Birmingham Elite B.C.

Team Birmingham Elite are an English basketball club, based in the Longbridge area of the city of Birmingham.

Birmingham Elite B.C.
LeagueNBL D2 North
Established2004 (2004)
HistoryAston Athletics
2004-2006
Birmingham Athletics
2006-2007
Birmingham A's
2007-2015
Birmingham Elite
2015-present
ArenaThe Factory YPC
LocationBirmingham, West Midlands
Team colours     
Head coachSteven Hansell
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The club was founded in 2004, as the Aston Athletics, to play at the Aston Events Centre, which had just been vacated by British Basketball League side Birmingham Bullets. Starting out in English Basketball League Division 3 North, the Athletics enjoyed excellent rookie season which saw them lift the Men's National Shield and finish second in the league, but only on countback in games against winners Plymouth Raiders II. They also reached the semi-finals of the EBL3 Play-offs.

The team relocated, from Aston Events Centre to Birmingham Sports Centre in 2006, and, following the dissolution of the Bullets, the club changed its name to Birmingham Athletics to reflect its status as the only National League team representing the city at the time. They subsequently stated their desire to turn professional by becoming the second EBL team (after Coventry Crusaders) to apply for membership of the proposed British Basketball Association (BBA), a league devised to compete with the incumbent British Basketball League as the premier basketball competition in the country, in its inaugural season in 2007–08. However, the BBA never materialized; and this, combined with the BBL and members of the defunct Birmingham Bullets team creating a new Birmingham franchise, the Birmingham Panthers, ultimately prevented Athletics from realizing their professional ambitions.

Elite are now primarily a development-focused club; with teams from under 14s to senior, the first team had been based around under-19 players from Elite Academies Basketball League side Bournville College.[1] As of 2019, the academy is now based at James Watt College in the city. [2] The development pathway is completed with a link between the club and Birmingham City University, who compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sport League. The first team and academy is currently coached by Birmingham born, former Euroleague player Steven Hansell. [3][2]

Teams

As of the 2019-20 season, Elite field teams in the following National League divisions: [4]

Honours
U18 Men's National Cup: (1) 2013-14 [5]

Notable former players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Home Venue

Elite are based at The Factory Young People's Centre in the Longbridge area of the city.

Men's season-by-season records
Season Division Tier Regular Season Post-Season National Cup
Finish Played Wins Losses Points Win %
Aston Athletics
2005-06 D2 3 7th 22 10 12 20 0.455
Birmingham Athletics
2006-07 D2 3 7th 22 11 11 22 0.500
2007-08 D2 3 3rd 22 15 7 30 0.682
Birmingham A's
2008-09 D2 3 4th 22 14 8 28 0.636
2009-10 D2 3 9th 20 8 12 16 0.400 Did Not Qualify 3rd Round
2010-11 D2 3 11th 20 1 19 2 0.050 Did Not Qualify Did Not Compete
2011-12 D2 3 11th 20 2 18 4 0.100 Did Not Qualify Did Not Compete
2012-13 D3 Nor 4 9th 22 11 11 14* 0.500 Did Not Qualify 2nd Round
2013-14 D3 Nor 4 7th 20 7 13 14 0.350 Did Not Qualify 1st Round
Team Birmingham Elite
2015–16 D3 Nor 4 5th 20 12 8 24 0.600 Did Not Qualify Did Not Compete
2016–17 D3 Nor 4 1st 20 17 3 34 0.850 Runners Up [6] 4th Round
2017–18 D2 3 12th 22 6 16 12 0.273 Did Not Qualify 3rd Round
2018–19 D3 Nor 4 4th 22 13 9 26 0.591 Quarter Finals 4th Round
2019–20 D2 Nor 3 6th 18 8 10 18 0.444 Did Not Qualify 3rd Round

References
  1. Neter, Sam (20 February 2017). "Sussex Bears Hold on For National Shield Title". Hoopsfix. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. "James Watt College".
  3. "Steve Hansell, Team Birmingham Elite - Hoopsfix All-Star Classic 2019 Interview". YouTube. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. Elite, Team Birmingham. "Senior Men". Team Birmingham Elite.
  5. "Birmingham A's Defeat NASSA for U18 National Cup Title". 16 February 2014.
  6. "Middlesex LTBC Hold on to Claim Division 3 Playoff Title". 22 April 2017.
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