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Belfast Star

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Belfast Star
Belfast Star logo
LeaguesSuper League
HistorySuper League
1983–2012, 2013–present
ArenaDe La Salle College
LocationBelfast, Northern Ireland
Team colorsBlue & white
PresidentBill McCotter
Head coachAdrian Fulton
Championships3 (1998, 1999, 2020)
WebsiteBelfastStar.org

Belfast Star is a basketball team based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The team competes in the Super League and plays its home games at De La Salle College. The team is a division of Belfast Star Basketball Club and is the only team in the Super League based in Northern Ireland.

History

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In 1964, the late Dr. Liam Conlon founded Star of the Sea Youth Club. Primarily a football club, Conlon wanted to encourage participation in other sports, so future Star president Bill McCotter became involved at the forefront of basketball development at the club. By the late 1960s/early 1970s, a Star of the Sea men's basketball team was playing in the Ulster League. In 1982–83, Dave Shehadi – an American from Bucknell University – became player-coach and this boost for the club resulted in the team entering the All-Ireland League in 1983–84 with John Copeland, a 6'9” Californian who played at UNLV, as the professional.[1]

Star's best known American was Javan Dupree, who arrived in 1985 and played for the next 15 years before retiring. He was a vital part of the team's dominance in the late 1990s. In 1996, Star won their first of three consecutive National Championships.[2][3] They also won back-to-back All-Ireland League titles in 1998 and 1999.[4]

The team was known as Sx3 Star (2001–03) and MDS Star (2003–06) throughout the early 2000s. In 2007, Star of the Sea Basketball Club changed their name to Belfast Star Basketball Club.[5] Prior to the 2012–13 season, Belfast Star withdrew from the Irish National League.[6] They were able to re-enter the league for the 2013–14 season.[7]

In March 2020, Belfast Star were declared the champions of the 2019–20 Super League season, thus winning their first league title since 1999.[8][9][10]

On 12 March 2022, Belfast Star withdrew from the 2021–22 Super League season after having played an American-based player who was incorrectly registered at the start of the season.[11][12][13]

Achievements

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  • 3 Irish National League titles: 1998, 1999, 2020[14]
  • 3 Irish National Championships: 1996, 1997, 1998

References

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  1. ^ Belfast Star – About
  2. ^ Star hat trick ends season on high
  3. ^ Star of the Sea triumph
  4. ^ Star go back to back in Superleague
  5. ^ Welcome to the Belfast Star Basketball website!
  6. ^ Dublin Inter replace fallen Star in Men's SuperLeague
  7. ^ A whole new ball game as Premier League begins
  8. ^ "MNCC confirms winner of Basketball Ireland Men's Super League". BasketballIreland.ie. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  9. ^ "REACTION: Adrian Fulton on Belfast Star winning the MSL". BasketballIreland.ie. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  10. ^ Shannon, Kieran (4 March 2020). "Bitter row over Berry eligibility sours Tralee's title chase". irishexaminer.com. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  11. ^ Coughlan, John (12 March 2022). "Belfast Star forced to withdraw from the Super League with immediate effect". irishexaminer.com. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  12. ^ Kelly, David (12 March 2022). "Belfast Star forced to withdraw from All-Ireland Superleague after leading scorer Max Cooper ruled ineligible". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Belfast Star: Holders forced to withdraw from men's Superleague after registration error". bbc.com. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  14. ^ Roll of Honour 1973 - 2014
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