Ipswich Force

Ipswich Force
Ipswich Force logo
LeaguesNBL1 North
Founded1986
HistoryIpswich Eagles
1986–2006
Ipswich Force
2007–present
ArenaLlewellyn Stadium
LocationIpswich, Queensland
Team colorsGreen, yellow & white
     
PresidentToni Caldwell
Vice-president(s)Michael Klaehn
General managerDavid Jordan
Head coachM: Chris Riches
W: Brad George
Championships1 (2023) (M)
0 (W)
Websiteipswichbasketball.com.au

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.

Club history

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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 2013, the Force reached the QBL women's grand final,[6] where they were beaten 76–59 by the Mackay Meteorettes.[7][8]

For the 2020 season, the Force joined the newly established NBL1 North, which replaced the QBL.[9]

In 2023, the Force men won the NBL1 North championship with a 2–1 grand final series victory over the Gold Coast Rollers.[10][11][12][13][14]

References

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  1. ^ "OUR STORY". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "QBL State Champions & Award Winners". qbl.basketballqld.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  3. ^ Garry, Chris (24 April 2010). "Force on target to make a mark". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Ipswich prepares for QABL transformation". The Queensland Times. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  5. ^ Lems, David (29 October 2009). "Force appoints basketball coach". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  6. ^ Boxall, Sally (30 August 2013). "Meteorettes to face Ipswich in QBL grand final". Daily Mercury. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Meteorettes keep the silverware in Mackay". Daily Mercury. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Meteorettes ice the cake". Daily Mercury. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  9. ^ "NBL1 Expands To North And South Conferences". NBL1.com.au. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  10. ^ Pike, Chris (4 August 2023). "NBL1 North Recap | Grand Finals Game 1". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  11. ^ Pike, Chris (5 August 2023). "NBL1 North Recap | Grand Finals Game 2". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  12. ^ Pike, Chris (6 August 2023). "NBL1 North Recap | Grand Finals Game 3". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Ipswich Force crowned NBL1 North men's champions". NBL1.com.au. 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  14. ^ Tucker, Nick (7 August 2023). "NBL1 North Basketball finals: Jason Ralph, Nathan Sobey the winning recipe for the Ipswich Force". couriermail.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
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