West Adelaide Bearcats

Last updated

West Adelaide Bearcats
West Adelaide Bearcats logo.png
League NBL1 Central
Established1957
History SA State League / NBL1 Central :
West Adelaide Bearcats
1957–present
NBL :
West Adelaide Bearcats
1979–1984
WNBL :
West Adelaide Bearcats
1981–1992
ArenaPort Adelaide Recreation Centre
Location Port Adelaide, South Australia
Team coloursBlack, Red
  
Championships SA State League / NBL1 Central :
17 (1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2023, 2025) (M)
8 (1968, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1993, 2007, 2022) (W)
NBL :
1 (1982)
Website WestBearcats.net

West Adelaide Bearcats is a NBL1 Central club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The club fields both a men's and women's team. The club is a division of the overarching West Adelaide Basketball Club (WABC), the major administrative basketball organisation in Adelaide's western suburbs. The Bearcats play their home games at Port Adelaide Recreation Centre.

Contents

Club history

Background

The West Adelaide Basketball Club commenced in name in 1951 as a progression of the Kingston Basketball Club, which was established in 1946. The 'Bearcat' name was taken because of a close association with the University of Cincinnati in the United States. [1] The club won four pre-state league men's premierships in 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1952. [1]

SA State League / NBL1 Central

West Adelaide entered both a men's and women's team into the first official SA State League season in 1957, with the men's team playing in the inaugural grand final. [2] [3]

Between 1967 and 1996, the Bearcats men contested 23 grand finals and won 14 titles. Then between 2001 and 2014, they were grand finalists four more times but failed to claim a 15th title in that time. [2] The Bearcats women on the other hand contested 14 grand finals between 1968 and 1993 and won six titles. The women went on to contest grand finals in 2007 and 2010 as well, collecting their seventh title in 2007. [3] In 2017, the Bearcats men won their first title since 1996. [4] [5]

In 2022, the women's team won the NBL1 Central Grand Final to claim their first championship since 2007. [6] In 2023, the men's team won the NBL1 Central Grand Final to claim their 16th championship. [7] In 2025, the men's team returned to the NBL1 Central Grand Final, [8] where they defeated the Central Districts Lions 83–73 to win their 17th championship. [9]

NBL and WNBL

In 1979, the Bearcats entered the National Basketball League (NBL) for the competition's inaugural season. The team enjoyed success during the early days of the NBL which included Grand Finals in 1980 and 1983, and an NBL championship victory against the Geelong Cats in 1982. Bearcats championship coach Ken Richardson was the inaugural MVP of the NBL in 1979. During the 1982 regular season, West Adelaide finished first with a 21–5 record behind the play of Americans Leroy Loggins and NBL MVP Al Green. The team merged with the Adelaide 36ers at the end of the 1984 season to form one 'Adelaide' team in the NBL, [10] with the Bearcats providing six players to the roster including Peter Ali, Ray Wood, David Spear and Mike McKay along with coach Ken Cole and team manager Keith Woods. [1]

In 1981, the women's team was a founding member of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). The West Adelaide "Lady" Bearcats competed in the WNBL for 12 seasons (1981–1992). The 1984 season was the highlight of their tenure as they claimed the minor premiership and contested the 1984 WNBL Grand Final, where they lost 78–65 to the Nunawading Spectres. [1] In 1985, the Bearcats had a team in both the WNBL and the second-tier Women's Basketball Conference (WBC). [11]

NBL honour roll

NBL Championships:1 (1982)
NBL Finals Appearances:4 (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983)
NBL Grand Final Appearances:3 (1980, 1982, 1983)
NBL Most Valuable Players: Ken Richardson (1979), Al Green (1982)
All-NBL First Team:Ken Richardson (1980), Al Green (1981), Leroy Loggins (1982, 1983)
NBL Best Defensive Players:Ray Wood (1980, 1981)

NBL Season by season

NBL championsLeague championsRunners-upFinals berth
SeasonTierLeagueRegular seasonPost-seasonHead coach
FinishPlayedWinsLossesWin %
West Adelaide Bearcats
1979 1 NBL 4th18126.667Did not qualify Ken Richardson
1980 1 NBL 2nd22175.773Won semifinal (Brisbane) 101–94
Lost NBL final (St. Kilda) 88–113		Ken Richardson
1981 1 NBL 3rd22139.591Lost semifinal (Nunawading) 71–74Ken Richardson
1982 1 NBL 1st26215.808Won semifinal (Coburg 94–74
Won NBL final (Geelong) 80–74		Ken Richardson
1983 1 NBL 2nd22175.773Qualified round robin 2–1
Won semifinal (Nunawading) 84–77
Lost NBL final (Canberra, 73–75)		 Ken Cole
1984 1 NBL 6th241113.458Did not qualifyKen Cole
Regular season record1349143.6791 regular season champions
Finals record1064.6001 NBL championships

As of the end of the 1984 season

*Note: In 1983 and 1984, the NBL was split into Eastern and Western divisions during the regular season.

1982 NBL Championship team

Pos.StarterBenchBench
C Brad Dalton Ken Richardson
PF Peter Ali Peter Dawe
SF Leroy Loggins Trevor Maddiford
SG Al Green Jo TheilGary Thompson
PG Ray WoodGreg Mules

NBL1 Central Season by Season [12]

SeasonLeague NameTeamRegular SeasonPost-SeasonHead Coach
FinishPlayedWinsLossesWin%
2025NBL1 CentralWomen3rd181440.778- Lost Qualifying Final (Sturt Sabres) 59-62

- Lost Semi Final (Woodville Warriors) 66-80

Mark Billington
Men5th181080.556- Won Elimination Final (South Adelaide) 81-80

- Won Semi Final (Woodville Warriors) 81-68

- Won Preliminary Final (Forestville Eagles) 97-95

- Won Grand Final (Centrals District Lions) 83-73

Dean Nyberg
2024NBL1 CentralWomen8th187110.389Did not qualifyMark Billington
Men4th181170.611- Won Elimination Final (Central District Lions) 110-98

- Lost Semi Final (Sturt Sabres) 81-100

Dean Nyberg
2023NBL1 CentralWomen6th181080.556Did not qualifyKaye-Lee Stuart
Men1st181530.833- Lost Semi Final (Forestville Eagles) 81-83

- Won Preliminary Final (Sturt Sabres) 96-73

- Won Grand Final (Forestville Eagles) 106-95

Dean Nyberg
2022NBL1 CentralWomen1st181530.833- Won Semi Final (Sturt Sabres) 94-82

- Won Grand Final (Sturt Sabres) 82-75

Kaye-Lee Stuart
Men7th187110.389Did not qualifyCorey Maclean/ Paul Robinson
2021NBL1 CentralWomen7th188100.444Did not qualifyCorey Maclean
Men8th188100.444Did not qualifyJoe Noone
2020No season - Covid

Club and State League Awards

Bearcat Medal and MVP [1]

The Bearcat Medal is the top award provided to a player in an NBL1 team and is voted by two coaches and a spectator after each game on a 3, 2, 1 basis. [1]

Most Valuable Player is selected by the most amount of Woollacott Medal and Lorraine Eiler votes given to a West Adelaide Player. The votes are cast by referees' post-game on a 3, 2, 1 basis. [1]

*Also won the Lorraine Eiler Medal (Previously Hall Medal) or Woollacott Medal

YearMVPBearcat Medal
WomenMenWomenMen
2025*Olivia Levicki*Keanu RasmussenOlivia LevickiKeanu Rasmussen
2024Sienna Grieger

Elin Gustavsson

Fabijan KrslovicSienna Grieger

Molly Coleman (2)

Fabijan Krslovic
2023Jasmin Fejo (2)Lachlan OlbrichMolly ColemanAnthony Drmic
2022Jennie Rintala (2)Nik De SantisJasmin Fejo (3)Nik De Santis
2021Jennie RintalaEarnest Ross JrJennie RintalaEarnest Ross Jr
2020No season - Covid
2019Jasmin FejoBryan JeffersonJasmin Fejo (2)Patrick Thomas (2)
2018Ivea Nagy (2)Patrick ThomasJasmin FejoPatrick Thomas
2017Ivea NagyDarrius OldhamIeva NagyDarrius Oldham
2016Tahlia FejoDemetrius PerkinStana ZecevicDemetrius Perkin
2015Anna Carbo (2)David SturnerAnna CarboDavid Sturner
2014Anna CarboBlake Truslove (3)Sky LangenbrinckJason Dawson
2013Alana Nairn*Daniel JohnsonTaya CrockfordDaniel Johnson
2012Narelle Van LeuvenJunior SaltersNarelle Van LeuvenJunior Salters
2011Nikita Lee-Martin (3)Jeff DowdellKerrin Webber (2)Jeff Dowdell
2010Nikita Lee-Martin (2)Chris MolitorNikita Lee-Martin (3)Brad Davidson
2009Sam Woosnam (2)Ryan KerstenNikita Lee-Martin (2)Ryan Kersten
2008Nikita Lee-MartinShane CrothersNikita Lee-MartinAnthony Spadavecchia (2)
2007Jess MahoneyBrendan MannLauren KingAnthony Spadavecchia

Chris Molitor

2006*Sam WoosnamDanny Phillips (2)Sam WoosnamDanny Phillips (2)
2005Erin SeawardDanny PhillipsErin SeawardDanny Phillips
2004Kerrin Truslove (2)Paul Bell (2)Kerrin TruslovePaul Bell
2003Melissa Hill

Kerrin Truslove

Paul BellMelissa HillBlake Truslove (3)
2002*Suzie BatkovicBlake Truslove (2)Suzie BatkovicBlake Truslove (2)
2001Nicole UllianchDaniel CioffiNicole UllianchBlake Truslove

Bearcat Medal was introduced in 2001.

YearMVP
WomenMen
2000Daniel Cioffi
1999Blake Truslove
1998
1997
1996Willie Simmons (2)
1995Marina MoffaChris Blakemore (2)
1994Debbie MillerWillie Simmons
1993*Rachael Sporn (2)Chris Blakemore
1992Katrina BalterRomanus Brazdauskis
1991Merryn JennkinsonMichael McKay (4)
1990Jo MoyleMichael McKay (3)
1989*Rachael Sporn

*Cass Pujals (7)

David Spear
1988*Cass Pujals (6)Michael McKay (2)
1987*Cass Pujals (5)*Michael McKay
1986Cass Pujals (4)Peter Ali (2)
1985Cass Pujals (3)Mark Leader
1984Cass Pujals (2)Peter Ali
1983Cass Pujals*Leroy Loggins
1982Jo Watts (2)*Al Green (2)
1981Cass Dalton (4)Al Green
1980Cass Dalton (3)Ken Richardson (5)
1979Cass Dalton (2)Ken Richardson (4)
1978Jo WattsKen Richardson (3)
1977Cass DaltonRay Wood
1976Julie BallieWerner Linde (6)
1975Lyn Murtach*Ken Richardson (2)
1974Jacki Aston (7)Ken Richardson
1973Jacki Aston (6)Alan Hughes
1972J BarrattGlen Marsland (2)
1971Jacki Aston (5)*Werner Linde (5)
1970Jacki Aston (4)Glenn Marsland
1969Jacki Aston (3)*Werner Linde (4)
1968Jacki Aston (2)Werner Linde (3)
1967*Jacki AstonBill Stuart (2)
1966L Campbell (3)*Werner Linde (2)
1965*Jacki TedmansonBill Stuart
1964L Campbell (2)Werner Linde
1963L CampbellAlan Dawe (7)
YearMVP
Men
1962Alan Dawe (6)
1961Mario Giglio
1960Alan Dawe (5)
1959*Alan Dawe (4)
1958*Alan Dawe (3)
1957Alan Dawe (2)
1956Alan Dawe
1955William Spear
1954Lloyd Bain
1953*Gordon Pearce
1952Jack Miller
1951
1950
1949*Alan Branstrom
1948
1947*Keith Miller

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Club History". WestBearcats.net. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Men's Premiers". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Women's Premiers". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  4. ↑ Basketball SA (19 August 2017). "Your 2017 Men's Premiers". Twitter. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "Bearcats storm home to seize drought-breaking championship". SportsTG.com. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "NBL1 Central | 2022 Women's Grand Final". NBL1.com.au. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  7. ↑ Prentice, Tristan (13 August 2023). "NBL1 CENTRAL RECAP | MEN'S GRAND FINAL 2023". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Prentice, Tristan (15 August 2025). "NBL1 Central 2025 Mens Grand Final Preview". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  9. ↑ Prentice, Tristan (17 August 2025). "Central Recap | Men's Grand Final 2025". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Uluc, Olgun (16 October 2015). "The NBL's defunct franchises: Sydney Astronauts, Launceston Casino City, Singapore Slingers, and more". FoxSports.com.au. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  11. ↑ "FLASHBACK 99a: NWBL, WBC 1986". botinagy.com. 30 July 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Fixtures | Central". www.nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
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