Canton Charge
Encyclopedia
The Canton Charge is an NBA Development League
minor league basketball
team based in Canton, Ohio
, United States
. The Charge's NBA affiliate is the Cleveland Cavaliers
, which also owns the team. They play their home games at the Canton Memorial Civic Center
.
in 2001 as a founding member of the NBA Development League
, the affiliate minor league of the NBA. They used to play their home games at the Von Braun Center
. In their first two seasons, they didn't made the playoffs, but in their third they reached the NBA D-League Finals, losing to the Asheville Altitude. The team ended its tenure in Alabama
at the conclusion of the 2005 season after finishing third in the overall NBADL and making the playoffs.
. In 2006, the team also won the NBA D-League Championship game over the Fort Worth Flyers
in their first year of existence in Albuquerque, New Mexico
. In the 2006-07 season, they made the playoffs, but were defeated by the Colorado 14ers
. They played in Albuquerque until the 2009-10 season. For 2010–11 the Thunderbirds moved from the Tingley Coliseum
to the Santa Ana Star Center
and re-branded as the New Mexico Thunderbirds. They played just one season in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
and didn't made the playoffs.
and are moving to Canton, Ohio
for the 2011–12 season. Alex Jensen was named the first head coach of the Charge on October 11. On October 13, the Canton Charge name, logo, colors, and court design were unveiled. On October 20, the team announced the first two players of the new team: Keith McLeod
and Jamine Peterson. On October 25, the new uniforms were released. In the 2011 NBA D-League Draft, the Canton Charge selected Tyrell Biggs in the first round. In their first game as the Canton Charge, they were defeated by the the 2010-11
champions Iowa Energy
in a 82-100 game at home.
flying around the ball, and below it's written "Huntsville" in blue and "Flight" in yellow. Their colors were red, yellow, navy and white. The home uniform was white with "Huntsville" and the numbers written in red, near the arm and in the neck there were black and navy little lines. Their away uniform was in the same way, but it was red instead of white and the numbers in yellow.
ownership, the Charge adopted a similar style. The logo consists on a musketeer
style soldier, with his sword
pointing forward, and below him it's written "Canton Charge" ind gold and white. The musketeer hat is wine and his clothes are gold. Their colors are wine, gold and white. They have an alternate logo, similar to the "C Sword Logo" from the Cavaliers, with a sword crossing a "C". Their home uniform is gold with details, "Charge" and the numbers written in wine. The away uniform is the same thing with the colors swapped.
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
minor league basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Charge's NBA affiliate is the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, which also owns the team. They play their home games at the Canton Memorial Civic Center
Canton Memorial Civic Center
The Canton Memorial Civic Center is a multi-purpose arena in Canton, Ohio, USA. It was built in 1951. It was the home to the Canton Legends arena football team and Canton Invaders indoor soccer team and Ohio Aviators of the American Basketball Association...
.
2001–2005: Huntsville Years
The team was formed as the Huntsville Flight and were established in Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
in 2001 as a founding member of the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
, the affiliate minor league of the NBA. They used to play their home games at the Von Braun Center
Von Braun Center
The Von Braun Center , known as the Von Braun Civic Center until 1997, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, meeting, and performing arts complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 10,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama...
. In their first two seasons, they didn't made the playoffs, but in their third they reached the NBA D-League Finals, losing to the Asheville Altitude. The team ended its tenure in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
at the conclusion of the 2005 season after finishing third in the overall NBADL and making the playoffs.
2005–2011: Albuquerque/New Mexico Years
They became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds the following season. They played their games at the Tingley ColiseumTingley Coliseum
The Tingley Coliseum is an 11,571-seat multi-purpose arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally built as a rodeo and horse show auditorium, it is located at 300 San Pedro Drive N.E....
. In 2006, the team also won the NBA D-League Championship game over the Fort Worth Flyers
Fort Worth Flyers
The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history...
in their first year of existence in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. In the 2006-07 season, they made the playoffs, but were defeated by the Colorado 14ers
Colorado 14ers
The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ...
. They played in Albuquerque until the 2009-10 season. For 2010–11 the Thunderbirds moved from the Tingley Coliseum
Tingley Coliseum
The Tingley Coliseum is an 11,571-seat multi-purpose arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally built as a rodeo and horse show auditorium, it is located at 300 San Pedro Drive N.E....
to the Santa Ana Star Center
Santa Ana Star Center
Santa Ana Star Center is an 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a suburb of Albuquerque. The arena is located near the intersection of Unser Boulevard and Paseo del Volcan...
and re-branded as the New Mexico Thunderbirds. They played just one season in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
There were 18,995 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had...
and didn't made the playoffs.
2011–present: A new beginning in Canton
On July 7, 2011, it was announced the Thunderbirds had been purchased by the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
and are moving to Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
for the 2011–12 season. Alex Jensen was named the first head coach of the Charge on October 11. On October 13, the Canton Charge name, logo, colors, and court design were unveiled. On October 20, the team announced the first two players of the new team: Keith McLeod
Keith McLeod
Keith McLeod is an American professional basketball player, who plays point guard for the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League. He is 6' 2" tall...
and Jamine Peterson. On October 25, the new uniforms were released. In the 2011 NBA D-League Draft, the Canton Charge selected Tyrell Biggs in the first round. In their first game as the Canton Charge, they were defeated by the the 2010-11
2010–11 NBA Development League season
The 2010–11 NBA Development League season is the tenth season of the NBA Development League . The NBA D-League is the official minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . The league was formed in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League...
champions Iowa Energy
Iowa Energy
The Iowa Energy are a 2007-08 expansion team of the NBA Development League, of which they are the current defending champions. They play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center....
in a 82-100 game at home.
Huntsville Flight (2001 – 2005)
The first logo of the team, when it still was the Huntsville Flight, consisted on an yellow basketball with a a red fighter aircraftFighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
flying around the ball, and below it's written "Huntsville" in blue and "Flight" in yellow. Their colors were red, yellow, navy and white. The home uniform was white with "Huntsville" and the numbers written in red, near the arm and in the neck there were black and navy little lines. Their away uniform was in the same way, but it was red instead of white and the numbers in yellow.
Albuquerque/New Mexico Thunderbirds (2005 – 2011)
Their logo as Albuquerque and New Mexico was the same, with just one difference, the name written below the logo. The logo consisted on a bird black head, with a basketball in it's claw. Their colors were dark yellow, black, white and orange. As New Mexico, they removed the orange color and replaced with grey. Their home uniform was white, with "Thunderbirds" and the numbers written in orange, and black details on the side of the jersey. The away uniform was orange, with black details, and letters ("Albuquerque") in white. As New Mexico, it had a little change, the away uniform used "T-Birds" instead of "New Mexico".Canton Charge (2011 – present)
Under the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
ownership, the Charge adopted a similar style. The logo consists on a musketeer
Musketeer
A musketeer was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a dragoon or a cavalryman...
style soldier, with his sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
pointing forward, and below him it's written "Canton Charge" ind gold and white. The musketeer hat is wine and his clothes are gold. Their colors are wine, gold and white. They have an alternate logo, similar to the "C Sword Logo" from the Cavaliers, with a sword crossing a "C". Their home uniform is gold with details, "Charge" and the numbers written in wine. The away uniform is the same thing with the colors swapped.
Home Arenas
- Von Braun CenterVon Braun CenterThe Von Braun Center , known as the Von Braun Civic Center until 1997, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, meeting, and performing arts complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 10,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama...
(2001 – 2005) - Tingley ColiseumTingley ColiseumThe Tingley Coliseum is an 11,571-seat multi-purpose arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally built as a rodeo and horse show auditorium, it is located at 300 San Pedro Drive N.E....
(2005 – 2010) - Santa Ana Star CenterSanta Ana Star CenterSanta Ana Star Center is an 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a suburb of Albuquerque. The arena is located near the intersection of Unser Boulevard and Paseo del Volcan...
(2010 – 2011) - Canton Memorial Civic CenterCanton Memorial Civic CenterThe Canton Memorial Civic Center is a multi-purpose arena in Canton, Ohio, USA. It was built in 1951. It was the home to the Canton Legends arena football team and Canton Invaders indoor soccer team and Ohio Aviators of the American Basketball Association...
(2011 – present)