{{short description|Former basketball team in Moncton, Canada}} {{Infobox Basketball club | color1 = #FFFFFF | color2 = #A9A9A9 | color3 = #FF7F00 | name = Moncton Miracles | logo = MonctonMiracles.PNG | division = Atlantic Division | founded = 2011 | league = NBL Canada | history = '''Moncton Miracles'''<br />2011–2017 | arena = Moncton Coliseum | city = Moncton, New Brunswick | colours = Black, orange, gray, white<br />{{Color box|black|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#FF7F00|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#A9A9A9|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|white|border=darkgray}} | owner = Vacant | manager = Brennan Bellemare | coach = Paul Mokeski | website = [http://www.miraclesbasketball.com/ MiraclesBasketball.com] | h_pattern_b = _orangeshoulders | h_pattern_s = _black stripes | h_body = FFFFFF | h_shorts = FFFFFF | a_pattern_b = _orangecollar | a_pattern_s = _orange_stripes | a_body = 929292 | a_shorts = 929292 }}

The '''Moncton Miracles''' were a Canadian professional basketball team in Moncton, New Brunswick. Established in 2011, they were a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). The Miracles played their home games at the Moncton Coliseum as a part of the league's Atlantic Division and were one of two New Brunswick teams in the league along with the Saint John Riptide. The team was founded and owned by Steven Conville but were now without an owner for three seasons. Their seasons in the NBL Canada had been highlighted by struggles,<ref name=ownership>{{cite web|title=Moncton Miracles need local owners, NBL commissioner says|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/moncton-miracles-need-local-owners-1.3226949|website=CBC|accessdate=10 October 2015}}</ref> until the franchise was finally folded following the 2016–17 season when a new ownership decided to start a new franchise in Moncton called the Moncton Magic.<ref name ="MagicFranchise">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/moncton-miracles-magic-nbl-basketball-franchise-team-1.4173124 |title=Magic retires Miracles: Moncton welcomes new pro basketball team |publisher=cbc.ca |accessdate=2017-06-23}}</ref>

== History == The Miracles were founded in 2011 and made their debut in the 2011–12 season of the NBL (National Basketball League). The team was primarily established by Steven George Conville;Steven Conville, who was the vice president and portfolio manager for Macquarie Private Wealth, part of the Macquarie Group, at the time. A big basketball fan, Conville accepted an offer to start a professional team by Andre Levingston, who would be the co-founder of the NBL Canada.<ref name=conville />

Following a failure to establish an NBL Canada team based out of Kingston, Ontario, Conville decided to create one in Moncton. He targeted the city because of its rapid growth and tight-knit community. Despite not having visited the city before becoming the Miracles' owner, Conville gained a perspective of Atlantic Canada during business trips to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.<ref name=conville>{{cite web|last1=Fanfair|first1=Ron|title=Too short to play, Steven Conville now owns basketball team|url=http://sharenews.com/archives/sports20110929too-short-play-steven-conville-now-owns-basketball-team/|website=Sharenews|accessdate=9 October 2015}}</ref> He said, "So when I did my research on Moncton, I found out how much they loved basketball out there."<ref name=conville /> At a press conference in August 2011, Conville was officially named team owner. He also announced his hiring of Norris "Bo" Bell as the first head coach for the Miracles. Bell ran a basketball academy in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States.<ref name=conville /> A former player, he also had experience in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and in France and Switzerland. Bell faced the likes of Micheal Ray Richardson, Dražen Petrović, and Billy Knight during his playing career.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://coachbobell.com/biography/|website=CoachBoBell.com|accessdate=9 October 2015}}</ref> He also became fluent in French through his years in Europe, which was part of the reason he drew Conville's attention.<ref name=conville /><ref name=believe />

The Miracles' nickname was inspired by the term ''Moncton Miracle'', which referred to the city of Moncton's comeback from recession in the 1980s. Conville described it by saying that it "connects with Moncton's history and symbolizes the strength, courage and toughness that this city has shown over the years."<ref name=believe>{{cite web|title=NBL: Does Moncton believe in Miracles?|url=http://www.journalpioneer.com/Sports/2011-08-24/article-2722647/NBL%3A-Does-Moncton-believe-in-Miracles%3F/1|website=Journal Pioneer|accessdate=10 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630042038/http://www.journalpioneer.com/Sports/2011-08-24/article-2722647/NBL%3A-Does-Moncton-believe-in-Miracles%3F/1|archive-date=30 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The nickname was also chosen because "Miracle" is the same word in both French and English.<ref name=believe /> Conville also commented on the team's logo, "Our team logo is meant to embody the strength that comes through when you rise above... the player in the logo carrying the ball is not wallowing in the past. He's heading towards the future and he's doing it ferociously."<ref name=believe />

After three seasons of operations under the league management and without an owner, the NBL Canada sold a new franchise to three local business to play as the Moncton Magic.<ref name ="MagicFranchise"/>

==Final roster== {{Basketball roster nationality note}} {{Basketball roster header | team = Moncton Miracles | color1 = black | bg1 = orange| color2 = orange| bg2 = black}} <!-- list of players --> {{player3 | num = 5 | nat = USA | first = Tydran | last = Beaty | pos = F | m = 2.01 | lbs = 215| year = | month = | date = }} {{player3 | num = 30 | nat = USA | first = Will | last = Creekmore | pos = C | m = 2.05 | lbs = 260| year = 1989 | month = 04 | date = 09 }} {{player3 | num = 13 | nat = CAN | first = Gary | last = Gibson | dab = basketball, born 1986 | pos = G | m = 1.92 | lbs = 205| year = 1986 | month = 12 | date = 01 }} {{player3 | num = 33 | nat = USA | first = Tom | last = Granado | pos = C | m = 2.08 | lbs = 260 | year = 1988 | month = 11 | date = 04 }} {{player3 | num = 2 | nat = CAN | first = Cordell | last = Jeanty | pos = F | m = 1.98 | lbs = 230 | year = 1979 | month = 10| date = 01}} {{player3 | num = 55 | nat = USA | first = James | last = Justice | dab = basketball| pos = G | m = 1.78 | lbs = 165 | year = 1989| month = 01| date = 12}} {{player3 | num = 10 | nat = USA | first = Brandan | last = Kearney | pos = F | m = 2.01 | lbs = 190 | year = 1993 | month = 03 | date = 01 }} {{player3 | num = 44 | nat = USA | first = Mike | last = Martin | dab = basketball, born 1985 | pos = F | m = 2.03 | lbs = 230 | year = 1985 | month = 02 | date = 28 }} {{player3 | num = 22 | nat = CAN | first = Ryan | last = Smith | dab = basketball| pos = F | m = 1.90 | lbs = 205| year = | month = | date = }} {{player3 | num = 23 | nat = USA | first = Dexter | last = Strickland | pos = G | m =1.91 | lbs =190 | year =1990 | month = 10| date = 1}} {{player3 | num = 42 | nat = USA | first = Tyrrel | last = Tate | pos = G | m = 1.96 | lbs = 195 | year = 1992 | month = 02 | date = 12 }} {{player3 | num = 7 | nat = USA | first = Shawn | last = Vanzant | pos = G | m = 1.85 | lbs = 171 | year = 1988 | month = 10 | date = 19 }} <!-- end list of players --> {{Basketball roster footer | head_coach = *{{player||USA|Paul Mokeski}} |asst_coach = *{{player||MNE|Martin Knezevic}} |Team Manager = *{{player|||}} |roster_url =http://www.miraclesbasketball.ca/14531/team-roster | transaction_url = http://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/74/Canadian-NBL/team/949/Moncton-Miracles/transactions |accessdate = April 13, 2016 }}

==Season-by-season record== {|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" |- !rowspan="2"|Season !rowspan="2"|Division !colspan="6"|Regular season !rowspan="2"|Playoffs !rowspan="2"|Head coach !rowspan="2"|Awards |- !Finish !Games !Wins !Losses !Pct. !GB |- |colspan="13" align="center" bgcolor="#A9A9A9" | <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">'''Moncton Miracles'''</span> |-align="center" | 2011–12 || — || 7th || 36|| 9 || 27 || .250 || 19 || align="left" | Did not qualify || align="left" |Norris Bell (0–7) <br> Mike Evans (9–20) |||— |-align="center" | 2012–13 || Atlantic || 3rd || 40|| 20 || 20 || .500 || 6 || align="left" |'''Won''' First Round (Mill Rats), 2–1<br> Lost Semifinals (Lightning), 1–3 || align="left" |Ricky Benitez (8–9) <br> Serge Langis (1–1) <br> Dennis Truax (11–10) || align="left" |Devin Sweetney (MVP) <br> Isaac Butts (RoY) <br> Kim Blanco (EoY) |-align="center" |2013–14|| Atlantic || 3rd || 40|| 14 || 26 || .350 || 9 || align="left" | Lost First Round (Storm), 1–3 || align="left" |Dennis Truax || |— |-align="center" |2014–15 || Atlantic || 4th || 32 || 8 || 24 || .250 || 12 || align="left" | Lost First Round (Rainmen), 1–3 || align="left" |Serge Langis || — |-align="center" |2015–16 || Atlantic || 3rd || 40 || 15 || 25 || .275 || 14 || align="left" | Lost First Round (Mill Rats), 1–3 || align="left" |Serge Langis || — |-align="center" |2016–17 || Atlantic || 4th || 40 || 15 || 25 || .375 || 12 || align="left" | Lost First Round (Hurricanes), 0–3 || align="left" |Paul Mokeski || — |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.miraclesbasketball.com/}}

{{National Basketball League of Canada}}

Category:Moncton Miracles Category:Sports in Moncton Category:Basketball teams in New Brunswick Category:Basketball teams established in 2011 Category:2011 establishments in New Brunswick Category:National Basketball League of Canada teams Category:2017 disestablishments in New Brunswick Category:Basketball teams disestablished in 2017