[26
JUL 00] COVENTRY CRUSADERS NEWS
Quality Cats Sign Up With Crusaders
Women’s basketball is growing in Coventry, with the Birmingham Quality
Cats moving over to the
city to hook up with the Coventry Crusaders.
Last
season the team went through a transitional period as a number of its
core players were unavailable through other commitments or injury.
With
young junior players filling the gaps the aim was to avoid relegation
and re-build over the forthcoming seasons – which was achieved in
the final game of the season.
It
is hoped that the merger with the Coventry Crusaders will attract
players from further afield.
Crusaders
owner Dip Donaldson said there are still exciting, athletic and
experienced players remaining, and Tiffany Mitchell, Crusaders
Director of Women's Basketball, will be making her debut in the NBL.
He
added:
"I
am really excited about the prospects of having a top level women's
team join our organisation.
"We
haven't been able to join the National League before now, but with
an already established team, merging with some of the ladies who
already play basketball in Coventry, it will definitely work well.
"We
will continue to run a ladies team in a local league as well,
because not everyone is ready for Division One basketball, but the
profile of women's basketball can not help but be promoted with this
addition to the Crusaders and that is good."
The
Quality Cats have been competing in the National Basketball League
since 1991.
The
team's first season in the Carlsberg NBL Women's Division 2 saw them
finish second position in the league as well as winners of the
Division 2 Championship Play Off.
This
earned them promotion to NBL Division 1 -
a much tougher league and one that regularly sees promoted
teams relegated after one season.
However,
in the 1992/3 season Quality Cats secured eighth spot avoiding
relegation and subsequent seasons saw the team grow from strength to
strength with the most successful season being 1995/6.
This
was a pinnacle season for the Quality Cats, finishing second in the
league and finalist in both the National Cup and Championship Play
Off.
In
subsequent seasons Quality Cats finished in the top six and were
finalists again in the National Cup in January 1999.
The
Quality Cats will be playing the majority of their home games prior to
the men's senior team with a 5pm tip-off.
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