The six-team Eastern Basketball League of Pennsylvania (or Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League) kicked off its inaugural season on December 1, 1946. Despite being based in Pennsylvania, there was a team just across the northern border in Binghamton, New York, The Binghamton team started winnin g only one of its first 7 games and the franchise was transferred to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by Christmas. The relocation and new personnel didn't help the club's fortunes much as they finished with only 7 wins.
The Wilkes-Barre Barons proved to be the class of the league. Under coach Ed White and lead by Cas OStrowski and the Chanecka brothers, the Barons roared to a 22-5 record with the other team giving them trouble was the Lancaster club, who beat them three times in the regular season and would meet them in the championship series. Reading and Hazleton grabbed the last two playoff spots but wer enever really a threat to Wilkes-BArre or even Lancaster, while Allentown was never really a factor.
In the playoffs, the powerful Barons struggled in their series with Reading, but managed to win both games to advance. Game one saw Reading hold the Barons to 45 points, but only could muster 41 points themselves. Game two saw the Baron's Ostrowski score 14 points along with mid-season addition Earl Craig's identical total to lead to a 62-58 victory and send them to the championship series. Lancaster had a pair of 10+ point wins over Hazleton in their sweep of the best-of-3 series. Ephrata (PA) legend Whitey Von Nieda scored 31 points for the Red Roses in the opening game, while Bink Manning lead the way with 24 points in the second.
The championship series began on March 23, 1947, in Lancaster. The Red Roses shocked the heavily-favored Barons in the opening game with a 59-54 victory. Von Nieda scored 20 while Tommy Bell, who started the season with Allentown, added 19. Moving to Wilkes-Barre three days later for game 2, the Barons defense shut down the Lancaster offense, holding them to under 40 points as they rolled to a 65-37 win. After some scheduling issues, the third and deciding game was held on April 1 in Allentown and the Barons rolled again, this time with a 70-54 score, to claim the championship.
- Allentown Rockets
- Binghamton Triplets / Pottsville Maroons
- Hazleton Mountaineers
- Lancaster Red Roses
- Reading Keys
- Wilkes-Barre Barons
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