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CBL regular season now complete, playoff field set

The inaugural regular season of the CBL is now in the books, bringing to an end to over five months of intense competition.

The playoff field is also now confirmed, with the Elite Eight stage set to begin this coming Wednesday, 15 March 2023.

We take a look at all three of the Tier Two groups below, before casting a glance ahead to how the playoffs are looking.

Group A

It’s been a season to remember for Shenley Brook End School as they went unbeaten across the season, using a perfect 12-0 record to not only win Group A but also lock up the #1 seed for the post-season.

Nottingham Academy Wildcats had an incredible triple OT game against Carmel College to end the regular season, winning 109-108 thanks to 33 points from Jarrod Henriques.

That win secured Nottingham as runners up in the group, and also #6 seeds for the playoffs.

Third place Carmel College (7-5) finished on 21 points, which made them the second-best of the third place finishers, sneaking them into the post-season as the #8 seeds.

Stoke-on-Trent (6-6), Aston Manor (4-8), Queen Ethelburga’s (4-8) and Priestley College (0-12) rounded out the Group A standings.

Group B

Group B was a close run thing, going right down to the wire before The Crest Academy (10-2) were named as regular season champs.

2019/20 ABL co-winners New City College also finished with a 10-2 record, but fell to second place based on their head-to-head record against Crest.

That left Holy Trinity School (8-3, 1 void game) to lock up third spot, and their haul of 24 points was good for the #7 seed as the best third placed finisher.

Reigning champs Dagenham Park (7-5) miss the post season, whilst Mayfield School (2-10), 2016/17 winners St Charles College (2-9, 1 void game) and Queen’s School (2-10) make up the rest of the finishing spots.

Group C

It was a similar story in Group C, with Bracknell and Wokingham College and Haringey Sixth Form College both finishing with an identical 11-1 record.

Bracknell’s 87-77 victory over Haringey last month proved to be the difference between the sides, with Haringey only winning 93-92 back in November. Those losses to each other also proved to be the only Ls either side would take this season.

COHENEL would end up being the unlucky third place side not to make the playoffs. Their 6-5 record was good for 18 points, meaning they’d miss out compared to Holy Trinity and Carmel.

Riverside Sixth Form (6-5, 1 void), Northolt High School (3-8, 1 void), Barton Peveril College (2-9) and Sigma Sixth Colchester (1-11) filled placed four through eight in the final standings.

Playoff Preview

There’s plenty to get excited about across the CBL’s Elite Eight match ups.

#1 seeds Shenley Brook End get reacquainted with Group A neighbours Carmel College, who they’ve beaten twice already during the regular season.

#2 seeds Bracknell and Wokingham face a visit from #7 seeds Holy Trinity, whilst #3 The Crest Academy will need to be wary of Nottingham after their momentum-boosting win this week.

#4 Haringey Sixth Form College against #5 New City College is a repeat of the 2019/20 ABL final, which sadly didn’t take place due to the start of the COVID pandemic as both teams were named co-winners.

They’re two teams who always match up well against each other, and that game should be well worth watching.

All four of the games will take place on Wednesday 15 March 2023, with the eventual CBL final taking place on Wednesday 29 March 2023 at Manchester’s National Basketball Performance Centre.

Tickets to attend the final are free, but still need to be purchased for capacity reasons.

To secure your ticket, please head to the Basketball England shop by clicking here.