Windsor Express

Windsor Express
Windsor Express logo
LeaguesBasketball Super League
Founded2012
HistoryWindsor Express
(2012–present)
ArenaWFCU Centre
Capacity6,500
LocationWindsor, Ontario
Team coloursMaroon, black
   
PresidentDartis Willis, Sr.
Head coachBill Jones
OwnershipDartis Willis, Sr.
Championships2 (2013–14, 2014–15)
Websitewindsorexpress.ca

The Windsor Express are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, competing in the Basketball Super League. The Express play their home games at the WFCU Centre.

History

On June 28, 2012, the NBL announced that Windsor had been awarded an expansion team for the 2012–13 season. As the eighth franchise, the league created divisions and placed the Express in the Central Division. On August 1, 2012 the team nickname was officially confirmed. The Express name is partially a tribute to the Underground Railroad and to the rail yards on the banks of the Detroit River.

The team compiled a 22–18 record in its inaugural year, placing second in the Central Division and being seeded 3rd in the playoffs. It lost its only post-season series, a semifinal against the Summerside Storm, three-games-to-two.

On April 17, 2014, the Express won their first championship against the Island Storm (formerly Summerside Storm), 121–106.[1]

The Express were named the 2015 NBL of Canada Champions on April 30, 2015 when the Halifax Rainmen forfeited game 7 after events that transpired earlier in the day. Halifax opted to forfeit the game and leave Windsor, where the game was set to take place, due to an on-court altercation between the two teams earlier in the day. [2]

On May 11, 2023 it was announced that the 3 other teams the Express competed with in the NBLC would be leaving the league to form the Basketball Super League along with The president of The Basketball League, David Magley.[3] Well the Express initially held off of joining the BSL in favor of exploring other options, it was announced on August 29, 2023 that Windsor would be joining the league for its inaugural season.

Home arenas

Originally opened in 2008, the WFCU Centre is a sports-entertainment arena in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The arena has a capacity of 7,000 when setup for basketball. The Express share the arena with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.[4] In 2019 The Express proposed a bid to renovate the Windsor Arena to become the new home of the Windsor Express and local recreational activities.[5] In 2021, the proposal was denied by the City.[6]

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Windsor Express roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
G/F 2 United States Taylor, Jachai 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 27 – (1997-05-29)29 May 1997
PG 3 United States Garth, Nick 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 28 – (1996-05-29)29 May 1996
PG 5 Canada Jackson, Ja'Myrin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998
PG 10 Canada Calliste, Jason 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 34 – (1990-01-27)27 January 1990
PG 11 United States Davis, Latin 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 27 – (1997-08-15)15 August 1997
PF 23 United States White, Billy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 35 – (1989-01-26)26 January 1989
F 24 United States Stuckman, Tanner 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 27 – (1997-01-01)1 January 1997
PF 25 United States Moss, Justin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (110 kg) 31 – (1993-06-19)19 June 1993
C 33 United States Claiborne, William 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 290 lb (130 kg) 28 – (1996-12-19)19 December 1996
SF 44 Canada Eleeda, Adham 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Canada Aaron McDonald
  • Canada Frank Parker
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Inactive
  • Injured Injured
Updated: April 24, 2023

Season-by-season record

Season Coach Regular season Post season
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
National Basketball League of Canada
2012–13 Bill Jones 22 18 .550 3rd 2 3 .400 Lost First Round
2013–14 Bill Jones 29 11 .718 1st 11 6 .647 Won Championship
2014–15 Bill Jones 21 11 .656 1st 11 7 .611 Won Championship
2015–16 Bill Jones 21 19 .525 2nd 5 4 .556 Lost Division Finals
2016–17 Bill Jones 22 18 .550 2nd 3 4 .429 Lost Division Finals
2017–18 Bill Jones 20 20 .500 3rd 0 3 .000 Lost Division Semifinals
2018–19 Bill Jones 17 23 .425 5th did not qualify
2019–20 Bill Jones 11 11 .500 3rd Season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Bill Jones - - - did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Bill Jones 8 17 .320 4th 0 3 .000 Lost in Round 1
2023 Bill Jones 12 15 .444 3rd 5 5 .500 Lost in Finals
Basketball Super League
2024 Bill Jones 15 11 .577 5th did not qualify
Totals 195 172 .532 — 32 30 .514 8 playoff appearances

References

  1. ^ "Home | Windsor Star".
  2. ^ "Windsor Express declared 2015 NBL champ after Halifax forfeits Game 7". CBC News. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "NBL Canada Teams To Join Basketball Super League". 2023-05-11. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "Our Facilities". WFCU-Centre.com. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  5. ^ "Windsor Express unveils ambitious plan to transform Windsor Arena". WindsorStar.com. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  6. ^ "City now passing on Express plan to convert vacant Windsor Arena". WindsorStar.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.