Gold Coast Rollers (NBL)

This article is about the NBL team. For the NBL1 North club, see Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North).

Gold Coast Rollers (NBL)
Leagues	NBL
Founded	1990
Dissolved	1996
History	Gold Coast Cougars 1990 Gold Coast Rollers 1991–1996
Arena	Carrara Indoor Stadium
Capacity	2,992
Location	Gold Coast, Queensland
Team colors	Green, blue, white
Championships	0
Home Away

The Gold Coast Rollers are a defunct basketball team from Gold Coast, Queensland, that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL).

History

Entering the NBL

The Gold Coast Cougars entered the NBL in 1990 following strong performances in the Queensland State League, having won the 1987 and 1988 titles. ^{[1] [2] [3]} A syndicate led by John Mizzulo successfully secured the NBL licence and undertook redevelopment of a new stadium for the team. ^[4] The club appointed Australian Institute of Sport Deputy Chairman Ron Harvey as General Manager. ^[5] Construction of the temporary 4,000-seat stadium was delayed by weather and financial issues, and was completed less than two weeks before the season began. ^[6] The inaugural squad featured five former Brisbane Bullets players, including Larry Sengstock and Ron Radliff. ^[7] In their first NBL season, Gold Coast finished 11th with a 9–17 record.

1991 New Ownership and Name change

At the start of 1991, Gold Coast Cougars owner John Minuzzo faced significant financial difficulties, reportedly carrying debts of around $1 billion. ^[8] Due to these liquidity problems, the NBL board terminated the Cougars' licence on 5 March. ^{[9] [10]} Despite the termination, the team was permitted to compete in the pre-season K-Mart Classic while efforts to secure new ownership continued. ^[11] NBL officials Bill Palmer and Terry Ryan led the search for buyers, and on the eve of the 23 March deadline, a consortium of 13 individuals representing Gold Coast basketball and business interests submitted a successful bid. ^[12] However, Minuzzo retained the rights to the names "Gold Coast Cougars" and "Gold Coast Breakers", necessitating a new club identity. ^[13] With the season imminent and branding unresolved, the new ownership adopted the name "Gold Coast Rollers" and selected green, blue, and white as the team's colours in the final week before the season commenced. ^[14]

1996 removal

The Rollers had their NBL licence revoked following the 1996 season due to financial difficulties. ^{[15] [16]}

Honour roll

NBL Championships:	None
NBL Finals Appearances:	None
NBL Grand Final Appearances:	None
NBL Most Valuable Players:	None
NBL Grand Final MVPs:	None
All-NBL First Team:	Mike Mitchell (1991)
All-NBL Second Team:	Andre Lafleur (1992, 1993)
NBL Coach of the Year:	None
NBL Rookie of the Year:	None
NBL Most Improved Player:	None
NBL Best Defensive Player:	None
NBL Best Sixth Man:	None
NBL Good Hands Award:	Andre LaFleur (1991, 1992, 1993)

Season by season

NBL champions

League champions

Runners-up

Finals berth

Season	Tier	League	Regular season					Post-season	Head coach	Captain	Club MVP
			Finish	Played	Wins	Losses	Win %
Gold Coast Cougars
1990	1	NBL	11th	26	9	17	.346	Did not qualify	Thomas Wisman Brian Lester	Larry Sengstock	Leroy Combs
Gold Coast Rollers
1991	1	NBL	8th	26	14	12	.538	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Larry Sengstock	Mike Mitchell
1992	1	NBL	10th	24	11	13	.458	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Larry Sengstock	Andre Lafleur
1993	1	NBL	10th	26	12	14	.462	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Mike Mitchell	Andre Lafleur
1994	1	NBL	10th	26	10	16	.385	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Mike Mitchell	Mike Mitchell
1995	1	NBL	13th	26	5	21	.417	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Peter Harvey	Steve Woodberry
1996	1	NBL	14th	26	6	20	.231	Did not qualify	David Claxton	Peter Harvey	Tony De Ambrosis
Regular season record					180	67	113	.372	0 regular season champions
Finals record					0	0	0	.000	0 NBL championships

As of the end of the 1996 season

References

1. "'Palace' to fall to ACT Govt?". The Canberra Times. 4 July 1989. Retrieved 24 December 2025– via Trove. Even when he accepted the job he begins today as general manager of the Gold Coast Basketball Club, which enters the National Basketball League next year...
2. "Ron Harvey retires from ASC executive". The Canberra Times. 4 July 1989. Retrieved 23 December 2025– via Trove. The Gold Coast team has won the Queensland State League for the past two years...
3. "QBL State Champions & Award Winners". qbl.basketballqld.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
4. Syndicate Backs Stadium Project, The Canberra Times, 2 December 1988
5. Harvey to quit AIS for NBL, The Canberra Times, 14 May 1989
6. 1990 NBL Year Book, p.51.
7. 1990 NBL Year Book, p.51.
8. Minuzzo debt soars as asset bid delayed, Australian Financial Review, 25 February 1991.
9. Cougars face axe, The Canberra Times, 6 March 1991
10. Hope for troubled Cougars, The Canberra Times, 7 March 1991
11. Horan Around, Basketball Week, Vol. 2, No. 1, 6 March 1991, p.4.
12. Consortium steps in to save the Cougars, The Canberra Times, 24 March 1991
13. Wanted: $600,000, Basketball Week, Vol. 2, No. 2, 13 March 1991, p.3.
14. Dave's Decade of Change, Basketball Week, Vol. 2, No. 6, 10 April 1991, p.3.
15. "Welcome, THE GOLD COAST ROLLERS". Gold Coast QBL. 4 January 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
16. "Gold Coast Rollers". andthefoul.net. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2014.