CBA Championship History
The league began play in 1946 as the
Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League. It later
became the Eastern Professional Basketball League,
then the Eastern Basketball Association, before
adopting the Continental Basketball Association name.
Championship formats changed several times during the league's history.
Early finals were generally best-of-three series, later expanding to
best-of-five and best-of-seven formats. During several seasons in the
2000s, the championship was decided by a single game.
The CBA suspended operations during the 2000-01 season, so no champion
was crowned. The league returned in 2001-02 and continued through the
abbreviated 2008-09 season.
1946-47 through 1966-67
Most championships during this period were decided by a
best-of-three series.
| Season |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
Series |
| 1946-47 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Lancaster Red Roses |
2-1 |
| 1947-48 |
Reading Keys |
Hazleton Mountaineers |
2-1 |
| 1948-49 |
Pottsville Packers |
Harrisburg Senators |
2-1 |
| 1949-50 |
Williamsport Billies |
Harrisburg Senators |
2-1 |
| 1950-51 |
Sunbury Mercuries |
York Victory A.C. |
2-0 |
| 1951-52 |
Pottsville Packers |
Sunbury Mercuries |
2-1 |
| 1952-53 |
Williamsport Billies |
Berwick Carbuilders |
2-1 |
| 1953-54 |
Williamsport Billies |
Lancaster Red Roses |
2-1 |
| 1954-55 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Hazleton Hawks |
2-1 |
| 1955-56 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Williamsport Billies |
3-1 |
| 1956-57 |
Scranton Miners |
Hazleton Hawks |
2-1 |
| 1957-58 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Easton Madisons |
2-1 |
| 1958-59 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Scranton Miners |
2-1 |
| 1959-60 |
Easton Madisons |
Baltimore Bullets |
2-1 |
| 1960-61 |
Baltimore Bullets |
Allentown Jets |
1-0 |
| 1961-62 |
Allentown Jets |
Williamsport Billies |
2-1 |
| 1962-63 |
Allentown Jets |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
2-1 |
| 1963-64 |
Camden Bullets |
Trenton Colonials |
2-0 |
| 1964-65 |
Allentown Jets |
Scranton Miners |
2-1 |
| 1965-66 |
Wilmington Blue Bombers |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
2-1 |
| 1966-67 |
Wilmington Blue Bombers |
Scranton Miners |
2-1 |
1967-68 through 1977-78
The championship series expanded to a longer format during this era.
Most finals were best-of-five series.
| Season |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
Series |
| 1967-68 |
Allentown Jets |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
3-2 |
| 1968-69 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Wilmington Blue Bombers |
3-2 |
| 1969-70 |
Allentown Jets |
Wilmington Blue Bombers |
3-2 |
| 1970-71 |
Scranton Apollos |
Hamden Bics |
3-1 |
| 1971-72 |
Allentown Jets |
Scranton Apollos |
3-2 |
| 1972-73 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Hartford Capitols |
3-2 |
| 1973-74 |
Hartford Capitols |
Allentown Jets |
3-2 |
| 1974-75 |
Allentown Jets |
Hazleton Bullets |
2-1 |
| 1975-76 |
Allentown Jets |
Lancaster Red Roses |
3-2 |
| 1976-77 |
Scranton Apollos |
Allentown Jets |
3-1 |
| 1977-78 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons |
Lancaster Red Roses |
3-2 |
1978-79 through 1998-99
Beginning in 1978-79, the league operated under the
Continental Basketball Association name. Most
championship series during this period used a best-of-seven format.
| Season |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
Series |
| 1978-79 |
Rochester Zeniths |
Anchorage Northern Knights |
4-0 |
| 1979-80 |
Anchorage Northern Knights |
Rochester Zeniths |
4-3 |
| 1980-81 |
Rochester Zeniths |
Montana Golden Nuggets |
4-0 |
| 1981-82 |
Lancaster Lightning |
Billings Volcanoes |
4-1 |
| 1982-83 |
Detroit Spirits |
Montana Golden Nuggets |
4-3 |
| 1983-84 |
Albany Patroons |
Wyoming Wildcatters |
3-2 |
| 1984-85 |
Tampa Bay Thrillers |
Detroit Spirits |
4-3 |
| 1985-86 |
Tampa Bay Thrillers |
La Crosse Catbirds |
4-1 |
| 1986-87 |
Rapid City Thrillers |
Rockford Lightning |
4-1 |
| 1987-88 |
Albany Patroons |
Wyoming Wildcatters |
4-3 |
| 1988-89 |
Tulsa Fast Breakers |
Rockford Lightning |
4-0 |
| 1989-90 |
La Crosse Catbirds |
Rapid City Thrillers |
4-1 |
| 1990-91 |
Wichita Falls Texans |
Quad City Thunder |
4-3 |
| 1991-92 |
La Crosse Catbirds |
Rapid City Thrillers |
4-3 |
| 1992-93 |
Omaha Racers |
Grand Rapids Hoops |
4-2 |
| 1993-94 |
Quad City Thunder |
Omaha Racers |
4-1 |
| 1994-95 |
Yakima Sun Kings |
Pittsburgh Piranhas |
4-2 |
| 1995-96 |
Sioux Falls Skyforce |
Fort Wayne Fury |
4-1 |
| 1996-97 |
Oklahoma City Cavalry |
Florida Beach Dogs |
4-2 |
| 1997-98 |
Quad City Thunder |
Sioux Falls Skyforce |
4-3 |
| 1998-99 |
Connecticut Pride |
Sioux Falls Skyforce |
4-1 |
1999-2000 through 2008-09
| Season |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
Result |
| 1999-00 |
Yakima Sun Kings |
La Crosse Bobcats |
109-93 |
| 2000-01 |
No champion — Idaho Stampede (17-7) and Connecticut Pride (15-9)
led their divisions when the CBA suspended operations.
|
| 2001-02 |
Dakota Wizards |
Rockford Lightning |
116-109 |
| 2002-03 |
Yakima Sun Kings |
Grand Rapids Hoops |
117-107 |
| 2003-04 |
Dakota Wizards |
Idaho Stampede |
132-129 |
| 2004-05 |
Sioux Falls Skyforce |
Rockford Lightning |
3-1 |
| 2005-06 |
Yakama Sun Kings |
Gary Steelheads |
2-1 |
| 2006-07 |
Yakama Sun Kings |
Albany Patroons |
3-0 |
| 2007-08 |
Oklahoma Cavalry |
Minot Skyrockets |
3-2 |
| 2008-09 |
Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry |
Albany Patroons |
2-1 |
Final CBA Championship
The Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry won the final
Continental Basketball Association championship in 2008-09,
defeating the Albany Patroons 2-1.
The 2008-09 season was shortened because of financial problems around
the league. Lawton-Fort Sill finished 12-2 during the abbreviated
regular season before winning the championship series.
The CBA did not return for another season, ending a professional
basketball league whose history stretched back to 1946.
CBA Championship Notes
Allentown Jets and Wilkes-Barre Barons were the most
successful championship franchises in league history, each winning
eight titles.
The league changed names several times during its long history:
Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, Eastern Professional
Basketball League, Eastern Basketball Association and finally the
Continental Basketball Association.
No championship was awarded in 2000-01 because the league suspended
operations during the season. The CBA was reorganized and resumed play
for 2001-02.
