The Battle Creek Flight are a team in the Independent Basketball Association (IBA) located in Battle Creek, Michigan. They previously played in the Premier Basketball League (PBL) and in the International Basketball League. The team was known as the Battle Creek Knights prior to the 2013âÂÂ14 season.
The Knights lived up to their nickname of "The IBL's Power Team", by beating opponents by an average of 128âÂÂ114. The Knights were led in scoring by Mike Williams, at 22.4 ppg. The Knights were undefeated in the regular season, and won the championship game, beating the Dayton Jets 124âÂÂ121, for a final record of 21âÂÂ0.
In addition to being the IBL's power team on the court, the Knights also led the league in attendance. Playing at Kellogg Arena, crowds of 2,500+ were not uncommon, and the team drew 1,854 to the championship and All-Star game, which they hosted. Three Knights made the all-star team; Bobby Madison, Jamal Gooding, and Mike Williams.
The 2006 Knights were a victim of the IBL's expansion. The team finished 11âÂÂ10, respectable, yet a far cry from being undefeated. The team lost their only playoff game 144âÂÂ139 to the Holland Blast, an expansion team. Again, three all-stars were named, Logan Vander Velden, Mike Williams, and Jay Youngblood. Youngblood was also in the top 25 scorers, averaging 22.0 ppg (he also played part of the season with the Cuyahoga Falls Cougars. After the season, coach Williams resigned and was replaced by former Knight Logan Vander Velden.
With Vander Velden at the helm, the Knights began to regain their winning ways, and locked into the 5th seed for the IBL playoffs, where they were eliminated by the defending champion Elkhart Express in the East final.
The Knights started off with a 1âÂÂ4 record, but rebounded to eventually end the regular season with a record of 9âÂÂ11. The Knights opened the playoffs with a win against the Elgin Racers 116âÂÂ100, only to fall to the Elkhart Express in the Eastern Conference finals 130âÂÂ147.
During the off season, the Knights announced a switch to the winter playing Premier Basketball League (PBL).
In their first year in the PBL, the Knights reeled off 12 straight wins before falling on the road to the Wilmington Sea Dawgs. They would lose only one other game and finish with a regular season record of 18âÂÂ2, taking first place in the PBL's Central Division. However, after controversy in the PBL championship series against the Rochester Razorsharks, the Knights left the PBL, first announcing they were taking a year off, but later changing that to playing in the IBL for 2010.
Head Coach: Terry Sare
2005 â IBL Champions