Thomas Abercrombie (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Iain Abercrombie is a New Zealand
professional basketball
player. He played in the United States
for one year at Washington State University
, before returning to his home country to play in the Australasia
n National Basketball League
(ANBL) and the New Zealand
National Basketball League
(NZNBL).
for Washington State University
in the 2007/08 season. During that season, he played 12 games, and averaged 1.2 points per game. He finished the season with 14 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists and 10 personal fouls.
to play for the New Zealand Breakers
in the Australasia
n National Basketball League
for the 2008-09
, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
Thomas Abercrombie would help the Breakers to win the 2010-11 NBL Championship and would also be awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal as the NBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player.
Abercrombie also plays for the Waikato Pistons in the New Zealand
National Basketball League
.
Since that championship Tom has been unable to taste championship success with the Pistons again, losing in the finals series the next year to a
well drilled Wellington Saints team. Although they lost that finals series, Tom averaged 25ppg, 4.3rpg and 2.3bpg.
Tom's 3rd season for the Pistons was a late start because of NZ Breakers duties, but Tom came back to the Pistons and led them to the 2nd best record in the NZBL heading into the Final Four Weekend in Wellington. But the Pistons fell short once again, losing to the Hawkes Bay Hawks in the semi final, 95-86. Tom pitched in with 17 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. But this was not enough to beat the Hawks.
in the 2007 World University Games
. He has also played for the New Zealand Tall Blacks
in the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship
and the 2010 FIBA World Championship
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He played in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for one year at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, before returning to his home country to play in the Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australasia)
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....
(ANBL) and the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
National Basketball League
National Basketball League (New Zealand)
The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand.There were 10 teams in the 2010 season with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North,...
(NZNBL).
High School Basketball
Abercrombie captained the Westlake Boys HS to the national secondary schools basketball title in his senior year, averaging 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game, while being named NZ Academy of Sport High Performance Player for the second successive year. He won the WBHS Trophy for Academic and Sporting Excellence in 2002 and 2004.College Basketball
Abercrombie played College Basketball in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in the 2007/08 season. During that season, he played 12 games, and averaged 1.2 points per game. He finished the season with 14 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists and 10 personal fouls.
Return to New Zealand
Abercrombie returned to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to play for the New Zealand Breakers
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The Breakers joined the NBL for the 2003/04 season as one of two expansion clubs. The club is based in the city of Auckland, New Zealand and play their home games at the North...
in the Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australasia)
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....
for the 2008-09
2008-09 NBL Season
-2008-09 league participants:* On 30 June 2008 the Brisbane Bullets confirmed they would be handing back the team's license to the NBL. The NBL confirmed there will be no Brisbane team participating in the 2008/09 season....
, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
Thomas Abercrombie would help the Breakers to win the 2010-11 NBL Championship and would also be awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal as the NBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player.
Abercrombie also plays for the Waikato Pistons in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
National Basketball League
National Basketball League (New Zealand)
The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand.There were 10 teams in the 2010 season with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North,...
.
Waikato Pistons
Tom signed for the Waikato Pistons at the beginning of the 2009 season. As a rookie, he would lead the Pistons to their fourth NZBL Championship and played outstanding in the finals series, averaging 17.0ppg, 6.5rpg and 3.5apg being one of the Pistons top players.Since that championship Tom has been unable to taste championship success with the Pistons again, losing in the finals series the next year to a
well drilled Wellington Saints team. Although they lost that finals series, Tom averaged 25ppg, 4.3rpg and 2.3bpg.
Tom's 3rd season for the Pistons was a late start because of NZ Breakers duties, but Tom came back to the Pistons and led them to the 2nd best record in the NZBL heading into the Final Four Weekend in Wellington. But the Pistons fell short once again, losing to the Hawkes Bay Hawks in the semi final, 95-86. Tom pitched in with 17 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. But this was not enough to beat the Hawks.
NBL Championship and NBL Finals MVP Award
Abercrombie was a pivotal member of the 2010-11 New Zealand Breakers who won the NBL Championship that year. Abercrombie also received the honour of being named the recipient of the Larry Sengstock Medal as the Finals series Most Valuable Player.International Basketball
Abercrombie has played for New ZealandNew Zealand national basketball team
The New Zealand national basketball team represents New Zealand in international basketball competitions. It is nicknamed the Tall Blacks, derived from the name of New Zealand's Rugby union team, the All Blacks.-History:...
in the 2007 World University Games
2007 Summer Universiade
The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***...
. He has also played for the New Zealand Tall Blacks
New Zealand national basketball team
The New Zealand national basketball team represents New Zealand in international basketball competitions. It is nicknamed the Tall Blacks, derived from the name of New Zealand's Rugby union team, the All Blacks.-History:...
in the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship
FIBA Oceania Championship 2009
The FIBA Oceania Championship for Men 2009 was the qualifying tournament of FIBA Oceania for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. For the first time, the tournament featured a best-of-two, home-and-away series between Australia and New Zealand. Game one was held in Sydney, New South Wales...
and the 2010 FIBA World Championship
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
.