# 2022–23 British Basketball League season

The 2022–23 BBL season was the 36th season of the British Basketball League, the top British professional basketball league, since its establishment in 1987. The season featured 10 teams from across England and Scotland.

## Teams
### Arenas and locations

| Team | Location | Arena | Capacity |
| Bristol Flyers | Bristol | SGS College Arena | 750 |
| Caledonia Gladiators | Glasgow | Emirates Arena | 1,650 |
| Cheshire Phoenix | Ellesmere Port | Cheshire Oaks Arena | 1,400 |
| Leicester Riders | Leicester | Morningside Arena | 2,400 |
| London Lions | London | Copper Box Arena | 6,000 |
| Manchester Giants | Manchester | National Basketball Centre | 2,000 |
| Newcastle Eagles | Newcastle upon Tyne | Vertu Motors Arena | 3,000 |
| Plymouth City Patriots | Plymouth | Plymouth Pavilions | 1,500 |
| Sheffield Sharks | Sheffield | Ponds Forge | 1,000 |
| Surrey Scorchers | Guildford | Surrey Sports Park | 1,000 |
* On 13 September 2022, Glasgow Rocks were rebranded as Caledonia Gladiators.

### Personnel and sponsorship

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Main sponsor |
| Bristol Flyers | Andreas Kapoulas | Michael Miller | Xledger |
| Caledonia Gladiators | Gareth Murray | Jonny Bunyan | |
| Cheshire Phoenix | Ben Thomas | Larry Austin Jr. | HM Legal |
| Leicester Riders | Rob Paternostro | Darien Nelson-Henry | Jelson Homes |
| London Lions | Ryan Schmidt | Sam Dekker | StockX |
| Manchester Giants | Vince Macaulay | Rahmon Fletcher | |
| Newcastle Eagles | Marc Steutel | Darius Defoe | Newcastle College |
| Plymouth City Patriots | Paul James | Elvisi Dusha | Portcullis Legal |
| Sheffield Sharks | Atiba Lyons | Rodney Glasgow Jr. | B.Braun |
| Surrey Scorchers | Lloyd Gardner | Tayo Ogedengbe | |

### Coaching changes

| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
| Newcastle Eagles | Ian Macleod | Stepping down | 13 April 2022 | Pre-season | Marc Steutel | 13 May 2022 |
| London Lions | Nikhil Lawry | End of interim period | 16 May 2022 | Pre-season | Ryan Schmidt | 1 July 2022 |
| Surrey Scorchers | Creon Raftopoulos | Mutual agreement | 26 May 2022 | Pre-season | Lloyd Gardner | 17 June 2022 |
| Manchester Giants | Lloyd Gardner | Signed by Surrey Scorchers | 17 June 2022 | Pre-season | Vince Macaulay | 16 July 2022 |

## BBL Championship

The BBL Championship reverted to a four-game series format, for the first time since the 2006–07 season, for a 36-game regular season played across 29 Rounds between September 2022 to April 2023.

### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | London Lions (C) | 36 | 32 | 4 | 3168 | 2592 | +576 | 64 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Leicester Riders | 36 | 25 | 11 | 3185 | 2951 | +234 | 50 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Bristol Flyers | 36 | 25 | 11 | 2993 | 2873 | +120 | 50 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Caledonia Gladiators | 36 | 19 | 17 | 3005 | 2990 | +15 | 38 | Playoffs |
| 5 | Cheshire Phoenix | 36 | 19 | 17 | 2948 | 2927 | +21 | 38 | Playoffs |
| 6 | Manchester Giants | 36 | 17 | 19 | 3228 | 3223 | +5 | 34 | Playoffs |
| 7 | Sheffield Sharks | 36 | 17 | 19 | 2668 | 2691 | −23 | 34 | Playoffs |
| 8 | Newcastle Eagles | 36 | 11 | 25 | 2879 | 3034 | −155 | 22 | Playoffs |
| 9 | Plymouth City Patriots | 36 | 11 | 25 | 2845 | 3254 | −409 | 22 | |
| 10 | Surrey Scorchers | 36 | 4 | 32 | 2763 | 3147 | −384 | 8 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BRI | CAL | CHE | LEI | LON | MAN | NEW | PLY | SHE | SUR |
| Bristol Flyers | — | 71–93 | 78–73 | 91–85 | 75–71 | 79–78 | 86–76 | 87–77 | 68–55 | 78–60 |
| — | 89–79 | 87–73 | 91–84 | 87–82 | 81–86 | 81–75 | 99–60 | 72–76 | 87–70 |
| Caledonia Gladiators | 76–88 | — | 117–96 | 89–81 | 60–84 | 92–83 | 81–77 | 91–76 | 77–60 | 88–70 |
| 90–82 | — | 83–78 | 92–66 | 61–93 | 106–97 | 77–83 | 96–80 | 77–71 | 102–77 |
| Cheshire Phoenix | 74–81 | 78–61 | — | 91–105 | 74–89 | 103–99 | 80–77 | 71–78 | 49–62 | 90–61 |
| 82–87 | 77–73 | — | 96–92 | 65–86 | 78–74 | 82–70 | 101–82 | 83–80 | 105–81 |
| Leicester Riders | 91–73 | 100–67 | 89–85 | — | 75–81 | 102–89 | 89–79 | 92–89 | 71–58 | 77–72 |
| 106–89 | 84–81 | 100–82 | — | 77–102 | 104–84 | 87–78 | 111–68 | 85–76 | 99–77 |
| London Lions | 95–60 | 95–87 | 75–60 | 89–78 | — | 91–83 | 100–69 | 87–63 | 75–63 | 88–62 |
| 82–64 | 99–67 | 89–79 | 83–81 | — | 95–71 | 89–68 | 96–62 | 80–82 | 88–75 |
| Manchester Giants | 95–103 | 95–94 | 104–80 | 82–89 | 76–87 | — | 99–97 | 92–79 | 105–102 | 106–93 |
| 110–99 | 73–91 | 84–87 | 82–83 | 90–96 | — | 99–96 | 109–69 | 70–65 | 97–92 |
| Newcastle Eagles | 89–78 | 94–87 | 67–75 | 87–91 | 72–85 | 64–84 | — | 108–96 | 84–70 | 74–79 |
| 66–68 | 88–78 | 72–91 | 92–85 | 85–88 | 92–97 | — | 79–95 | 71–82 | 79–72 |
| Plymouth City Patriots | 70–96 | 93–85 | 67–90 | 79–101 | 79–88 | 103–96 | 98–93 | — | 69–88 | 91–68 |
| 93–108 | 80–85 | 68–85 | 85–99 | 51–102 | 77–87 | 68–90 | — | 68–63 | 90–83 |
| Sheffield Sharks | 73–91 | 70–74 | 73–88 | 72–86 | 73–86 | 83–92 | 66–59 | 64–71 | — | 92–74 |
| 65–73 | 82–72 | 89–75 | 72–64 | 87–81 | 80–71 | 87–62 | 82–77 | — | 75–70 |
| Surrey Scorchers | 85–93 | 99–92 | 81–96 | 67–86 | 64–83 | 85–86 | 86–88 | 95–105 | 54–60 | — |
| 78–73 | 81–84 | 66–76 | 81–90 | 67–88 | 106–103 | 78–79 | 87–89 | 67–70 | — |

### Ladder progression

* Leader and qualification to playoffs
* Qualification to playoffs
* Last place
2022–23 BBL Championship :
| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Bristol Flyers | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Caledonia Gladiators | — | — | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Cheshire Phoenix | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Leicester Riders | — | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| London Lions | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Manchester Giants | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Newcastle Eagles | — | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Plymouth City Patriots | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Sheffield Sharks | 7 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| Surrey Scorchers | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |

## BBL Trophy

The BBL Trophy retained the same 16-team bracket format as introduced for the 2018–19 season. The ten BBL teams were drawn in the first round by six invited teams; St Mirren from the Scottish Basketball Championship, Basketball Wales, and Worthing Thunder, Derby Trailblazers, Nottingham Hoods and Thames Valley Cavaliers from the National Basketball League.

### Trophy Final
## Playoffs

The quarterfinal matchups and tip-off times were confirmed by the league, on 23 April 2023. Each tie in the quarterfinals and semifinals phase are played over two legs.

### Bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Playoff Final | Playoff Final | Playoff Final |
| 1 | London Lions | 108 | 99 | 207 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Newcastle Eagles | 78 | 86 | 164 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Newcastle Eagles | 78 | 86 | 164 | 1 | London Lions | 82 | 102 | 184 | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Cheshire Phoenix | 74 | 81 | 155 | | | |
| 4 | Caledonia Gladiators | 86 | 80 | 166 | 5 | Cheshire Phoenix | 74 | 81 | 155 | | | |
| 5 | Cheshire Phoenix | 102 | 84 | 186 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cheshire Phoenix | 102 | 84 | 186 | | | | | | 1 | London Lions | 88 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Leicester Riders | 80 |
| 2 | Leicester Riders | 79 | 74 | 153 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Leicester Riders | 80 |
| 7 | Sheffield Sharks | 70 | 70 | 140 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Sheffield Sharks | 70 | 70 | 140 | 2 | Leicester Riders | 84 | 74 | 159 | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Bristol Flyers | 77 | 79 | 156 | | | |
| 3 | Bristol Flyers | 97 | 82 | 179 | 3 | Bristol Flyers | 77 | 79 | 156 | | | |
| 6 | Manchester Giants | 71 | 81 | 152 | | | | | | | | |
*Note: Pairings are reseeded after quarterfinals.

### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| London Lions | 207–164 | Newcastle Eagles | 108–78 | 99–86 |
| Leicester Riders | 153–140 | Sheffield Sharks | 79–70 | 74–70 |
| Bristol Flyers | 179–152 | Manchester Giants | 97–71 | 82–81 |
| Caledonia Gladiators | 166–186 | Cheshire Phoenix | 86–102 | 80–84 |

#### (4) Caledonia Gladiators vs. (5) Cheshire Phoenix
### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| London Lions | 184–155 | Cheshire Phoenix | 82–74 | 102–81 |
| Leicester Riders | 159–156 | Bristol Flyers | 84–77 | 75–79 |

#### (2) Leicester Riders vs. (3) Bristol Flyers
### Playoff Final
#### (1) London Lions vs. (2) Leicester Riders
## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Sam Dekker (London Lions)
* Play-off Final MVP: Jordan Taylor (London Lions)
* Coach of the Year: Ryan Schmidt (London Lions)

### 2022–23 BBL Team of the Year

| # | Player | Team |
| PG | David Sloan | Caledonia Gladiators |
| SG | Dirk Williams | Manchester Giants |
| SF | V. J. King | Bristol Flyers |
| PF | Sam Dekker | London Lions |
| C | Tajh Green | Manchester Giants |
Source: 2022–23 Molten BBL Team of the Year

### 2022–23 BBL All-British Team of the Year

| # | Player | Team |
| PG | Jelani Watson-Gayle | Bristol Flyers |
| SG | Luke Nelson | London Lions |
| SF | Kimbal Mackenzie | Leicester Riders |
| PF | Patrick Whelan | Leicester Riders |
| C | Josh Sharma | London Lions |
Source: 2022–23 BBL All-British Team of the Year

### 2022–23 BBL Defensive Team of the Year

| # | Player | Team |
| PG | Larry Austin Jr. | Cheshire Phoenix |
| SG | Anthony Roberson | Manchester Giants |
| SF | Prince Onwas | Caledonia Gladiators |
| PF | Jamell Anderson | Cheshire Phoenix |
| C | Josh Sharma | London Lions |
Source: 2022–23 BBL Defensive Team of the Year

## British clubs in European competitions

| Team | Competition | Progress |
| London Lions | EuroCup | Eighthfinals |
| Leicester Riders | Champions League | Qualifying round |