The Halifax Hoopers 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 (appro ...

team in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...

, and members of

The Basketball League The Basketball League (TBL), formerly North America Premier Basketball (NAPB), is a professional basketball league. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and has since expanded. TBL's regular season runs from Feb ...

(TBL).

History

The Halifax Hoopers were officially announced in August 2024, becoming one of the first two Canadian franchises to join

(TBL), alongside the Port City Power of

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...

. Halifax's return to the professional basketball scene follows a four-year absence after the

Halifax Hurricanes The Halifax Hurricanes were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Hurricanes were founded as members of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) to replace the Halifax Rainmen, who filed for bankruptcy ...

, who last played in 2020, disbanded in 2021 following the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. The Hoopers are owned by Geoff Clyke, who has emphasized a community-driven, sustainable model of operations. Unlike previous professional teams in the region, the Hoopers aim to avoid high overhead costs by playing in university gyms—potentially at Dalhousie or Saint Mary's—rather than in the larger

Scotiabank Centre Scotiabank Centre (formerly known as Halifax Metro Centre) is the largest multi-purpose facility in Atlantic Canada, located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The main entrances to the building are located on Brunswick Street, at the c ...

. The team settled on playing at the Zatzman Sportsplex, located across the harbour from downtown Halifax. Augy Jones was named the franchise's inaugural head coach and general manager. A Halifax native and

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame was established on November 3, 1964, by John E. Ahern to honour outstanding athletes, teams and sport builders in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, ...

inductee, Jones played at

St. Francis Xavier University St. Francis Xavier University is a public undergraduate liberal arts university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a member of the Maple League, a group of primarily undergraduate universities in Eastern Canada. History St. Fran ...

and previously coached at both his alma mater and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. The Hoopers have committed to scouting Nova Scotia talent and limiting out-of-province recruitment. League rules also mandate post-game fan interaction, such as autograph sessions, to foster stronger community connections.

Current roster

References

{{Halifax, Nova Scotia Basketball in Halifax, Nova Scotia Basketball teams established in 2024 The Basketball League teams 2024 establishments in Nova Scotia Sports clubs and teams in Halifax, Nova Scotia