Sport Basketball National Cup champions Thames Valley Tigers | Play Off's champions Birmingham Bullets BBL Trophy champions Sheffield Sharks | |
League British Basketball League BBL champions Greater London Leopards | ||
The 1997–1998 BBL season was known as the Budweiser League for sponsorship reasons. The league featured the same 13 teams as the previous year, playing 36 games each. The only change saw the Hemel Royals renamed the Watford Royals.
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Greater London Leopards clinched their second successive Budweiser League title only by virtue of an overtime win in their final game of the season against Sheffield Sharks. Leopards' 102–106 victory in Sheffield meant they finished level on points with title-rivals Birmingham Bullets, but were crowned Champions due to a better head-to-head record over the Midlands team. Birmingham gained some consolation by taking their second Play-off Championship in three years at Wembley Arena, beating off a tough challenge from Thames Valley Tigers, winning 78–75. The Thames Valley Tigers won the National Cup and the Sheffield claimed their first uni-ball Trophy with an 82–79 win over London Towers at the National Exhibition Centre.
London Towers represented the Budweiser League in European competition, participating in the EuroCup.
Play Off Final - Richmond 82 Plymouth 67
Play Off Final - Solent 70 London Towers 68
Northern Group
Southern Group
Notable occurrences
Quarter-finals
(1) Greater London Leopards vs. (8) Manchester Giants
(2) Birmingham Bullets vs. (7) Derby Storm
(3) Newcastle Eagles vs. (6) London Towers
(4) Sheffield Sharks vs. (5) Thames Valley Tigers
Play Off Final - Richmond 82 Plymouth 67
Play Off Final - Solent 70 London Towers 68
Group stage
Northern Group
Southern Group
Sheffield finished ahead of Chester and Derby by having the best record in matches between the three teams and qualify as fourth-placed finishers with the best record ahead of Watford on basket difference. London Towers received a bye into Quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals
Greater London Leopards vs. Thames Valley Tigers
London Towers vs. Manchester Giants
Newcastle Eagles vs. Birmingham Bullets
Sheffield Sharks vs. Leicester Riders
Semi-finals
London Towers vs. Newcastle Eagles
Sheffield Sharks vs. Greater London Leopards