2012–13 BBL season | |
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League | British Basketball League |
Sport | Basketball |
Duration | September 21, 2012 – April 7, 2013 April 12, 2013 – April 28, 2013 (Playoffs) |
Number of games | 33 |
Number of teams | 12 |
Regular Season | |
Top seed | Leicester Riders |
Season MVP | Andrew Sullivan (Leicester Riders) |
Top scorer | Chez Marks (Cheshire Phoenix) |
BBL Tournaments | |
BBL Playoffs champions | Leicester Riders |
BBL Playoffs runners-up | Newcastle Eagles |
BBL Cup champions | Leicester Riders |
BBL Cup runners-up | Newcastle Eagles |
BBL Trophy champions | Sheffield Sharks |
BBL Trophy runners-up | Leicester Riders |
The 2012–13 season was the 26th campaign of the British Basketball League since the league's establishment in 1987. The season featured 12 teams from across England and Scotland including a new entrant, the reformed Manchester Giants, who were based on the original franchise of the same name that folded in 2001.East London Royals were due to become the 13th member of the League, but after their financial backing fell through weeks before the start of the season, the League deferred their entry until the 2013–14 season. The pre-season also saw long-time member franchise Milton Keynes Lions relocate to London and rebrand itself as the London Lions, whilst Cheshire Jets – encountering severe financial difficulties and threatened with the franchise being dissolved – were saved by campaigning local fans and businessmen and renamed as Cheshire Phoenix midway through the season.
The Championship regular season commenced on 21 September 2012 with reigning Champions Newcastle Eagles beginning the defence of their title with a 72–65 victory over Glasgow Rocks. The regular season saw all teams face each other three times during the campaign, playing either two games at home and once on the road or vice versa, with the top-eight placed teams advancing to the Play-offs, which took place in April 2013. The season climaxed on 28 April with the showpiece Play-off Final, which returned to its former home at Wembley Arena, for the first time since 2002.Leicester Riders dominated the campaign, and were successful in three of the BBL's four annual competition's, claiming the League title, BBL Cup and Play-off title. Sheffield Sharks thwarted the possibility of a "clean sweep" with a victory against the odds over the Riders in the BBL Trophy Final.