1933–34 Philadelphia Sphas season

1933–34 Philadelphia Sphas season
1933–34 Philadelphia Sphas season
League champions
Head coach	Eddie Gottlieb
Owner(s)	Eddie Gottlieb
Arena	Broadwood Hotel
Results
Record	29–12 (.707)
Place	Conference: 3rd (1st half) 1st (2nd half)
Playoff finish	Champions (4–2 over Trenton Moose)
< 1932–33	1934–35 >

The Philadelphia Sphas was an early American professional basketball team. The 1933–34 season was the first played in the American Basketball League by the Sphas, although they did play in the ABL from 1926 to 1928 as the Philadelphia Warriors, which had no relation to the later BAA franchise.

Background

The Sphas played in leagues around Philadelphia since 1917, but game-by-game records before the Sphas rejoined the ABL in 1933 are not available.^[1]

After finishing a perfect 14-0 in the second part of the season, the Sphas later won the league championship with a 4-2 series victory over the Trenton Moose. The Sphas were also referred to as the Philadelphia Hebrews in league records during this time.^[1]

First Half^[1]
Date	Opponent	Score	Record
11/18	Hoboken Thourots^[a]	34–20	1–0
11/25	Union City Reds	38–41	1–1
11/26	@ Bronx Americans	34–23	2–1
12/2	Brooklyn Jewels	26–36	2–2
12/3	@ Brooklyn Visitations	30–15	3–2
12/9	Trenton Moose	22–28	3–3
12/10	@ Union City Reds	36–33	4–3
12/10	@ Brooklyn Jewels	25–27	4–4
12/16	Brooklyn Visitations	31–26	5–4
12/19	@ Newark Bears	29–34	5–5
12/23	Newark Bears	38–29	6–5
12/25	@ Trenton Moose	32–38	6–6
12/30	Bronx Americans	42–21	7–6
12/31	@ Camden Brewers	42–32	8–6
1/6	Camden Brewers	26–22	9–6
1/7	@ Brooklyn Jewels	34–20	10–6
1/13	Union City Reds	50–43	11–6
1/14	@ Brooklyn Visitations	21–26	11–7
1/20	Newark Bears	40–28	12–7
1/21	@ Union City Reds	30–33	12–8
1/27	Trenton Moose	36–25	13–8
1/28	@ Bronx Americans	30–31	13–9
2/3	Brooklyn Visitations	30–28	14–9
2/10	Brooklyn Jewels	23–29	14–10
2/17	Bronx Americans	45–41	15–10
2/18	@ Newark Bears	31–49	15–11
2/19	@ Trenton Moose	26–36	15–12

2nd Half^[1]
Date	Opponent	Score	Record
2/24	Newark Bears	49–42	1–0
3/3	Bronx Americans	69–35	2–0
3/4	@ Brooklyn Jewels	30–24	3–0
3/10	Brooklyn Visitations	41–36	4–0
3/11	@ Newark Bears	38–26	5–0
3/17	Trenton Moose	39–33	6–0
3/18	@ Brooklyn Visitations	21–17	7–0
3/20	New Britain Palaces	39–25	8–0
3/23	@ Trenton Moose	38–35	9–0
3/24	Union City Reds	47–38	10–0
3/25	@ Bronx Americans	40–24	11–0
3/31	Brooklyn Jewels	42–19	12–0
4/1	@ Union City Reds	48–41	13–0
4/4	@ New Britain Palaces	27–25	14–0

Playoffs^[1]
Date	Opponent	Score	Record
4/6	@ Trenton Moose	28–21	1–0
4/7	Trenton Moose	21–35	1–1
4/13	@ Trenton Moose	32–20	2–1
4/14	Trenton Moose	29–32	2–2
4/15	Trenton Moose^[b]	32–22	3–2
4/21	Trenton Moose	40–34	4–2

Notes

^a Became the Camden Brewers after losing first 4 games
^b Game played in Brooklyn

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Stark, Douglas (2011). The SPHAS: The Life and Times of Basketball's Greatest Jewish Team. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. Appendix A, 247–248.

[:0-1] Stark, Douglas (2011). The SPHAS: The Life and Times of Basketball's Greatest Jewish Team. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. Appendix A, 247–248.

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