point haul and contributing to his Player of the Month award for October. During the same week, following the release of John Simpson
John Simpson (basketball)
John Simpson is a professional basketball player who played in the British Basketball League.Guard Simpson joined the Liverpool based Everton Tigers from local-rivals Cheshire Jets during the summer of 2007, ending a three year spell at the club. In March 2010 he tested positive for marijuana and...
, Tigers announced the signing of Olu Babalola
Olu Babalola
Olu Babalola is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League....
.
After eliminating Sheffield (69-88) and Milton Keynes Lions
Milton Keynes Lions
The Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL...
(75-97) in the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
, the Tigers found themselves in a semi-final match-up with last season's runner-up Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
and just one round away from the team's first-ever appearance in a major final. Newcastle edged the first leg with a 112-105 victory at the Metro Radio Arena however Everton rallied and with a 97-86 victory - 202-198 over the series - subsequently reached the Final for the first time in history, where they would face the Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
. The game was played at the traditional home of the BBL Cup, the National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
on January 18, 2009. Although on paper the teams were closely matched, Tigers went on to destroy the Raiders and write themselves into the history books, not only by claiming their first piece of silverware but also by recording the biggest winning margin in BBL history, showing no mercy in a 103–49 victory.
A month later and the Tigers, having finished top of BBL Trophy
BBL Trophy
The BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
Group 2, found themselves in another semi-final clash with Newcastle, who took revenge by scrapping to a 82-88 victory in Liverpool, dumping Everton out of the competition. The Tigers finished the regular season as runner-up to Newcastle, with a 24–9 record (1-2 against the Eagles), and qualified as second seed for the post-season play-off in which they were drawn to play Scottish Rocks
Scottish Rocks
The Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
. Everton made light work of the game and progressed to the Finals Weekend
BBL Finals Weekend
The Finals Weekend is the British Basketball League season showpiece finale, where the Playoff finals of the BBL, English Basketball League and Women's EBL take place. For the 2006-07 season the Finals Weekend will be played on 28 April and 29 April 2007 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle upon...
in Birmingham with a 84-64 home victory. Despite staking a claim for the league’s MVP award, Andre Smith didn’t travel with his team to Birmingham due to personal reasons and didn’t figure throughout the weekend. The Semi-final, against the season’s surprise package Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
was equally as straightforward as the Quarter-final, sweeping past the Riders 81-65, and thus Everton qualified for its first ever Play-off Final, facing familiar foes in the form of Newcastle Eagles. The match proved to be one of the most memorable in recent years and even though it was Newcastle who prevailed in a close contest, winning 87-84, it was Everton who stole the show. After trailing for most of the game, the Tigers found themselves 70-52 down at the end of the third quarter. Down but not out, Great Britain international Richard Midgley fought valiantly and his 36-point haul - a new record in Final’s history - helped Everton claw back to within 2 points of the leading Eagles. But with only 9 seconds left, and Everton in the penalty, their forced fouls were enough for Newcastle to hold on and win the game.
2009-10 season
Olu Babalola was the first player to recommit to the Tigers, signing a new contract on July 16, while coach Tony Garbelotto was on a scouting mission in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
at the NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
. In a quest to develop future talent, the club announced the launch of the new Everton Tigers Basketball Academy in partnership with Childwall Sports College
Childwall Sports College
Childwall School or Childwall Sports College is a secondary school located in the Childwall area of Liverpool, L15 6XZ , Merseyside, England.-Admissions:...
. On the eve on the new season, the franchise announced that Chairman Gary Townsend would be stepping down to assume a similar role at football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, to be replaced by Vice-Chairman Martyn Best. This could have been a huge loss for the club, having already lost star player Richard Midgley, who retired through injury earlier in the summer. However, Best, a co-founder of PR agency Paver smith, and Henry Mooney, helped secure the ongoing support of Everton football club as Official Partner and has helped stabilise the Tigers. On-court, the Tigers opened the season with an away defeat to Leicester (95-98), new signing Dzaflo Larkai making his debut by posting 22 points. The first home fixture with visiting Guildford was played out of the Echo Arena, and saw the hosts conquer in an 85-79 victory. Tigers’ defence of their BBL Cup crown didn’t last long as the holders crashed out in the Quarter-final following an overtime defeat to Sheffield, 99-90.
Despite many challenges facing the Tigers during this third season, they overcame injuries to Kevin Bell and James Jones, the untimely departure of Larkei, and kept in contention for a top 5 spot all season. Trey Moore joined towards the end of the season, and the team gained a strong momentum as the play-offs loomed. Kevin Bell's return from a hand injury helped propel the Tigers to the play-off final, with in particular to crushing defeats of Newcastle Eagles. The play-off final against the Glasgow Rocks showed the full spirit of the Tigers, and a great comeback by the Rocks was halted for an stirring and nerve-jangling 8 point win for the Tigers. Kevin Bell was MVP, and Chris Hulme received an emotional send-off in his last professional game.
During the close season, Gary Townsend returned to Liverpool and took ownership of the franchise with the Everton Tigers becoming the Mersey Tigers, and another new age for the Tigers began.
Tony Garbelotto began his third season as head coach with the audacious signing of GB capatain and former Eagle, Andrew Sullivan. Tigers favourites James Jones and Andrew Thompson signed on their for third and second season's respectively.
Home arenas
- Greenbank Sports Academy (2007-2010)
- Echo Arena (2008-2011)
- Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park (2011-present)
Playoffs
- BBL Championship Play Off Winners: 2009/10, 2010/11
- BBL Championship Play Off Runners Up: 2008/09
Season-by-season records
| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pld. | W | L | Pts. | Play Offs | Trophy | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everton Tigers | |||||||||
| 2007–2008 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|7th | 33 | 16 | 17 | 32 | Quarter-final | 1st Round | 1st Round |
| 2008–2009 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
2nd | 33 | 24 | 9 | 48 | Runner-up | Semi-final | Winners |
| 2009–2010 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|5th | 36 | 21 | 15 | 42 | Winners | Semi-final | |Quarter-final |
| Mersey Tigers | |||||||||
| 2010–2011 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
1st | 33 | 25 | 8 | 50 | Winners | Winners | Runner-up |
Notes:
- DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.
Current roster
The following information is established according to the official websites of the team (www.merseytigers.com) and Britain's top professional league, the BBLBritish Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Notable former players
Marcus Bailey Tony DorseyTony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.-Biography:...
Chuck EvansChuck Evans
Charles "Chuck" Evans was an American football fullback who played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens...
Josh Gross Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman
Delme Herriman is a British former professional basketball player.Herriman, who grew up in Widnes, England, played college basketball in the United States for Wright State University...
James Jones Perry Lawson
Perry Lawson
Perry Lawson is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for Mersey Tigers in the British Basketball League....
Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley
Richard Midgley is a retired British professional basketball player who finished his career at the age of 26. His final club was Everton Tigers of the British Basketball League...
Nate Reinking
Nate Reinking
Nathan "Nate" James Reinking is a American-British professional basketball point guard who plays for the Sheffield Sharks.-Pro career:...
John Simpson
John Simpson (basketball)
John Simpson is a professional basketball player who played in the British Basketball League.Guard Simpson joined the Liverpool based Everton Tigers from local-rivals Cheshire Jets during the summer of 2007, ending a three year spell at the club. In March 2010 he tested positive for marijuana and...
Andre Smith
Andre Smith (basketball)
Andre Smith is an American former basketball player. He is best known for his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the late 1970s and early 1980s....
Drew Sullivan
Andrew Sullivan (basketball)
Andrew Sullivan is a British professional basketball player. He plays for Leicester Riders and captains the Great Britain national team.-School years:...
Andrew Thomson Tafari Toney
External links
- Official Mersey Tigers website
- Mersey Tigers on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Mersey Tigers on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Mersey Tigers news from the Liverpool EchoLiverpool EchoThe Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...