2008

Bury Basketball Club have been in existence for more than twenty years.

 

The club was once considered to be amongst the elite teams in the region; winning leagues, cups and anything else they went for.

 

The club have won the Wilkinson sword tournament, and once won the Cambridge league with only six players on the roster...going unbeaten in the process.

Bury have also won the Suffolk cup on several occasions, including once with only five players in attendance; and also in 1999, when the team defeated the Brightlingsea Sledgehammers, whose squad included (then) England Junior Tom Sadler, the bulk of the recent Colchester United Men's National League team and current Malaga player Martin Yabsley.

More recently, the club have produced a series of players making an impact at different levels, Chris Dixon, the club captain, represented Colchester United in the men's National League for many years.  Arron MacDonald and Christian Lyne also played at the same club at Under 20's level-where they were coached by Mac. Mark Knight and Mac (although now retired) were both selected for the Cambridge League Representative Squad on several occasions (along with Chris Dixon). David Grimsey is a member of the Cambridge Cats Junior Men's team in the National League, Kerry Moore and Lois Nunn represented Ipswich Bobcats in the National League-and Lois has also represented England at Under 16's... and not to forget Aaron Caldwell, who is currently on a basketball scholarship to the John Cooper School in Houston, Texas; his father-club chairman Simon Caldwell-is himself a former England Under 21's representative as well!

 

Going into the 2004/05 season the Suffolk squads were full of Bulldogs!  With no less than 19 players representing both Suffolk and the Bulldogs between 2001 and 2004, including an astounding nine players in the Suffolk Under 15's squad for 2003/04!

With all this young talent, its no surprise that the Bulldogs romped home with the Ipswich and District League last season, and have enough young talent on board to compete in the National League Under 16's!

Hall of Fame

This is something we had to carry over from the previous Bulldogs site in its entirety.

 

While we're looking forward to a brighter future, we can't help but reminisce about some of the players who've been before.

 

Historically we are one of the top teams in the region, and these guys laid the foundation. So, in order to show respect to the old school players, here's our first group of inductees...

 

 

Andrew MacDonald:

 

Mac is the current coach, and is probably the best Bulldog ever, had the money shot from the corner and was strong going to the hole. Knee surgeries robbed him of a few more seasons at the top of his game, but he was special, and there won't be another one like him.

 

Sal Reveles:

 

6'4" of pure muscle, Sal was a member of the US air force and had two spells with us, in his second spell he nailed an astonishing 98 three-pointers between October and December before heading back to the States for good. Another one-off player, who we can only wish we had for longer.

 

Kerry Taylor:

 

HUGE. Is the only way you can sum up Kerry Taylor, Mac says "he's probably the strongest player he's ever played with or against". Once pulled a rim off a backboard whilst reverse dunking it-as he didn't want to hit his head on the way down. Was approached by a number of professional clubs whilst staying in this country.

 

John Dixon:

 

A true power forward. John Dixon was about 6'8" and looked likea manga cartoon bad guy! He seemed to knock opposition players about like skittles, and was always game for a laugh with his team-mates. Also played county rugby, his claim to fame being that he once laid ex-England played Wade Dooley out!

 

Gary Byers:

A solid ballplayer. Nobody really remembers him making too many mistakes in his time here. He could really play, liked to shoot the ball, worked on D and always led by example.

 

Dave Zuker:

 

 

The "mature" master always wanted the ball in the clutch and didn't seem to miss the ball when he got it in the fourth.  Sources in the USA have informed us the old git's still playing-and winning, as his team have won his city's Over-40's League for four of the past six years!

 

James Reilly:

 

 

We're hoping Jim will be heading back to the `Dogs once he's finished his degree. Once had three straight 55+ point games...aged only 15 in the Cambridge league.

 

Thomas Von Stegman:

 

The 6'11" human tower came to us to have some fun at the tail end of his career, having already played professionally in Germany for Kaiserslauten and earned thirteen caps for the national team. Was selected for the 1984 German Olympic Team (who boycotted) and was recruited by Michigan State University (whilst Magic Johnson was in attendance) and personally by Bill Walton-who offered to pay for him to attend UCLA. He declined in order to stay home-and was still unstoppable in the twilight of his career with us, despite not having touched a ball for three years prior to his first game here.

 

Levent Uktu:

 

One of the best pure shooters around.  Now coaches Notre Dame Eagles in Norwich, although he made an appearance for the Bulldogs in last season's IDL-and showed he still likes the look of his own shot.

 

Ken Casey:

 

 

Someone who cared for the club in a way most players couldn't. He bled Bury basketball, and helped in any possible way, on and off the court.

 

John Drury:

 

 

"Grandad" played coached and refereed his way through the golden era of Bury basketball, and will forver be remembered for having probably the most consistent ugly shot ever.  Was a guest of honour at last season's end of season awards dinner-presenting trophies to this generation of Bulldogs.

 

Kenny Schoppa:

 

The silent assassin, and never one to question an official's decision-at least as long as they weren't against him. Was nicknamed "who, me?" by the other players for forever trying to dodge fouls.

 

Kevin Bone:

 

 

The Geordie/Kiwi Cyclone who was an ex NZ Junior Player.

 

Ian Howlett:

A 6'6" soft-spoken shot-blocker.

 

Matty Allen:

 

A power guard! A combination of speed and strength that couldn't be stopped.

 

Hans Mentic:

 

The chain-smoking Dutch sharp-shooter was an integral part of many of the best Bury teams.

 

John Symons:

 

Player/coach, and a FIBA qualified referee. The line on John is that he could play as well as he could drink-and he could drink!

 

Thor Jensen:

 

A 5'8" human bowling ball who never stopped running and gunning could hit the three with ease, and for someone so small, he thrived on scoring in traffic.

 

 

 

Paul Clark:

 

A 6'4", three-point shooting centre who was once described as a white Charles Barkley.  Paul was a vocal leader and a player who brought up many of the younger Bulldogs today with his brand of tough love.  Paul will always be remembered as an aggressive competitor-and for giving some of the best soundbites ever during local league games.

 

 

 

Aaron Caldwell:

 

Probably the most consistent shooter in the league in recent history.  Aaron's played for numerous national league clubs, and is now in Houston with the John Cooper School; all the while repping the Bulldogs.  Has quickly become accustomed at every level he's played and hopes to be in the GB squad for the 2012 Olympics...I'm not betting against him.