Melbourne Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League
in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons
withdrew from the league.
The Melbourne Tigers are the equal second most successful club in Australian basketball with four championships, second only to the Perth Wildcats
.
They also enter a team in the Big V
conference of the Australian Basketball Association
, combined with a strong junior basketball program, fielding teams in all age groups of Australian representative basketball.
. Ken Watson is also credited with introducing Lindsay Gaze
to Basketball and the club.
The club is based at the inner Melbourne
suburb of Albert Park
and fields teams for both Girls and Boys from Under 12's to Under 20's. This means it is the only club in Australia
where a player can start playing in Under 12's and develop all the way up to the National Basketball League
(NBL), as Andrew Gaze
did.
, son of coach Lindsay
, racked up. 1987 saw Andrew average 44ppg, and set a single game scoring record of 60 points, however, the team still failed to make the playoffs. Once imports Dave Colbert and Dave Simmons
were recruited in 1989, the Tigers began to see greater on-court success, making the playoffs for the first time that year. Colbert however, left the club to move to Brisbane
in 1991, leaving the Tigers looking for a new import.
, the biggest indoor stadium in Melbourne, moving out of the 7,200 seat Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre at the end of 1991. New recruit Lanard Copeland
signalled the good times ahead with a dunk for his first points in the NBL and the first points at Melbourne Park. He went on to team up with Andrew Gaze in a decade long backcourt partnership, which many observers cite as the greatest backcourt duo in Australian basketball history. Dubbed "the dynamic duo", the pair were noted for their signature "alley-oop". With this potent backcourt leading the way, the Tigers made the Finals in 1992, against the newly formed South East Melbourne Magic
. Despite the Magic losing point guard Darren Perry to a torn achilles tendon in game one, they managed to rally to beat the Tigers in 3 games.
The Tigers filled their biggest need in the off-season, by recruiting one of the best big men in the country in Mark Bradtke
. Teaming up with Gaze, Copeland, Simmons, and the newly recruited Robert Sibley from Brisbane, the Tigers boasted a formidable starting lineup. They defeated the arch rival Magic in the second round of the playoffs, to set up a Finals matchup with the Perth Wildcats
. Having split the first two games, the Tigers faced the difficult task of the deciding game in the hostile environment of the Perth Entertainment Centre
, a venue they had never won at.
The Tigers controlled much of the game, but in the closing minutes had to withstand a furious comeback from Perth, led by their captain Andrew Vlahov
. Andrew Gaze iced the game with a pair of critical free throws in the final seconds. The emotional toll of the championship was evident on coach Lindsay, and son Andrew after the game, as they broke down crying whilst embracing. The Perth crowd were noted in the media for a lack of sportsmanship, as they booed Andrew Gaze during the acceptance speech.
The Tigers were unable to reach the Finals for another three years, where they faced cross-town rival South East Melbourne once again. In a tough three game series, the Magic once again prevailed. During the following off season, import Dave Simmons departed, and was replaced by Jarvis Lang. Having to deal with a mid-season return from Mark Bradtke from the NBA, the Tigers started the 1997 season in very poor form, with a 3–11 mark at the midpoint of the season. Lang was sacked due to concerns over tendinitis in his knees, and Marcus Timmons was brought in on a tip from former assistant coach Brett Brown.
From that point, the Tigers did not lose another game until the second game of the Finals against the Magic. They equalled the now defunct Sydney Supersonics winning streak of 16 consecutive games. With Timmons teaming up with Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke, this quartet accounted for over 90% of the Tigers points production. Game one of the Finals was a whitewash against the Magic, which saw coach Brian Goorjian
resort to a more slowdown offense and physical defense in Game two, to combat the Tiger's free-flowing style. The Tigers regained the ascendancy in Game 3, as they claimed their second championship in front of their home town fans.
in the American National Basketball Association
(NBA), winning a championship with them. Without Gaze's on-court leadership and point production, the Tigers faltered in the latter half of the season, after looking like running away with the competition at the midpoint of the season. They eventually fell in the first round of the playoffs. After this, import Marcus Timmons
requested permission to break his contract, to play in Poland
. Permission was granted; however, he returned for the next season, this time with the Perth Wildcats, where he led the team to the championship and was named Finals MVP
.
As basketball's popularity in Australia fell throughout the late '90's and into the new millennium, the Tigers experienced great financial trouble off the court. In 2000, they moved to the newly constructed Vodafone Arena
, but struggled to fill it. By 2002 crowds were at less than 50% capacity and it was revealed that they were $2.5M in debt, and in serious danger of folding. Andrew Gaze himself did not have a salary paid to him for his final few playing years in order to ease the financial burden. He supported himself through endorsement deals.
(formed under a merger of the North Melbourne Giants
and South East Melbourne Magic
in 1998) were unable to survive and folded. The license was quickly picked up and the Victoria Giants were formed, with many former Titan players, including league legend Darryl McDonald
.
The Tigers embarked on a financial rationalisation project, the first priority of which was to no longer play games at the very high rent 10,500 capacity Vodafone Arena
. The Tigers moved their home games to the smaller main court of the State Netball and Hockey Centre
in Royal Park
, with the deal signed in July 2002. They still play at the there to this day. On court, with their ageing superstars Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke unable to produce at the same levels they did in the '90's, the Tigers added Terry McKenzie to help the Tigers maintain as perennial playoff contenders, however, never finalists. The 2004 season saw the demise of the Victoria Giants. They had decided to sack Darryl McDonald at the start of the '04 campaign, and the Tigers gladly picked him up as a backup point guard to Andrew Gaze.
Champion) family. Lanard Copeland's dwindling production saw the Tigers decide not to renew his contract, although, he was offered an off court role with the club. Believing he still had playing years in him, he followed Mark Bradtke to Brisbane. Imports Rashard Tucker and Dave Thomas
would take the lead on court roles at the club, joined by big man Chris Anstey
who returned from a 3 year stint in Europe
.
With D-Mac moving into the starting line-up, joined by Thomas, Tucker, Anstey and an improving Neil Mottram, the Tiger's had an extremely successful regular season, which saw them finish second to the Sydney Kings. Tigers coach Al Westover was named Coach of the Year
. Centre Chris Anstey
was named both the Grand Final Series' Most Valuable Player
and league MVP
and Stephen Hoare won Sixth Man Of the Year.
The Tigers swept the playoffs, defeating the Perth Wildcats 2–0 in the Semi Finals and the Sydney Kings
3–0 in the Finals. D-Mac's season was particularly impressive, as he outclassed many quality point guards throughout the season, including starting Australian Boomer point guard C. J. Bruton in the Finals. His stellar performances were seemingly at odds with his advanced age of 42, making him the oldest player in the league.
A new Melbourne team provided a new local rivalry in the 2006–07 season. The South Dragons
, having enticed Shane Heal
back from a two year retirement, showed respectable form in their first season, making the playoffs. Although they added former NBL stars such as Frank Drmic
and big man Matt Burston
from Perth, their youngsters such as Joe Ingles led the way. Former NBA All Star and all time NBA freethrow percentage leader Mark Price
added a great measure of respectability to the organisation, as their inaugural coach however, in the midst of many early personnel changes, was fired and replaced by player-coach Shane Heal.
The Tigers roster was enhanced for the 2006–07 season. D-Mac signed a new two year contract, and former Tiger Nathan Crosswell
returned from Cairns
to back him up, with a promise he would eventually take over the reins. Neil Mottram exercised his European out clause to play with Italian
second division team Fabriano
. Despite rumours that local big man Simon Conn, or ex West Sydney Razorback Simon Dwight were in their sights to replace Mottram, the Tigers managed to secure Axel Dench's signature on 9 August 2006, just before leaving for Singapore for a pre season competition. They successfully appealed Dench's point status, allocated from when he was previously active in the NBL 2 years ago with the Hawks. The Tigers now looked extremely strong for the upcoming season, as League MVP Chris Anstey returned to the Tigers, after not receiving a call-up from the NBA after his off-season work out with the Cleveland Cavaliers
.
The Tigers won the Singapore Cup, in their first games with new additions Axel Dench and Nathan Crosswell. D-Mac's son, Derrick, also played with the Tigers on the trip. He would continue to see court time with his father throughout the season as a developmental player on the Tigers roster.
The Tigers fell to the Brisbane Bullets in the pre-season Blitz, which perhaps proved an omen for the upcoming season. With a roster that was legitimately 10 deep, the Bullets dominated the season, on route to an NBL record 21 game win streak and defeated the Tigers 3–1 in the Finals.
This defeat perhaps indicated to the Tiger's management that despite their depth and experience, a dose of athleticism was required in the roster. They responded by signing athletic young Boomer David Barlow from Sydney on 3 April 2007.
Despite releasing back up centre Axel Dench to free up points for Boomer Brad Newley, Newley announced on 27 April that he was signing with the Adelaide 36ers.
The Tigers were expected to look for a new import guard after declining to resign import Rashard Tucker, who subsequently joined the Cairns Taipans.
However, Melbourne veered away from signing an import guard, instead looking to veteran Estonian, former NBA big man and long-serving Euroleague player Martin Müürsepp
to fill the breach at centre. His signing came as a result of his close relationship with Chris Anstey whilst in Dallas and Russia, and after the Tigers missed out on Sean Lampley.
The 205 cm, 105 kilogram Muursepp saw time as part of the Tigers' front line – taking minutes previously allocated to both Dench and Tucker. The decision to not sign an import guard indicates that talented Canadian swingman Dave Thomas would see more time there during the 2008 season, in addition with former Kings swingman David Barlow and the up and coming Tommy Greer.
The Tigers began the '07/'08 campaign in fine form, with nine straight victories, as new import Martin Muursepp eased into the lineup with his precision passing. However, in early November, the Tigers hit a rough patch. They lost star import Dave Thomas for two months with a dislocated kneecap, and Martin Muursepp was battling an ankle injuries, receiving cortisone injections before the game to play. The Tigers lost four straight game, which prompted a crisis meeting, where the Tigers brought out their '06 championship trophy at a training session and asked each player to talk of what it meant to them.
The Tigers responded by steadying the ship with a tough win against Perth at home, before letting import Martin Muursepp go, whilst signing their initial target, Sean Lampley. With Lampley providing a much needed scoring punch, especially due to Thomas' injury, the Tigers held down second spot for the remainder of the season. Dave Thomas returned late the season, and despite having not beaten either the Kings or the Bullets in five encounters this season, they appeared to be hitting top form at the right time.
The Tigers faced Brisbane in the semi finals, and after easily accounting for them in game one, closed out the series in overtime in Brisbane. Sean Lampley and Chris Anstey made several big shots down the stretch, with Lampley taunting the Brisbane players down the stretch with his clutch shooting. Anstey was fined $2000 by the league for making an obscene gesture to the fans after the game.
The Finals Series proved to be one the best in NBL history. The Tigers matched up against the Kings, and after fading out in the last quarter of game one, took game two down in Melbourne, as several Kings players lost their cool down the stretch. In Game three Sean Lampley hit clutch three pointer with just 13 seconds remaining to clinch the game, and the Tigers looked ready to close out the series on their home floor in game four.
However the Kings, showing the tenacity they have been regarded for, fought through injury and poor shooting to take game four on the Tigers floor with a gutsy performance down the stretch. In Game five the Kings sold out the Entertainment Centre, with a new buzz around basketball due to the intensity of the series. Down the stretch, the Tigers were able to make the big plays, and closed out the championship, providing the perfect farewell for veteran guard Darryl McDonald.
On 28 May 2009 the Tigers reversed their earlier decision, after receiving assurances from Basketball Australia on the television deal.
On 10 June 2009 the Tigers announced their first two signings, Mark Worthington
and Chris Anstey
, and confirmed that they would commence the new season with no imports for the first time in club history. It was further reported that they had let Stephen Hoare go, and Tommy Greer would pursue options elsewhere, likely with the Cairns Taipans. The Tigers are waiting on Sam Mackinnon to be passed fit by doctors, with youngster Jesse Wagstaff as a backup option. Nathan Crosswell may have played his last game for the Tigers, as they look to secure Nathan Herbert's signature.
On 17 June 2009 the Tigers announced they had resigned Darryl Corletto, as well as newcomer Ryan Bathie. On 18 June 2009 they announced they had resigned David Barlow and Luke Kendall. On 19 June 2009 they announced they had resigned Daniel Johnson and Matt O'Hea
, meaning that three spots were remaining on the roster. Tommy Greer and Sam Mackinnon are understood to have been offered contracts, with Stephen Hoare awaiting their decision. On 23 June they announced the resigning of Sam Mackinnon, meaning that two spots remain. On 26 June they completed their roster, securing Tommy Greer, despite offers from Cairns, and resigning Nathan Crosswell, after apparently missing out on Nathan Herbert. On 21 July it was announced that David Barlow would play in Spain this year, meaning that the Tigers would need to look for a replacement.
In the off-season of 2010, the Tigers roster was dismantled after the departure of Julius Hodge
, Mark Worthington
, Nathan Crosswell
as well as the retirements of NBL greats Sam Mackinnon
and Chris Anstey
. The Tigers announced the signing of American import guards TJ Campbell and Eric Devendorf
. They then landed the signature of Wollongong Hawks superstar Cameron Tragardh. The Tigers would then sign big men Matt Burston
, Wade Helliwell and Luke Nevill
. They capped off their roster with the signing of Big V
forward Lucas Walker. Along with Bennie Lewis, Daryl Corletto
and Tommy Greer
, who had stayed in Melbourne, the Tigers completed their roster for the 2010/11 season.
The season started disastrously for the Tigers losing their opening game at home to their rivals, the re-vamped, Sydney Kings
. The Tigers would proceed to start the season on a 7-game losing streak. After the 6th loss, Melbourne fired point guard TJ Campbell and signed 2009/10 NBL MVP, Corey 'Homicide' Williams
as their new point guard. After showing positive signs in the loss against reigning champions Perth
, the Tigers finally broke the shackles and won their first game when the defeated the Gold Coast Blaze
on the road. Throughout the season the Tigers claimed big scalps including a victory against Perth, in Perth, that ended in controversy with Corey Williams and Eric Devendorf taunting the crowd. In early February, the Tigers released centre Luke Nevill, in an agreement that would let him play in Russia. They also released import Eric Devendorf leaving them with only 1 import. Daryl Corletto and Matt Burston were promoted to the starting line-up and stayed there for the rest of the season. After the terrible 7-game-losing start to the season, the Tigers would finish with a 10 - 18 record and 7th place on the ladder.
In the off-season of 2011, the Tigers were the most active club at the beginning of Free Agency. They secured the signature of NBL Coach of the Year, Trevor Gleeson
as their Head-Coach on a three-year deal. On the first day of Free Agency, Melbourne announced the signing of Australian Forward Liam Rush
, who would be returning to the NBL after stints in Europe. They, on the same day, announced the addition of exciting young guard Daniel Dillon
as their second free agent signing of 2011. After just a week of Free Agency, Melbourne announced the final 3 positions on their roster had been filled after they re-signed Forward Lucas Walker as well as the huge signings of the exciting import duo Ron Dorsey and Ayinde Ubaka
who had both starred for the Cairns Taipans in season 2010/11, helping them to their first Grand Final appearance.
Source: www.nbl.com.au
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons
South Dragons
The South Dragons is a former team in the Australasian National Basketball League . They made their début in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09...
withdrew from the league.
The Melbourne Tigers are the equal second most successful club in Australian basketball with four championships, second only to the Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
.
They also enter a team in the Big V
Big V
The Big V is the senior basketball league in Victoria, Australia comprising 102 semi-professional teams in 10 competitions.These competitions comprise both genders, and incorporate four levels of senior competition , three levels for women and youth leagues...
conference of the Australian Basketball Association
Australian Basketball Association
The Australian Basketball Association, often abbreviated to the ABA, is the second-tiered semi-professional men's and women's basketball minor leagues in Australia which sit under the professional National Basketball League and Women's National Basketball League .The ABA is representative of the...
, combined with a strong junior basketball program, fielding teams in all age groups of Australian representative basketball.
Melbourne Tigers Junior Basketball Club
The Melbourne Tigers Junior Basketball Club was founded by Ken Watson, who coached the Australian Olympic team in the 1956 Olympics Games in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Ken Watson is also credited with introducing Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay John Casson Gaze is an Australian basketball player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984...
to Basketball and the club.
The club is based at the inner Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Albert Park
Albert Park
Albert Park may refer to:In Australia:* Albert Park, Lismore, home to international baseball stadium Baxter Field* Albert Park, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne** Albert Park and Lake, the park itself...
and fields teams for both Girls and Boys from Under 12's to Under 20's. This means it is the only club in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where a player can start playing in Under 12's and develop all the way up to the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
(NBL), as Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
did.
NBL – Early Struggles – '84 – '91
The Tigers joined the National Basketball League in 1984. Throughout the majority of the 1980s, they saw limited success, despite the number of records which superstar Andrew GazeAndrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
, son of coach Lindsay
Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay John Casson Gaze is an Australian basketball player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984...
, racked up. 1987 saw Andrew average 44ppg, and set a single game scoring record of 60 points, however, the team still failed to make the playoffs. Once imports Dave Colbert and Dave Simmons
Dave Simmons
Dave Simmons is the head men's basketball coach at McNeese State University.-References:...
were recruited in 1989, the Tigers began to see greater on-court success, making the playoffs for the first time that year. Colbert however, left the club to move to Brisbane
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...
in 1991, leaving the Tigers looking for a new import.
Championship Years – '92 – '97
With basketball about to boom in Australia, the Tigers moved into what is now called Rod Laver ArenaRod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium...
, the biggest indoor stadium in Melbourne, moving out of the 7,200 seat Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre at the end of 1991. New recruit Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland is a retired American-born Australian professional basketball player. He played in the NBL from 1992-2008....
signalled the good times ahead with a dunk for his first points in the NBL and the first points at Melbourne Park. He went on to team up with Andrew Gaze in a decade long backcourt partnership, which many observers cite as the greatest backcourt duo in Australian basketball history. Dubbed "the dynamic duo", the pair were noted for their signature "alley-oop". With this potent backcourt leading the way, the Tigers made the Finals in 1992, against the newly formed South East Melbourne Magic
South East Melbourne Magic
The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...
. Despite the Magic losing point guard Darren Perry to a torn achilles tendon in game one, they managed to rally to beat the Tigers in 3 games.
The Tigers filled their biggest need in the off-season, by recruiting one of the best big men in the country in Mark Bradtke
Mark Bradtke
Mark Robert Bradtke is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League but also had a single stint in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996-97...
. Teaming up with Gaze, Copeland, Simmons, and the newly recruited Robert Sibley from Brisbane, the Tigers boasted a formidable starting lineup. They defeated the arch rival Magic in the second round of the playoffs, to set up a Finals matchup with the Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
. Having split the first two games, the Tigers faced the difficult task of the deciding game in the hostile environment of the Perth Entertainment Centre
Perth Entertainment Centre
Perth Entertainment Centre is a former indoor arena and cinema complex, located in Wellington Street, in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia.-History:...
, a venue they had never won at.
The Tigers controlled much of the game, but in the closing minutes had to withstand a furious comeback from Perth, led by their captain Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Mitchell Vlahov is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1991 through till the 2001/2002 season...
. Andrew Gaze iced the game with a pair of critical free throws in the final seconds. The emotional toll of the championship was evident on coach Lindsay, and son Andrew after the game, as they broke down crying whilst embracing. The Perth crowd were noted in the media for a lack of sportsmanship, as they booed Andrew Gaze during the acceptance speech.
The Tigers were unable to reach the Finals for another three years, where they faced cross-town rival South East Melbourne once again. In a tough three game series, the Magic once again prevailed. During the following off season, import Dave Simmons departed, and was replaced by Jarvis Lang. Having to deal with a mid-season return from Mark Bradtke from the NBA, the Tigers started the 1997 season in very poor form, with a 3–11 mark at the midpoint of the season. Lang was sacked due to concerns over tendinitis in his knees, and Marcus Timmons was brought in on a tip from former assistant coach Brett Brown.
From that point, the Tigers did not lose another game until the second game of the Finals against the Magic. They equalled the now defunct Sydney Supersonics winning streak of 16 consecutive games. With Timmons teaming up with Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke, this quartet accounted for over 90% of the Tigers points production. Game one of the Finals was a whitewash against the Magic, which saw coach Brian Goorjian
Brian Goorjian
Brian Goorjian is an American-Australian basketball coach. He is the most successful coach in Australian basketball history...
resort to a more slowdown offense and physical defense in Game two, to combat the Tiger's free-flowing style. The Tigers regained the ascendancy in Game 3, as they claimed their second championship in front of their home town fans.
Financial Hardtimes – '98 – '02
The Tigers were unable to recapture their championship form throughout the rest of the '90's. Andrew Gaze spent part of the 1999 season with the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the American National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA), winning a championship with them. Without Gaze's on-court leadership and point production, the Tigers faltered in the latter half of the season, after looking like running away with the competition at the midpoint of the season. They eventually fell in the first round of the playoffs. After this, import Marcus Timmons
Marcus Timmons
Marcus Timmons is an American-born, dual-NBL champion basketball player. He played with the Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats, Cairns Taipans, New Zealand Breakers and Adelaide 36ers, winning championships with the Tigers and Wildcats....
requested permission to break his contract, to play in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Permission was granted; however, he returned for the next season, this time with the Perth Wildcats, where he led the team to the championship and was named Finals MVP
NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player - Grand Final
The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock * 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock (St. Kilda Saints)* 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry...
.
As basketball's popularity in Australia fell throughout the late '90's and into the new millennium, the Tigers experienced great financial trouble off the court. In 2000, they moved to the newly constructed Vodafone Arena
Vodafone Arena
Hisense Arena is a sports venue that is part of the Melbourne Park complex, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The current arena's name was purchased in July of 2008.-History:...
, but struggled to fill it. By 2002 crowds were at less than 50% capacity and it was revealed that they were $2.5M in debt, and in serious danger of folding. Andrew Gaze himself did not have a salary paid to him for his final few playing years in order to ease the financial burden. He supported himself through endorsement deals.
Ownership Restructure – 'A Family Business' – '02 – '05
A new ownership consortium under Melbourne Businessman Seamus McPeake and the Gaze's, saw financial stability restored to the club for the 2002–03 season. At the same time, Melbourne's other team, the Victoria TitansVictoria Titans
The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...
(formed under a merger of the North Melbourne Giants
North Melbourne Giants
The North Melbourne Giants were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League.-History :The team was formed in 1980 as the Coburg Giants and were renamed in 1987 as the North Melbourne Giants...
and South East Melbourne Magic
South East Melbourne Magic
The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...
in 1998) were unable to survive and folded. The license was quickly picked up and the Victoria Giants were formed, with many former Titan players, including league legend Darryl McDonald
Darryl McDonald
Darryl McDonald is a retired American-Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Melbourne Tigers in Australia's National Basketball League...
.
The Tigers embarked on a financial rationalisation project, the first priority of which was to no longer play games at the very high rent 10,500 capacity Vodafone Arena
Vodafone Arena
Hisense Arena is a sports venue that is part of the Melbourne Park complex, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The current arena's name was purchased in July of 2008.-History:...
. The Tigers moved their home games to the smaller main court of the State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...
in Royal Park
Royal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park is the largest of Melbourne's inner city parks . It is located north of the Melbourne Central Business District, Victoria, Australia, in the suburb of Parkville....
, with the deal signed in July 2002. They still play at the there to this day. On court, with their ageing superstars Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke unable to produce at the same levels they did in the '90's, the Tigers added Terry McKenzie to help the Tigers maintain as perennial playoff contenders, however, never finalists. The 2004 season saw the demise of the Victoria Giants. They had decided to sack Darryl McDonald at the start of the '04 campaign, and the Tigers gladly picked him up as a backup point guard to Andrew Gaze.
The New Championship Years – '06 – '09
The conclusion of the 2004–05 season saw a changing of the guard for the Tigers. League legend Andrew Gaze retired, and Mark Bradtke accepted an offer from Brisbane, in part to be closer to his wife's (Nicole Provis – former Australian TennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Champion) family. Lanard Copeland's dwindling production saw the Tigers decide not to renew his contract, although, he was offered an off court role with the club. Believing he still had playing years in him, he followed Mark Bradtke to Brisbane. Imports Rashard Tucker and Dave Thomas
Dave Thomas (basketball)
Dave Thomas is a Canadian professional basketball player. He has played 34 times at the senior level for the Canadian men's national basketball team...
would take the lead on court roles at the club, joined by big man Chris Anstey
Chris Anstey
Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL...
who returned from a 3 year stint in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
With D-Mac moving into the starting line-up, joined by Thomas, Tucker, Anstey and an improving Neil Mottram, the Tiger's had an extremely successful regular season, which saw them finish second to the Sydney Kings. Tigers coach Al Westover was named Coach of the Year
NBL (Australia) Coach of the Year
The NBL Coach of the Year award takes into account regular-season performances only, and is voted on by head coaches, assistant coaches and team captains on a 3-2-1 basis.* 1980 Barry Barnes...
. Centre Chris Anstey
Chris Anstey
Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL...
was named both the Grand Final Series' Most Valuable Player
NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player - Grand Final
The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock * 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock (St. Kilda Saints)* 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry...
and league MVP
NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player
At the conclusion of each NBL game, both coaches award votes to the best players from that game. Each coach has 10 votes to allocate, with no more than 5 to be awarded to one player by each coach....
and Stephen Hoare won Sixth Man Of the Year.
The Tigers swept the playoffs, defeating the Perth Wildcats 2–0 in the Semi Finals and the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
3–0 in the Finals. D-Mac's season was particularly impressive, as he outclassed many quality point guards throughout the season, including starting Australian Boomer point guard C. J. Bruton in the Finals. His stellar performances were seemingly at odds with his advanced age of 42, making him the oldest player in the league.
A new Melbourne team provided a new local rivalry in the 2006–07 season. The South Dragons
South Dragons
The South Dragons is a former team in the Australasian National Basketball League . They made their début in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09...
, having enticed Shane Heal
Shane Heal
Shane Douglas Heal is a retired Australia professional basketball player who last played with the Gold Coast Blaze of the National Basketball League, retiring at the end of the 2008/09 season. During his early years as a player, Heal played for the Brisbane Bullets and the Geelong Supercats...
back from a two year retirement, showed respectable form in their first season, making the playoffs. Although they added former NBL stars such as Frank Drmic
Frank Drmic
Frank Drmic is an Australian professional basketball player.-Playing career:Frank Drmic's career began in the Australian National Basketball League - NBL in 1996, playing with the NBL South East Melbourne Magic. In his rookie season with the NBL South East Melbourne Magic, they won the National...
and big man Matt Burston
Matt Burston
Matthew Burston is an Australian professional basketball player, currently playing for the Melbourne Tigers in the National Basketball League ....
from Perth, their youngsters such as Joe Ingles led the way. Former NBA All Star and all time NBA freethrow percentage leader Mark Price
Mark Price
William Mark Price is a retired American basketball player who played for 12 seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1998...
added a great measure of respectability to the organisation, as their inaugural coach however, in the midst of many early personnel changes, was fired and replaced by player-coach Shane Heal.
The Tigers roster was enhanced for the 2006–07 season. D-Mac signed a new two year contract, and former Tiger Nathan Crosswell
Nathan Crosswell
Nathan Crosswell is a professional Australian basketball player.-Professional career:Crosswell debuted in the NBL in 1999 with the Melbourne Tigers. He then moved on to the Victoria Titans in 2002, and the Cairns Taipans in 2005 before returning to the Tigers in 2007...
returned from Cairns
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...
to back him up, with a promise he would eventually take over the reins. Neil Mottram exercised his European out clause to play with Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
second division team Fabriano
Fabriano
Fabriano is a town and comune of Ancona province in the Italian region of the Marche, at 325 m above sea-level. It lies in the Esino valley 44 km upstream and SW of Jesi; and 15 km ENE of Fossato di Vico and 36 km east of Gubbio...
. Despite rumours that local big man Simon Conn, or ex West Sydney Razorback Simon Dwight were in their sights to replace Mottram, the Tigers managed to secure Axel Dench's signature on 9 August 2006, just before leaving for Singapore for a pre season competition. They successfully appealed Dench's point status, allocated from when he was previously active in the NBL 2 years ago with the Hawks. The Tigers now looked extremely strong for the upcoming season, as League MVP Chris Anstey returned to the Tigers, after not receiving a call-up from the NBA after his off-season work out with 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...
.
The Tigers won the Singapore Cup, in their first games with new additions Axel Dench and Nathan Crosswell. D-Mac's son, Derrick, also played with the Tigers on the trip. He would continue to see court time with his father throughout the season as a developmental player on the Tigers roster.
The Tigers fell to the Brisbane Bullets in the pre-season Blitz, which perhaps proved an omen for the upcoming season. With a roster that was legitimately 10 deep, the Bullets dominated the season, on route to an NBL record 21 game win streak and defeated the Tigers 3–1 in the Finals.
This defeat perhaps indicated to the Tiger's management that despite their depth and experience, a dose of athleticism was required in the roster. They responded by signing athletic young Boomer David Barlow from Sydney on 3 April 2007.
Despite releasing back up centre Axel Dench to free up points for Boomer Brad Newley, Newley announced on 27 April that he was signing with the Adelaide 36ers.
The Tigers were expected to look for a new import guard after declining to resign import Rashard Tucker, who subsequently joined the Cairns Taipans.
However, Melbourne veered away from signing an import guard, instead looking to veteran Estonian, former NBA big man and long-serving Euroleague player Martin Müürsepp
Martin Müürsepp
Martin Müürsepp is an Estonian retired professional basketball player and basketball coach.-Club career:...
to fill the breach at centre. His signing came as a result of his close relationship with Chris Anstey whilst in Dallas and Russia, and after the Tigers missed out on Sean Lampley.
The 205 cm, 105 kilogram Muursepp saw time as part of the Tigers' front line – taking minutes previously allocated to both Dench and Tucker. The decision to not sign an import guard indicates that talented Canadian swingman Dave Thomas would see more time there during the 2008 season, in addition with former Kings swingman David Barlow and the up and coming Tommy Greer.
The Tigers began the '07/'08 campaign in fine form, with nine straight victories, as new import Martin Muursepp eased into the lineup with his precision passing. However, in early November, the Tigers hit a rough patch. They lost star import Dave Thomas for two months with a dislocated kneecap, and Martin Muursepp was battling an ankle injuries, receiving cortisone injections before the game to play. The Tigers lost four straight game, which prompted a crisis meeting, where the Tigers brought out their '06 championship trophy at a training session and asked each player to talk of what it meant to them.
The Tigers responded by steadying the ship with a tough win against Perth at home, before letting import Martin Muursepp go, whilst signing their initial target, Sean Lampley. With Lampley providing a much needed scoring punch, especially due to Thomas' injury, the Tigers held down second spot for the remainder of the season. Dave Thomas returned late the season, and despite having not beaten either the Kings or the Bullets in five encounters this season, they appeared to be hitting top form at the right time.
The Tigers faced Brisbane in the semi finals, and after easily accounting for them in game one, closed out the series in overtime in Brisbane. Sean Lampley and Chris Anstey made several big shots down the stretch, with Lampley taunting the Brisbane players down the stretch with his clutch shooting. Anstey was fined $2000 by the league for making an obscene gesture to the fans after the game.
The Finals Series proved to be one the best in NBL history. The Tigers matched up against the Kings, and after fading out in the last quarter of game one, took game two down in Melbourne, as several Kings players lost their cool down the stretch. In Game three Sean Lampley hit clutch three pointer with just 13 seconds remaining to clinch the game, and the Tigers looked ready to close out the series on their home floor in game four.
However the Kings, showing the tenacity they have been regarded for, fought through injury and poor shooting to take game four on the Tigers floor with a gutsy performance down the stretch. In Game five the Kings sold out the Entertainment Centre, with a new buzz around basketball due to the intensity of the series. Down the stretch, the Tigers were able to make the big plays, and closed out the championship, providing the perfect farewell for veteran guard Darryl McDonald.
The New NBL
On 11 May 2009 the Tigers made a short lived decision that they would sit out a year of the new NBL competition, due to poor financial management from Basketball Australia, with McPeake stating that his concerns were with "Governance and the TV deal." The Tigers had been the most profitable and well run club in Australia, stringing together five consecutive profitable seasons. With no naming rights sponsor for the league and a poor television deal, the financial forecast was poor, and the Tigers made the decision to sit out one year.On 28 May 2009 the Tigers reversed their earlier decision, after receiving assurances from Basketball Australia on the television deal.
On 10 June 2009 the Tigers announced their first two signings, Mark Worthington
Mark Worthington
Mark Worthington is an Australian professional basketball player. He was named the NBL rookie of the year in 2006 and won gold with the Australian basketball team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games....
and Chris Anstey
Chris Anstey
Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL...
, and confirmed that they would commence the new season with no imports for the first time in club history. It was further reported that they had let Stephen Hoare go, and Tommy Greer would pursue options elsewhere, likely with the Cairns Taipans. The Tigers are waiting on Sam Mackinnon to be passed fit by doctors, with youngster Jesse Wagstaff as a backup option. Nathan Crosswell may have played his last game for the Tigers, as they look to secure Nathan Herbert's signature.
On 17 June 2009 the Tigers announced they had resigned Darryl Corletto, as well as newcomer Ryan Bathie. On 18 June 2009 they announced they had resigned David Barlow and Luke Kendall. On 19 June 2009 they announced they had resigned Daniel Johnson and Matt O'Hea
Matt O'Hea
Matt O'Hea is a professional basketball player from Moe, Victoria.- External links :*http://www.tigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=playerprofile&id=677&team=tigerssoftballer...
, meaning that three spots were remaining on the roster. Tommy Greer and Sam Mackinnon are understood to have been offered contracts, with Stephen Hoare awaiting their decision. On 23 June they announced the resigning of Sam Mackinnon, meaning that two spots remain. On 26 June they completed their roster, securing Tommy Greer, despite offers from Cairns, and resigning Nathan Crosswell, after apparently missing out on Nathan Herbert. On 21 July it was announced that David Barlow would play in Spain this year, meaning that the Tigers would need to look for a replacement.
In the off-season of 2010, the Tigers roster was dismantled after the departure of Julius Hodge
Julius Hodge
Julius Melvin Hodge is an American professional basketball player.Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University...
, Mark Worthington
Mark Worthington
Mark Worthington is an Australian professional basketball player. He was named the NBL rookie of the year in 2006 and won gold with the Australian basketball team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games....
, Nathan Crosswell
Nathan Crosswell
Nathan Crosswell is a professional Australian basketball player.-Professional career:Crosswell debuted in the NBL in 1999 with the Melbourne Tigers. He then moved on to the Victoria Titans in 2002, and the Cairns Taipans in 2005 before returning to the Tigers in 2007...
as well as the retirements of NBL greats Sam Mackinnon
Sam Mackinnon
Samuel Mackinnon is a retired Australian professional basketball player whose last team was the NBL team Melbourne Tigers.-Playing career:...
and Chris Anstey
Chris Anstey
Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL...
. The Tigers announced the signing of American import guards TJ Campbell and Eric Devendorf
Eric Devendorf
Eric Devendorf is an American professional basketball player from Bay City, Michigan who came from Oak Hill Academy and played for the Syracuse University Orange. He currently plays for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League....
. They then landed the signature of Wollongong Hawks superstar Cameron Tragardh. The Tigers would then sign big men Matt Burston
Matt Burston
Matthew Burston is an Australian professional basketball player, currently playing for the Melbourne Tigers in the National Basketball League ....
, Wade Helliwell and Luke Nevill
Luke Nevill
Luke Nevill is an Australian basketball player.Nevill played collegiately at the University of Utah, where as a senior in 2008–09 he led the Utes to the NCAA Tournament...
. They capped off their roster with the signing of Big V
Big V
The Big V is the senior basketball league in Victoria, Australia comprising 102 semi-professional teams in 10 competitions.These competitions comprise both genders, and incorporate four levels of senior competition , three levels for women and youth leagues...
forward Lucas Walker. Along with Bennie Lewis, Daryl Corletto
Daryl Corletto
Daryl Corletto is an Australian professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL. He is a 6'4" shooting guard....
and Tommy Greer
Tommy Greer
Tommy Greer is a professional basketball player from Melbourne, Victoria. He currently plays for the Melbourne Tigers.-References:*http://www.tigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=playerprofile&id=673&team=tigers...
, who had stayed in Melbourne, the Tigers completed their roster for the 2010/11 season.
The season started disastrously for the Tigers losing their opening game at home to their rivals, the re-vamped, Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
. The Tigers would proceed to start the season on a 7-game losing streak. After the 6th loss, Melbourne fired point guard TJ Campbell and signed 2009/10 NBL MVP, Corey 'Homicide' Williams
Corey Williams
Corey Williams is the name of:*Corey Williams , American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions*Corey Williams , retired basketball player...
as their new point guard. After showing positive signs in the loss against reigning champions Perth
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
, the Tigers finally broke the shackles and won their first game when the defeated the Gold Coast Blaze
Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze is an Australian professional basketball team which competes in the National Basketball League . The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club is based on the Gold Coast and joins two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland...
on the road. Throughout the season the Tigers claimed big scalps including a victory against Perth, in Perth, that ended in controversy with Corey Williams and Eric Devendorf taunting the crowd. In early February, the Tigers released centre Luke Nevill, in an agreement that would let him play in Russia. They also released import Eric Devendorf leaving them with only 1 import. Daryl Corletto and Matt Burston were promoted to the starting line-up and stayed there for the rest of the season. After the terrible 7-game-losing start to the season, the Tigers would finish with a 10 - 18 record and 7th place on the ladder.
In the off-season of 2011, the Tigers were the most active club at the beginning of Free Agency. They secured the signature of NBL Coach of the Year, Trevor Gleeson
Trevor Gleeson
Trevor Gleeson is an Australian basketball coach in. He started coaching back in 1992 in the Victorian Basketball League with the Warrnambool Seahawks. He spent many years as an assistant coach before taking over Sioux Falls Skyforce in the Continental Basketball Association. He was coach for the...
as their Head-Coach on a three-year deal. On the first day of Free Agency, Melbourne announced the signing of Australian Forward Liam Rush
Liam Rush
Liam Rush is an Australian basketball player for the Melbourne Tigers.Rush started his professional career with NBL side Perth Wildcats in the 2003/04 season. He rose to prominence through his athleticism and strong fundamentals. In 2006/07, he moved to the West Sydney Razorbacks where he was...
, who would be returning to the NBL after stints in Europe. They, on the same day, announced the addition of exciting young guard Daniel Dillon
Daniel Dillon
Daniel Dillon is an English association football player, currently with Alfreton Town playing in the Conference North....
as their second free agent signing of 2011. After just a week of Free Agency, Melbourne announced the final 3 positions on their roster had been filled after they re-signed Forward Lucas Walker as well as the huge signings of the exciting import duo Ron Dorsey and Ayinde Ubaka
Ayinde Ubaka
Ayinde Ubaka is an American professional basketball player, currently signed with the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL. Standing at 6'4" and weighing 200 lb , Ubaka plays both point guard and shooting guard. -External links:...
who had both starred for the Cairns Taipans in season 2010/11, helping them to their first Grand Final appearance.
Honour Roll
| NBL Championships: | 4 (1993, 1997, 2006 & 2008) |
| NBL Finals Appearances: | 16 |
| NBL Grand Final appearances: | 8 (1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) |
| NBL Most Valuable Players: | Andrew Gaze Andrew Gaze Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL.... (1991,'92, '94, '95, '96, '97, '98), Mark Bradtke Mark Bradtke Mark Robert Bradtke is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League but also had a single stint in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996-97... (2002), Chris Anstey Chris Anstey Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL... (2006, 2008) |
| NBL Grand Final MVPs: | Lanard Copeland Lanard Copeland Lanard Copeland is a retired American-born Australian professional basketball player. He played in the NBL from 1992-2008.... (1997), Chris Anstey Chris Anstey Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL... (2006, 2008) |
| All-NBL First Team: | Andrew Gaze (1984–2000; 15 times), Mark Bradtke (1994, '96, '97, 1999–2005; 10 times), Lanard Copeland (1999), Chris Anstey (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), Dave Thomas (2007), Ebi Ere Ebi Ere Ebi Ere is a US-born Nigerian professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for the Obradoiro CAB, in the Spanish Liga ACB. He previously played for the Sydney Kings, also of the NBL. Ere won the grand final 2007 with the Brisbane Bullets... (2009), Mark Worthington Mark Worthington Mark Worthington is an Australian professional basketball player. He was named the NBL rookie of the year in 2006 and won gold with the Australian basketball team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.... (2010) |
| NBL Coach of the Year: | Lindsay Gaze Lindsay Gaze Lindsay John Casson Gaze is an Australian basketball player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984... (1989, '97, '99), Alan Westover (2006) |
| NBL Rookie of the Year: | Andrew Gaze Andrew Gaze Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL.... (1984) |
| NBL Best Sixth Man: | Darryl McDonald (2004), Stephen Hoare (2006, 2007) |
| NBL Best Defensive Player: | Chris Anstey Chris Anstey Christopher John Anstey is a former Australian professional basketball player. At 7'0" his career included stints in the NBA, Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian NBL... (2008) |
Source: www.nbl.com.au
Current squad
Depth Chart
| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Bench | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Cameron Tragardh | Tim Lang |  |
|
| PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Lucas Walker | Liam Rush Liam Rush Liam Rush is an Australian basketball player for the Melbourne Tigers.Rush started his professional career with NBL side Perth Wildcats in the 2003/04 season. He rose to prominence through his athleticism and strong fundamentals. In 2006/07, he moved to the West Sydney Razorbacks where he was... |
||
| SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
Tommy Greer Tommy Greer Tommy Greer is a professional basketball player from Melbourne, Victoria. He currently plays for the Melbourne Tigers.-References:*http://www.tigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=playerprofile&id=673&team=tigers... |
Bennie Lewis | ||
| SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Ron Dorsey | Daniel Dillon | ||
| PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Ayinde Ubaka Ayinde Ubaka Ayinde Ubaka is an American professional basketball player, currently signed with the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL. Standing at 6'4" and weighing 200 lb , Ubaka plays both point guard and shooting guard. -External links:... |
Josh Wilcher |