The
first team’s 2006/7 season was one of an erratic campaign on the court
with good attacking displays that should have warranted more victories
and a better league position, while ambitious owner and coach Dip
Donaldson announced his future intentions for the club by revealing
that the club would be joining the newly formed British Basketball
Association franchise in the following season.
The
Crusaders were also rewarded for their persistent and loyal
contribution to the community by being given the chance to be involved
in a high profile programme with world wide sponsors Coca Cola, where
the Crusaders indulged in a split training camp with Coventry City FC
coaches on a basketball and football camp at the Alan Higgs Centre;
where over 800 ten to fifteen year olds took part.
This
exploited the game of basketball and the club to an extra amount of
people in the area, and was an opportunity for the Crusaders to
impress a big sponsor which did indeed return to the club the
following season to sponsor two home games.
Although
the first team had indifferent form of winning in blocks at Christmas
time and toward the end of the season for a lowly 9th out
of 12 placed finish, the Under 16 boys Cadet team had an impressive 12
game unbeaten league campaign to become champions of the West Midlands
Conference.
The
under 18s had a fruitful year too, finishing in fourth place out a
possible nine, winning half of their games.
The
presence of guards Scott Neely and Sam Oatman played an influential
and ever present role in Coventry’s season, with both players
appearing in the top three scoring charts for 13 of the 22 league
games played that season.
The
signing of 6ft 11 inch Frenchman Malik Omar to cover the Crusaders
depleted squad in February was inspirational from head coach Dip
Donaldson.
The
Crusaders suffered the loss of three players for the second half of
the season. In January the Crusaders lost guard Rick Solvason due to retirement for personal reasons, forward Wes Hall for
work reasons, and Marcin Twierdzinski through injury.
As a
result, Dip Donaldson signed 6ft 11 university hopeful Malik Omar to
minimise the damage dealt to the squad by the three absentees.
Omar
would go on to score around 110 points in the remaining 9 games for
the Crusaders, and as a versatile guard and forward, was a revelation
for the club.
The
Crusaders did sign 6 ft 5 Craig Hopkins as further back up, the nephew
of former England international Neville Hopkins, but was never given
much of a first team role.
The
first team kicked off their first three games of the season in
September with the National Trophy, all three were lost by at least 20
points, which was a concern for the Crusaders.
However,
they notched up their first win of the season by progressing into the
3rd round of the National Cup at the expense of second
division side Mansfield Giants, triumphing 81-69 at the Sports Centre.
At the
end of October the Crusaders made their first appearance in the
British Basketball League Cup, and were drawn with three teams in the
league above them, it would prove to be a beneficial learning
experience.
Crusaders did lose their group opener with Sheffield Sharks 92-84, but
they were pushed all the way by Coventry who carried the same ruthless
and determined approach to win their first league game of the season
against Tees Valley Mohawks at the Sports Centre.
Their
admirable display against Sheffield Sharks oozed confidence and
enabled the team to gain some rhythm, and by the end of the 79-56
victory over Tees Valley Mohawks, nine different Crusaders were on the
score sheet.
The
Crusaders were brought back down to earth when thumped 76-39 at league
contenders Reading Rockets, followed by a game at the league champions
Worthing Thunder which resulted in a 99-71 loss. Despite the two heavy
losses, Head Coach Dip Donaldson remained upbeat and believed the
Crusaders could use the experience of playing the top two teams.
“It’s
been a good learning curve for our team to play so many of the top
teams from last season so early this year. We continue to measure and
evaluate ourselves on a weekly basis”. He said following the two
games.
Crusaders did indeed come a long way from those two games, by using
their experience to hold out their next two league opponents Solent
Stars 101-96 at the Sports Centre, and at Kings Lynn in a 96-81
victory where four Crusaders got into double scoring figures.
Coventry
were riding on the crest of a wave going into their rare appearance of
the National Cup quarter finals against London Capitals at the Sports
Centre, yet the Crusaders succumbed to superior placed opposition, and
hopes of a dream semi final were dashed when Capitals asserted a total
of 107 points to Crusaders 71.
December
saw Coventry round off their final two BBL Cup games with a hard
fought 100-76 loss to Chester Jets, and by causing a major upset by
turning on the style in the last game to beat Worcester Wolves 93-78
with Oatman notching 42, along with Neely and Twierdzinski who earned
themselves double figures.
A new
year seemed like the perfect time for owner and current Head Coach
Robert “Dip” Donaldson to announce the realisation of the club’s
ambition.
The club
announced that it would be ending its 14 year association with the
EBL, and would be accepting an invitation from the newly created
British Basketball Association franchise.
Dip was
“excited”, and felt that the BBA’s “experience and contacts combined
with our knowledge of he basketball market in Coventry will enable us
to deliver a competitive club along with first class entertainment”.
It would
also be announced later that month that the BBA would be joining
forces with the Continental Basketball Association for the purpose of
trying to raise awareness of basketball in Britain leading up to the
2012 Olympics, as well as to develop young players, officials and
standards within the game.
On court
the first team bowed out of their disappointing 2006/7 National Trophy
venture in their first game of the year, losing 87-60 at Solent Stars.
Coventry’s next game at West Herts Warriors was the start of a period
where the Crusaders would have to manage without some of their key
players. Rick Solvason, Marcin Twierdzinski and Wes Hall would be
absent for the rest of the season, and indispensable shooting guard
Sam Oatman was temporarily unavailable.
Although
Coventry went on to lose their weekend double header against West
Herts and London Leopards, 19 year old Rick Owen staked his claim
during times of adversity, notching his highest ever senior scoring
tally of 18 against West Herts Warriors.
During
February the Crusaders nailed down a heroic win in Portsmouth where
they defeated Solent Stars 90-87 to claim their first victory in eight
games, despite turning up late to the game because of road works.
Coventry
found that much needed resilience to hold on to a lead, and found it
in the fourth quarter with Scott Neely hitting several 3 pointers to
keep Crusaders in the hunt for the final play off spot.
The
significance of the win at Solent Stars was much more appreciated when
the team won 94-76 for their 2nd league game on the trot
against Kings Lynn Fury at the Sports Centre, and then followed that
up with another 74-69 win at Northampton Neptunes.
It was
the best run the team had been on all season, and much was owed to the
constant and reliable presence of Scott Neely, as well as Dip
Donaldson’s opinion that Sam Oatman’s “leadership is crucial to the
team’s success”.
Dip
Donaldson rounded off his final season as Head Coach with two further
losses to end the unbeaten run, but despite finishing in 9th
out of 12 places, the Crusaders battled valiantly against squad
disruptions throughout the season.
Season summary courtesy of Adam
Manning
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