Ipswich Force
Ipswich Force is a NBL1 North club based in Ipswich, Queensland. The club fields a team in both the Men's and Women's NBL1 North. The club is a division of Ipswich Basketball Association (IBA), the major administrative basketball organisation in the region. The Force play their home games at Llewellyn Stadium.
Ipswich Force | |
---|---|
Leagues | NBL1 North |
Founded | 1986 |
History | Ipswich Eagles 1986–2006 Ipswich Force 2007–present |
Arena | Llewellyn Stadium |
Location | Ipswich, Queensland |
Team colors | Green, yellow & white |
President | Jon Simpson |
Head coach | M: Chris Riches W: Brad George |
Championships | 0 |
Website | Ipswich.basketball.net.au |
Club history
Ipswich Basketball was founded in 1962.[1] 1986 saw the formation of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) with both a men's and women's competition. Ipswich, trading as the Eagles, entered a team into both the Men's QBL and Women's QBL. In the QBL's inaugural season, the Eagles men reached the final, where they faced the Townsville Suns.[2] The Eagles and the Suns won seven matches in a row to start the year, until they met in July and the Suns prevailed.[3] In 1987 and 1994, the Ipswich women's team reached the championship game, but fell short both times, losing to the Mackay Meteorettes in 1987 and the Cairns Dolphins in 1994.[2]
In November 2006, Ipswich Basketball renamed their representative sides the Ipswich Force for the 2007 season, ending the Eagles moniker.[4][5]
In August 2013, the Force reached the QBL women's grand final, where they faced the Mackay Meteorettes.[6] In the championship decider on 31 August, the Force were beaten 76–59.[7][8]
For the 2020 season, the Force joined the newly-established NBL1 North, which replaced the QBL.[9]
References
- "OUR STORY". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- "QBL State Champions & Award Winners". qbl.basketballqld.com.au. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- Garry, Chris (24 April 2010). "Force on target to make a mark". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- "Ipswich prepares for QABL transformation". The Queensland Times. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- Lems, David (29 October 2009). "Force appoints basketball coach". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- Boxall, Sally (30 August 2013). "Meteorettes to face Ipswich in QBL grand final". Daily Mercury. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- "Meteorettes keep the silverware in Mackay". Daily Mercury. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- "Meteorettes ice the cake". Daily Mercury. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- "NBL1 Expands To North And South Conferences". NBL1.com.au. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.