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What happened to basketball in Sussex ?



Braders

Abi Fletchers Gimpboy
Jul 15, 2003
29,224
Brighton, United Kingdom
DEFENCE , DEFENCE ,DEFENCE...
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CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,231
Shoreham Beach
Funny! I was thinking this the other day. They won the league a few years back, and if memory serves me right the coach/owner packed up the franchise over financial reasons. I remember he stated they would be back one day, but as to date....nothing!

Well he did make it back sort of..

Nick Nurse was assistant coach for Team GB in the London Olympics
 


Geriatric Seagull

New member
Nov 10, 2009
979
Littlehampton
If you're a basketball fan in and around Littlehampton have a look at the West Sussex Tornados Wheelchair Basketball site. Home Games are played on a Sunday afternoon, admission is free and they're really good to watch.
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
DEFENCE , DEFENCE ,DEFENCE...

That's a chant in the Tim Henman mould I've never got my head around. What is it supposed to mean? An appreciation of the back two that they held their line? A reminder that they have a hoop to defend?

Can you imagine the Amex crowd singing "Holding Midfield Role, Just In Front of the Back Four..." or "Backtracking Winger..."?
 


It may not be the force it was back in the days of the Bears but it's still a great sport, particularly at Junior level.

Although BHA is still my main spectating passion, coaching basketball to kids is my 'active' passion and Horsham is where it's at now - great junior club with some great players, male and female including a couple of girls now playing for England.

Took a mate of mine to watch an U14 game the other night who had never been to a game in his life and he thoroughly enjoyed it....... go Hawks :)
 




DeltaP

New member
Jan 20, 2016
1
The original side in brighton. Was Brighton giants and they played in the old boys club in Edward Street next to Amex House better know as thewedding cake.

I played for the Brighton Giants in the 1960's. The team was founded by Barry Widdowson and never lost a single game in the Brighton League, home or away, for thirteen consecutive years. By coincidence my old school team, the Fidelians (ex Portslade School for Boys) were runners up for those thirteen years. For three years running we were also the Southern England Champions. Before moving to Brighton Boys Club as a base, we trained / played at the old Falmer School. The dirtiest side in the league was Brighton Police - A, followed very closely by Brighton Police - B.
 








The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
I played for the Brighton Giants in the 1960's. The team was founded by Barry Widdowson and never lost a single game in the Brighton League, home or away, for thirteen consecutive years. By coincidence my old school team, the Fidelians (ex Portslade School for Boys) were runners up for those thirteen years. For three years running we were also the Southern England Champions. Before moving to Brighton Boys Club as a base, we trained / played at the old Falmer School. The dirtiest side in the league was Brighton Police - A, followed very closely by Brighton Police - B.
I once watched the Giants at the boys club when a guy from Haywards Heath played for them Jimmy Rutherford who taught me some tricks I belive he played for Aldershot Warriors which was the British Army side. Brighton Giants later become several other sides Chevron and the guy from Clapshaw & Cleaves sports shop ( Dave Goss)was involved. However the Sussex leauge seems to be much smaller now Haywards Heath had two senior men's side several junior sides and a ladies team. Wisdom Sports or Haywards Heath Panthers,Tigers and Eagles
Also watch the Bears at worthing and the Brighton centre. Basketball has lost money to help the oylimpic team very sad it's great game.
 


Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,639
Billy Hungrecker (who I believe passed away a couple of years ago), Alan Cunningham, Herman Harried, Mark Hubbard, Leo Rogers and Colin Irish are some of the names I remember with great fondness from back then.

Blimey, that's a blast from the past. I remember all of those names except the first one, and Rogers. I do remember going to watch them a few times, but I couldn't tell you if it was when they were Worthing or Brighton at that stage. Think there were games at the Brighton Centre? I definitely watched at least one game in Worthing, as I played in a cup final (county championship or something like that) which was staged on the court immediately before a Bears game.
 


That was becoming the case over here back in the day. Manchester United had a basketball team for a spell.

I spent a lot of Saturday nights at the Worthing sports centre in the mid-late 80s watching the Bears, often travelling away to see 'us' at places like Brixton, Bracknell/Thames Valley and Kingston. The end of season playoffs at Wembley Arena were always good fun too.

Billy Hungrecker (who I believe passed away a couple of years ago), Alan Cunningham, Herman Harried, Mark Hubbard, Leo Rogers and Colin Irish are some of the names I remember with great fondness from back then.
Billy Hungrecker, the legend who scored 73 points in one match. I believe it is still a world record. Great times when channel four showed live games. Dale Shackleford was my coach at the Bearcubs in my brief time there.
 




Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
I'd be well up for watching basketball in Brighton, I think it could really take off in the UK if it was marketed right, shown live on the BBC etc.
 








The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
Billy Hungrecker, the legend who scored 73 points in one match. I believe it is still a world record. Great times when channel four showed live games. Dale Shackleford was my coach at the Bearcubs in my brief time there.
Played in the Sussx leauge against Mark Hubbard he was very good player he played for Billinghurst. I was the end of my playing days and he was starting out.
 




vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,273
Did people get bored with a 6'7" bloke rolling the ball in the hoop at one end then another 6'7" bloke rolling one in the other hoop ad infinitum?
 


The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
A lot of Sussex club players also played for embassy all stars and they would play Sutton and Crystall in the National cup Final at Crystal palace sports centre in the early days .also went to the Royal Albert Hall to watch Oxford University vrs Gulf oil all stars ( proffisionals)
Bill Bradley played for Oxford a top American player Oxford turned out in a mixture of dirty track suits and the Gulf all stars side were all in silk track suits .
 








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