The Halifax Hurricanes are a professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team based in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
. The Hurricanes were founded as members of the
National Basketball League of Canada
The National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada; french: Ligue nationale de basketball du Canada) is a Canadian professional men's minor league basketball organization. The NBL Canada was founded in 2011, when three existing Premier Basketb ...
(NBLC) to replace the
Halifax Rainmen
The Halifax Rainmen were a professional basketball team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They played in the Atlantic Division of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) and their home games took place at the Scotiabank Centre, form ...
, who declared bankruptcy in July 2015 ultimately leading to the club folding. In 2021, the organization left the NBLC.
History
Following steadily declining attendance and fallout from the
2015 NBL Canada Finals brawl the Halifax Rainmen folded in July 2015, with owner
Andre Levingston
Andre Levingston is an American entrepreneur and basketball coach. He was formerly an auto detailer and schoolteacher. He is a co-founder of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) and most recently served as the owner and president of th ...
citing bankruptcy with the franchise falling into a debt of nearly $700,000. The Rainmen's folding left a void in the Halifax professional basketball market and the league had lost one of its founding franchises and second largest market. Soon after, efforts began to replace the Rainmen.
On September 3, 2015, a new Halifax team was announced by the league. The new ownership group was expanded from just Andre Levingston to a 25-member investor group from the Halifax business community to stabilize ownership and reduce financial risk. Andre Levingston was named general manager of basketball operations.
Hugo López was hired to be the franchise's first head coach on September 30, 2015. On October 20, 2015, the franchise unveiled its name and logo. The Hurricanes also announced their first two signings, former Rainmen player
Cliff Clinkscales
Clifford Clinkscales (born March 11, 1984) is an American professional basketball assistant coach for the KW Titans of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) and a former player. A point guard, Clinkscales began playing professi ...
and newcomer
Mike Glover.
In their
first season, the Hurricanes won both preseason games before winning their first regular-season home game 129–113 against the
Moncton Miracles
The Moncton Miracles were a Canadian professional basketball team in Moncton, New Brunswick. Established in 2011, they were a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). The Miracles played their home games at the Moncton C ...
in front of approximately 2,000 fans on December 26, 2015.
Coach López and the Hurricanes were unable to come to terms for a second season and
Kevin Keathley
Kevin Keathley is a basketball coach and author who is the Director of Player Personnel/Assistant Coach for the Shreveport Mavericks for the 2021 season.
Coaching career Lees College
Keathley began his career as an assistant coach at Lees College ...
was hired as head coach and general manager for the 2016–17 season. Unfortunately, coach Keathley had to leave the team before his first season for personal reasons. He was replaced by Mike Leslie. After three seasons, Leslie moved up to be the Hurricanes' president and general manager, with Ryan Marchand taking over as head coach.
The
2019–20 season was then curtailed in March 2020 due to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The league subsequently cancelled its 2020–21 season due to continuing restrictions during the pandemic. In October 2021, the Hurricanes announced they had left the league.
Home arena
The
Scotiabank Centre
Scotiabank Centre (formerly known as Halifax Metro Centre) is the largest multi-purpose facility in Atlantic Canada, located in the heart of downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The main entrances to the building are located on Brunswick Str ...
is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. The arena has a basketball capacity of 11,093. The Hurricanes share the arena with the
Halifax Mooseheads
The Halifax Mooseheads are a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio Division of the QMJHL from the 1 ...
of the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The l ...
, and The
Halifax Thunderbirds
The Halifax Thunderbirds are a professional box lacrosse team in the North Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). They play at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
History
On September 13, 2018, the NLL approved a franchise reloc ...
of the
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional box lacrosse league in North America. The league is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NLL currently has fifteen teams: ten in the United Stat ...
. The building is next to the
World Trade and Convention Centre
The World Trade and Convention Centre (WTCC) was a convention centre and office complex in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, adjacent to the Scotiabank Centre. The facility had of meeting space and a 20,000 square foot ballroom. It was replaced by t ...
in
Downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax is the primary central business district of the Halifax, Nova Scotia, Municipality of Halifax. Located on the central-eastern portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour. Along with Downtown Dartmouth, and other de facto ...
, at the foot of
Citadel Hill and it is the largest arena in the maritimes by seating capacity.
Current roster
Season-by-season record
Notable players
:To appear in this section a player must have either:
- Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
- Played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time.
*
Coreontae DeBerry
Coreontae Lamar DeBerry (born 2 September 1994) is an American professional basketball player.
As a freshman at college, he measured 6-foot-9, 260 pounds and was considered an intriguing prospect at Mott Community College, which was considered a ...
See also
*
Sports teams in Halifax, Nova Scotia
This page has the sports teams and venues in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality ...
References
How a Brawl and Sleazy Owner Killed the Halifax Rainmen Vice Sports, 23 December 2015
Marca, 4 February 2016
Mundo Deportivo, 3 February 2016
External links
{{Nova Scotia Sports
2015 establishments in Nova Scotia
Basketball teams established in 2015
Basketball teams in Nova Scotia
National Basketball League of Canada teams
Sport in Halifax, Nova Scotia