The Saskatchewan Hawks were a professional basketball club based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan that competed in the International Basketball Association beginning in the 2000–01 season, and the Continental Basketball Association in 2001–02.[1]
| Saskatchewan Hawks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leagues | International Basketball Association (2000–01) Continental Basketball Association (2001–02) |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Folded | 2002 |
| History | Mansfield Hawks (1998–99) Youngstown Hawks (1999–00) Saskatchewan Hawks (2000–02) |
| Arena | Saskatchewan Place |
| Location | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Championships | 0 |
Team history
editFrom Youngstown to Saskatoon
editThe team moved to Saskatoon from Youngstown, Ohio, where the Hawks had played just one season, in the year 2000.[2] In Youngstown, the team was owned by former NBA owner Ted Stepien, but failed to gain traction, leading Stepien to move the team.[3] Tom Tao was the principal investor, purchasing 70 per cent of the team and bringing Saskatchewan its first professional team since the Saskatoon Slam folded in 1994.[4] During their lone IBA season in 2000–01, Saskatchewan finished third in their division and defeated the Billings RimRockers in the first round of playoffs, before losing to the eventual IBA-champion Dakota Wizards in the second round.[5] That season, the team was coached by Rob Spon. The IBA folded at the conclusion of the season.[4]
From IBA to CBA
editThe team joined the Continental Basketball Association in 2001 after the IBA folded, along with the rival Wizards and Fargo-Moorhead Beez. The Hawks gave away more than 6,000 tickets for their season-opener.[2] In their first and only season in the CBA, the Hawks compiled the worst record in the league with just 8 wins in 40 matches. Their coach that year was Laurian Watkins. Tao disappeared from the team during the season and the league took over the team's operations, along with a local First Nations investment group. However, talks between the groups ultimately collapsed, and the team folded after the 2002 season.[2] Their final game was a 112–100 loss at home to the Beez on 22 March 2002.[4]
The Hawks collapse left the province without professional-level basketball until the founding of the Saskatchewan Rattlers, a charter member of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, in 2019.[6]
Seasons
edit| Season | League | W | L | GB | Postseason |
| 2000–01[5] | IBA | 21 | 19 | 9 | Won first-round over Billings RimRockers, 2–1
Lost second-round to Dakota Wizards, 2–0[5] |
| 2001–02[7] | CBA | 8 | 32 | 25 | Did not qualify |
| Totals (2000–2002) | 29 | 51 | – | ||
References
edit- ^ Romuld, Darrell (2022-10-04). "What pro sports teams used to exist in Sask.?". CTV News. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ^ a b c Mitchell, Kevin (2018-05-03). "City sports checkered pro basketball history". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ^ Richesson, Brian (2004-10-20). "Another risky venture". The Vindicator. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ a b c Mitchell, Kevin (2019-05-09). "After a long, long absence, pro hoops is back in Saskatoon". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ a b c "2000 - 2001 Schedule". Saskatchewan Hawks. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ Reid, Glenn (2019-05-09). "Sask.'s latest entry into the world of pro hoops and why this one should succeed where others have failed". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ^ "2001-02 Continental Basketball Association". Stats Crew. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
External links
edit- Official Site (defunct)