1989 NBL Finals

Last updated

1989 NBL Finals
League National Basketball League
Sport Basketball
Duration20 September - 20 October 1989
Number of teams6
TV partner(s) Seven Network
NBL Finals
Champions North Melbourne Giants
  Runners-up Canberra Cannons
Finals MVP Scott Fisher
Seasons
  1988
1990  

The 1989 NBL Finals was the championship series of the 1989 season of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The North Melbourne Giants defeated the Canberra Cannons in two games (2-0) for their first NBL championship.

Contents

Format

The 1989 National Basketball League Finals started on 20 September and concluded on 20 October. The playoffs consisted of two best of three Elimination finals, two best of three Semi-finals and the best of three game Grand Final series. As the two top teams at the end of the regular season, the North Melbourne Giants and Canberra Cannons both qualified for home court advantage during the Semi-finals.

Qualification

Qualified teams

TeamFinals
appearance
Previous
appearance
Previous best
performance
North Melbourne Giants 2nd 1988 Runner up in 1988
Canberra Cannons 8th1988Champions (1983, 1984, 1988)
Perth Wildcats 2nd1988Runner up (1987)
Melbourne Tigers 1st-9th in 1984
Sydney Kings 1st-9th in 1988
Adelaide 36ers 6th1988Champions (1986)

Ladder

Pos 1989 NBL season
Team Pld W L PCT Last 5 Streak Home Away PF PA PP
1 Canberra Cannons 2418675.00%4–1W410–28–427362580106.05%
2 North Melbourne Giants 2417770.33%5–0W711–16–629932701110.81%
3 Perth Wildcats 12416866.67%3–2W211–15–726812660100.79%
4 Melbourne Tigers 12416866.67%3–2L28–48–428022660105.34%
5 Sydney Kings 22415962.50%2–3L29–36–62471248999.28%
6 Adelaide 36ers 22415962.50%3–2W210–25–727782668104.12%
7 Eastside Spectres 24141053.85%4–1W49–35–725272454102.97%
8 Brisbane Bullets 24111345.83%1–4W17–54–825632492102.85%
9 Westside Saints 32481633.33%3–2W15–73–92522264895.24%
10 Hobart Tassie Devils 32481633.33%3–2W16–62–102566275793.07%
11 Illawarra Hawks 2471729.17%0–5L65–72–102826292996.48%
12 Newcastle Falcons 2461825.00%2–3L25–71–112649279994.64%
13 Geelong Supercats 2451920.83%0–5L63–92–102445272289.82%

Updated to match(es) played on 16 September 1989. Source: NBL.com.au

Elimination finals

(3) Perth Wildcats vs (6) Adelaide 36ers

Game 1

20 September
Adelaide 36ers 124, Perth Wildcats 122
Scoring by quarter:33-31, 27-37, 33-35, 31-19
Pts: Pearce, Davis 25 each
Rebs: Mark Davis 13
Asts: Mark Bradtke 5
Pts: Cal Bruton 35
Rebs: Crawford, Pinder 9 each
Asts: Mike Ellis 11
Adelaide lead the series 1-0
Apollo Stadium, Adelaide
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

Game 2

22 September
Perth Wildcats 114, Adelaide 36ers 94
Scoring by quarter: 27-31, 32-23, 28-18, 27-22
Pts: Kendal Pinder 25
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 14
Asts: Eric Watterson 7
Pts: Mark Davis 22
Rebs: Mark Davis 20
Asts: Green, Pearce 3 each
Series tied at 1-1
Perth Superdrome
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Ray Hunt

Game 3

24 September
Perth Wildcats 112, Adelaide 36ers 108
Scoring by quarter: 29-35, 34-26, 28-23, 21-24
Pts: Cal Bruton 29
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 14
Asts: Mike Ellis 8
Pts: Mark Davis 34
Rebs: Orlando Phillips 13
Asts: Darryl Pearce 5
Perth win the series 2-1
Perth Superdrome
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Ray Hunt, Eddie Crouch

(4) Melbourne Tigers vs (5) Sydney Kings

Game 1

20 September
Sydney Kings 117, Melbourne Tigers 105
Scoring by quarter:25-23, 30-29, 29-31, 33-22
Pts: Ian Davies 30
Rebs: Mark Ridlen 9
Asts: Steve Carfino 8
Pts: Andrew Gaze 38
Rebs: Gaze, Colbert 8 each
Asts: Andrew Gaze
Sydney lead the series 1-0
State Sports Centre, Sydney
Attendance: 5,006
Referees: Ray Hunt, Roger Shiels

Game 2

22 September
Melbourne Tigers 112, Sydney Kings 89
Scoring by quarter:32-26, 35-29, 24-19, 21-15
Pts: Dave Simmons 33
Rebs: Dave Simmons 15
Asts: Gaze, Giddey 5 each
Pts: Mark Ridlen 25
Rebs: Brad Dalton 12
Asts: Carfino, Keogh 4 each
Series tied at 1-1
The Glass House, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,200
Referees: Geoff Weeks, Bill Mildenhall

Game 3

24 September
Melbourne Tigers 83, Sydney Kings 85
Scoring by quarter: 20-30, 29-21, 16-19, 18-15
Pts: Andrew Gaze 30
Rebs: Warrick Giddey 15
Asts: Ray Gordon 4
Pts: Mark Ridlen 28
Rebs: Mark Ridlen 18
Asts: Mark Ridlen 4
Sydney wins the series 2-1
The Glass House, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,200
Referees: Geoff Weeks, Bill Mildenhall

Semi-finals

(1) Canberra Cannons vs (5) Sydney Kings

Game 1

29 September
Sydney Kings 98, Canberra Cannons 108
Scoring by quarter: 23-33, 30-30, 25-19, 20-26
Pts: Tim Morrissey 20
Rebs: Morrissey, Ridlen 14 each
Asts: Ian Robilliard 6
Pts: Emery Atkinson 22
Rebs: Emery Atkinson 13
Asts: Emery Atkinson 7
Canberra lead the series 1-0
State Sports Centre, Sydney
Attendance: 5,006
Referees: Ray Hunt, Paul Beale

Game 2

6 October
Canberra Cannons 92, Sydney Kings 100
Scoring by quarter: 18-32, 23-17, 18-25, 33-26
Pts: Emery Atkinson 30
Rebs: Willie Simmons 12
Asts: Emery Atkinson 5
Pts: Mark Ridlen 29
Rebs: Mark Ridlen 19
Asts: Steve Carfino 5
Series tied at 1-1
AIS Arena, Canberra
Attendance: 5,200
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

Game 3

8 October
Canberra Cannons 142, Sydney Kings 82
Scoring by quarter:33-14, 45-20, 31-17, 33-31
Pts: Simon Cottrell 34
Rebs: Emery Atkinson 15
Asts: Phil Smyth 10
Pts: Tim Morrissey 26
Rebs: Brad Dalton 12
Asts: Keogh, Robilliard 4 each
Canberra wins the series 2-1
AIS Arena, Canberra
Attendance: 5,200
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

(2) North Melbourne Giants vs (3) Perth Wildcats

Game 1

30 September
Perth Wildcats 108, North Melbourne Giants 129
Scoring by quarter: 26-35, 30-23, 18-37, 34-34
Pts: Cal Bruton 34
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 15
Asts: Eric Watterson 8
Pts: Scott Fisher 27
Rebs: Scott Fisher 13
Asts: Mark Leader 6
North Melbourne lead the series 1-0
Perth Superdrome
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

Game 2

6 October
North Melbourne Giants 108, Perth Wildcats 111
Scoring by quarter:39-23, 22-29, 28-34, 19-25
Pts: Ray Borner 24
Rebs: Tim Dillon 14
Asts: Mark Leader 5
Pts: James Crawford 42
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 21
Asts: Cal Bruton 13
Series tied at 1-1
The Glass House, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,200
Referees: Ray Hunt, Geoff Weeks

Game 3

8 October
North Melbourne Giants 165, Perth Wildcats 110
Scoring by quarter:37-29, 34-21, 47-24, 47-36
Pts: Scott Fisher 32
Rebs: Scott Fisher 14
Asts: Graham, Leader 5 each
Pts: Mike Ellis 18
Rebs: Steve Davis 11
Asts: Davis, Ellis, Bruton, Watterson 2 each
North Melbourne win the series 2-1
The Glass House, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,200
Referees: Ray Hunt, Geoff Weeks

North Melbourne's 55 point win over Perth in game 3 of their Semi-final series would have been the record winning margin for an NBL Semi-final breaking the previous record of 48 held by Adelaide for their 151–103 win over Newcastle in 1985, except that on the same day Canberra beat Sydney by 60 points in the other semi final series. The Giants’ score of 165 also remains (as of the 2016 NBL Finals) the highest score in an NBL Finals game.

Grand Final series

(1) Canberra Cannons vs (2) North Melbourne Giants

Game 1

14 October
Canberra Cannons 105, North Melbourne Giants 111
Scoring by quarter: 22-24, 33-24, 24-27, 26-36
Pts: Phil Smyth 23
Rebs: Emery Atkinson 11
Asts: Dufelmeier, Atkinson 5 each
Pts: Scott Fisher 37
Rebs: Tim Dillon 11
Asts: Carroll, Leader 4 each
North Melbourne leads series 1-0
AIS Arena, Canberra
Attendance: 5,200
Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Eddie Crouch

Game 2

20 October
North Melbourne Giants 111, Canberra Cannons 97
Scoring by quarter: 25-36, 31-20, 21-20, 34-21
Pts: Scott Fisher 33
Rebs: Tim Dillon 15
Asts: David Graham 5
Pts: Simmons, Mceachin 20 each
Rebs: Willie Simmons 14
Asts: Emery Atkinson 3
North Melbourne wins series and NBL Championship, 2–0
Grand Final MVP: Scott Fisher (North Melbourne)
The Glass House, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,200
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

See also

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References