Sheffield Sharks
| DBL Sharks Sheffield | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| League | British Basketball League | ||
| Established | 1991 | ||
| History |
Sheffield Forgers 1991–1994 Sheffield Sharks 1994–present |
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| Arena | English Institute of Sport | ||
| Capacity | 1,200 | ||
| Location | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | ||
| Team colours | Navy Blue and Yellow |
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| Main sponsor | B. Braun Medical Ltd, Wosskow Brown | ||
| Head coach | Atiba Lyons | ||
| Ownership | See Ownership | ||
| Championships | 1 British Basketball League | ||
| Website | SharksBasketball.co.uk | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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Sheffield Sharks is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. They are currently known as "DBL Sharks Sheffield" for sponsorship reasons. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield. They are one of the most successful teams in the history of British basketball, second only to Newcastle Eagles, and dominated the domestic scene throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
The franchise was established in 1991 when the team, then called the Sheffield Forgers in reference to the city's history as a major steel producer, were admitted to National Basketball League Division 2. After two seasons competing in the division, with an overall 26–16 record, the Forgers were crowned Champions in 1993 and promoted to NBL Division 1.
The 1993–1994 season would prove to be another successful one for the Forgers having reached the National Trophy final where they beat Plymouth Raiders 62–60 on "home" territory at the Sheffield Arena. Their stay in the First Division did not last long, and although they finished in 4th position with a 10–8 record, the Forgers were admitted to the professional top-tier British Basketball League to replace the withdrawing Guildford Kings.
The successful franchise was purchased by the Chrysalis Group in 1994 and rebranded as Sheffield Sharks. On court, the team dominated the league in its rookie season, and with a 29–7 league record, marched on to take the BBL League Championship and National Cup with an incredible 89–66 victory in the final against Thames Valley Tigers. However the Tigers got their revenge over the Sharks with a nail-biting 74–69 win in the BBL Trophy final. The Sharks also missed out on the Play-off final following a 72–84 loss to Worthing Bears in the Final Four, despite this the Sheffield team still enjoyed a phenomenal debut season.
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