The Trenton Shooting Stars were a

professional basketball In professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, participants receive payment for their performance. Professionalism in sport has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger a ...

team in the

International Basketball League The International Basketball League (IBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States. In 2010 the Albany Legends became the first team in the Northeastern United States to join. The ...

(IBL) from 1999 to 2001.

History

The team was owned by Herb Greenberg and

Larry Keating Lawrence Keating (June 13, 1899 – August 26, 1963) was an American actor best known for his roles as Harry Morton on ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', which he played from 1953 to 1958, and next-door neighbor Roger Addison on ''Mis ...

was the president:

Kevin Mackey Kevin Mackey (born August 21, 1946) is a former head coach of men's basketball at Cleveland State University. His CSU Vikings upset the Indiana Hoosiers and the Saint Joseph's Hawks to make the Sweet 16 in the 1986 NCAA Division I men's baske ...

was named coach and director of basketball operations in May 1999, and the newly opened Sovereign Bank Arena was the home court. During the IBL inaugural draft the Shooting Stars selected the following players:

Kevin Ollie Kevin Jermaine Ollie (born December 27, 1972) is an American basketball coach and former player who most recently was the interim head coach for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the former head coach of the ...

, Mark Baker, Shawnelle Scott, Todd Lindeman,

Tyrone Grant Tyrone Jeremy Grant (born January 24, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and now CEO of Team First Inc as well as Wave Holistic Health. At a height of 2.02 m (6'7 ") tall, he played at the small forward and Power forward (b ...

, James Martin,

Willie Simms Willie Simms (January 16, 1870 – February 26, 1927) was an American National Champion jockey in Thoroughbred racing and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee who won five of the races that would become the U.S. Triple Crown series. An Africa ...

Moochie Norris Martyn Bernard "Moochie" Norris (born July 27, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who played several seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as other leagues. He is the head coach of the Houston Push ...

LaMarr Greer Lamar or Lamarr is a word with multiple origins that may refer to: People *Lamar (given name), a list of people * Lamar (surname), a list of people Fictional characters *Hedley Lamarr, in Mel Brooks's movie ''Blazing Saddles'', played by Harvey ...

Ryan Bowen Ryan Cleo Bowen (born November 20, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a 6'9", power forward. College caree ...

and Cassette Wesson. Mackey resigned on January 19, 2000 citing health issues, and he was replaced by his assistant coach John Carideo, who stayed as the head coach until the end of the 2000–01 season. In the first IBL season the team finished with a 32–32 record: Ray Tutt was the leading scorer with 19.4 points per game, while

led the team in rebounds with 8.8 and

Ryan Lorthridge Ryan Lorthridge (born July 27, 1972) is a retired American professional basketball player. During his thirteen-year professional career, Lorthridge played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). High school career Lorthridge, a ta ...

was the assist leader with 8 per game. Lorthridge was also the league assist leader. The Shooting Stars qualified for the playoffs, finishing second in the East Division behind the Cincinnati Stuff, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Richmond Rhythm. In the second season, the team finished with an improved record of 27–25 (.519) and again qualified for the playoffs: they defeated the Cincinnati Stuff in the first round, but lost in the second round to the

Grand Rapids Hoops The Grand Rapids Hoops were a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their first season was in 1989 and their final season was in 2003. Professional basketball later returned to ...

. For the second year in a row, Ryan Lorthridge led the IBL in assists with 8.6 per game. The franchise ceased operations after the IBL folded in 2001.

Season-by-season records

All-time roster

Larry Abney Lawrence Abney (born May 19, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who was most recently the head coach of the Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Born in Nyack, New York, he was nicknamed '' ...

Lloyd Daniels Lloyd "Swee'Pea" Daniels (born September 4, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Early life Daniels grew up in Brooklyn, and was raised by his relatives from the age ...

* Nick Davis *

Dell Demps Delano Demps (born February 12, 1970) is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is a front office assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as an assis ...

*Shane Drisdom *Dennis Edwards *

* Jermaine Guice *Deon Hames *Greg Harris *

Kermit Holmes Kermit Leanell Holmes (born March 27, 1969) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. After sitting our his first year of college basketball due to Proposition 48, he played three years with the Oklahoma Sooners, being sele ...

*Antoine Hyman *Mike Jones * Michael-Hakim Jordan *

Garth Joseph Garth McArthur Fitzgerald Joseph (born August 8, 1973) is a Dominican former professional basketball player. At 7'2" and 315 pounds, his physique was often compared to that of Shaquille O'Neal, especially when he was a young and raw-skilled cent ...

*Ray Kelly *

Kirk King Kirk King (born December 24, 1975) is a retired professional basketball player. He played for the Connecticut Huskies from 1993 to 1997 before being suspended during his senior season for violating National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ...

* Mike Lloyd *

*Michael Maddox *

Gabe Muoneke Nnadubem Gabriel Enyinaya Muoneke (born 7 February 1978, in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is a Nigerian American professional basketball player. Despite being born in the United States, Muoneke represents Nigeria internationally. Muoneke attended Cypress F ...

Damian Owens Damian () may refer to: *Damian (given name) *Damian (surname) *Damian Subdistrict, in Longquanyi District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China See also *Damiani, an Italian surname *Damiano (disambiguation) *Damien (disambiguation) *Damon (disambiguation) *Da ...

* Frantz Pierre-Louis * George Reese * Antonio Reynolds Dean *

Terrance Roberson Terrance Roberson (born December 30, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. At 6'7", he played as a small forward. Roberson played at California State University, Fresno, averaging 16.3 points per game during his senior seas ...

*Marvin Rodgers * Richard Mason Rocca * Ray Tutt * K'Zell Wesson * Duane Woodward *Stephen Worthy * Alvin Young

Awards

*All-IBL First team:

(2000), Ray Tutt (2001) *All-IBL Second team: Ray Tutt (2000)

References

{{reflist

External links

INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE HISTORY
on apbr.org Defunct basketball teams in the United States Basketball teams in New Jersey International Basketball League (1999–2001) teams Sports clubs and teams in Trenton, New Jersey