The Chautauqua Hurricane were a basketball team in both the Premier Basketball League (PBL) and North American Basketball League (NABL). The team originally was based in Erie, Pennsylvania and competed as the Erie Hurricane before relocating to Dunkirk, New York in 2015.
After their 2019–20 season ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was declared PBL Champions.
The franchise suspended operations following the 2021–22 PBL season.
History
2013–2015: Erie Hurricane The Erie Hurricane were founded in 2013 by Buffalo 716ers owner Tawan Slaughter as a member of the Premiere Basketball League (PBL). They played their games at East High School in Erie, Pennsylvania.
In the team's second season, Slaughter began staging games in Jamestown, New York to test waters for a permanent move.
2015–2022: Chautauqua Hurricane Following the 2014–15 PBL season, Tawan Slaughter announced the team would be renamed to Jamestown Hurricane. This was short-lived, however, and the team began the 2015–16 PBL season as the Chautauqua Hurricane out of nearby Dunkirk, New York.
Tawan Slaughter sold the team to Sixto Rosario following the 2015–16 PBL season. After the PBL's closure, Rosario moved the team to the North American Basketball League (NABL) in 2018.
The Hurricane announced in December 2019 that the team would return to a revived Premier Basketball League for the 2019–20 PBL season.
After the 2019–20 PBL season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hurricane were declared PBL Champions as they were in first-place with an 11–3 record. Kofi Mills was honored as League MVP and Jerome Moss was honored as PBL Coach of the Year following the truncated season.
While a full 2020–21 PBL season was not held due to the ongoing pandemic, the team qualified for the 2021 PBL Championship Series tournament with a 3–2 record and was eliminated by the Lancaster Thunder.
The Hurricane played their final 2021–22 season in the PBL before folding.
Season-by-season record League championsConference championsDivision championsPlayoff berth SeasonConference FinishDivision Finish Wins LossesWin%GBPlayoffsAwardsHead coachRef. 2013–14 — — East 5th 1 15 — Did not qualify. Cory Coleman 2014–15 — — East 4th 3 10 — Did not qualify. Troy Jackson (All-PBL) Steve Mackey 2015–16 — — Northeast 6th 3 12 — Did not qualify. Jerome Moss 2016–17 — — — — 6 13 — Did not qualify. Edwin Ubiles (All-PBL)Tyquan Stroman (All-PBL) Jerome Moss 2017–18 — — Northeast 2nd 4 2 — Did not qualify. Jerome Moss 2018–19 — — Northeast2nd 4 4 — Won quarterfinal (Dream) 108–62Lost semifinal (Thunder) 110–116 Jerome Moss2019–20 — — Northeast1st 11 3 —No playoffs held.Won PBL Championship Kofi Mills (League MVP)Jerome Moss (Coach of the Year) Jerome Moss 2020–21 — — — — 3 2 — Lost semifinal (Thunder) 87–100 Alex Crossan (All-PBL)Larry Rivers (All-PBL)Travonta Gatewood (All-PBL) Steve Mackey 2021–22 — — East 3rd 2 6 — Did not qualify. Joe Spencer (All-Star)Larry Rivers (All-Star)Marcus Feagin (All-Star) Steve Mackey
References