Houston Angels
Encyclopedia
The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League
. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets
three games to two in the best-of-five tournament. The team played their games at the Astro Arena
.
The league began with a player draft held in Manhattan
's Essex House
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. Houston drafted Ann Meyers
from the University of California, Los Angeles
and Lusia Harris
, a collegiate standout at Delta State University
. Harris was reluctant to commit to playing after hearing the $3,000 to $5,000 salaries estimated by the Minnesota franchise and decided to sit out the 1978-79 season and retain her administrative position at Delta State.
The team had an all-male cheerleading squad called the Guardian Angels, which team owner Hugh Sweeney promised wouldn't be a "sex show - this is high class".
Houston finished the 1978-79 regular season with a league-best record of 26 wins and 8 losses, taking first place in the eastern Division. Houston defeated the second-place New York Stars
two games to none in the best two-out-of-three semifinal round, winning the final game of the series by a score of 93–84 despite a game-high 38 points by Althea Gwyn of the Stars. Houston won the first two games of the series by scores of 89–85 and 112–98. Iowa won the next two games by scores of 110–101 and 89–79 to tie the series at two games apiece and setting up a fifth and final game for the title. Behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, the Angels defeated the Iowa Cornets on May 2, 1979, to take the league's first championship, 111-104 in the fifth and final game of a best-three-out-of-five competition. Don Knodel was honored as WBL Coach of the Year for the 1978-79 season.
The Angels were shifted to the Western Division for the 1979-80 season and finished atop the division with a record of 19 wins and 14 losses. In the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, Houston was knocked off two games to one by the San Francisco Pioneers.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets
Iowa Cornets
The Iowa Cornets was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team made it to the league's championship series both seasons, falling to the Houston Angels in 1978-79 and to the New York Stars in 1979-80...
three games to two in the best-of-five tournament. The team played their games at the Astro Arena
Reliant Arena
The Reliant Arena, formerly the "Astroarena", is a 350,000 square feet sports center in Reliant Park, in Houston, Texas, USA. It is one of the state's major arenas and convention centers. Reliant became the home of the Women's National Basketball Association's Houston Comets for what proved to...
.
The league began with a player draft held in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Essex House
Essex House
-Buildings:* Essex House - a historic house in London* Jumeirah Essex House - a luxury hotel in New York City...
in July 1978, with eight teams participating. Houston drafted Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and Lusia Harris
Lusia Harris
Lusia "Lucy" Harris-Stewart is a former American basketball player. Harris is considered to be one of the pioneers of women's basketball...
, a collegiate standout at Delta State University
Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
. Harris was reluctant to commit to playing after hearing the $3,000 to $5,000 salaries estimated by the Minnesota franchise and decided to sit out the 1978-79 season and retain her administrative position at Delta State.
The team had an all-male cheerleading squad called the Guardian Angels, which team owner Hugh Sweeney promised wouldn't be a "sex show - this is high class".
Houston finished the 1978-79 regular season with a league-best record of 26 wins and 8 losses, taking first place in the eastern Division. Houston defeated the second-place New York Stars
New York Stars (WBL)
The New York Stars were a team that played for the first two of three seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the 1979-80 league championship in its second season, defeating the Iowa Cornets, but folded after the season ended....
two games to none in the best two-out-of-three semifinal round, winning the final game of the series by a score of 93–84 despite a game-high 38 points by Althea Gwyn of the Stars. Houston won the first two games of the series by scores of 89–85 and 112–98. Iowa won the next two games by scores of 110–101 and 89–79 to tie the series at two games apiece and setting up a fifth and final game for the title. Behind 36 points by Paula Mayo, the Angels defeated the Iowa Cornets on May 2, 1979, to take the league's first championship, 111-104 in the fifth and final game of a best-three-out-of-five competition. Don Knodel was honored as WBL Coach of the Year for the 1978-79 season.
The Angels were shifted to the Western Division for the 1979-80 season and finished atop the division with a record of 19 wins and 14 losses. In the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, Houston was knocked off two games to one by the San Francisco Pioneers.
The team was disbanded after the 1979-80 season.