West Adelaide Bearcats
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West Adelaide Bearcats | |
Established | 1979 |
Final Season | 1984 |
Team Colours | black, red and white |
Championships | 1982 |
Team History | West Adelaide Bearcats (1979-1984) |
The West Adelaide Bearcats was a foundation club in the NBL which merged with the Adelaide 36ers in 1985. Founded in 1950, it won the NBL championship 80-74 against the Geelong Cats in 1982. During the 1982 regular season West Adelaide finished first with a 21-5 Win/Loss record.
The Bearcats greatest-ever player, US-born Al Green won the NBL MVP award that season. Although he won the MVP award he was controversially not named to the All NBL Team. Leroy Loggins, another West Adelaide player and future Brisbane Bullets star was named in that side.
West Adelaide also made Grand Final appearances in 1980 and 1983. The club merged with the Adelaide 36ers at the end of the 1984 season, which was the last the Bearcars played in their own right. West Adelaide currently competes in the ABA, and is the most successful State League team in South Australia, the club having claimed 14 Central Australian Basketball League men's championships and five women's titles. The club is currently coached by Dion Grieger and captained by renowned player agent and basketball entrepreneur Paul Bell.
[edit] Honour roll
NBL Championships: | 1 (1982) |
NBL Finals Appearances: | 5 (1979-1983) |
NBL Grand Final Appearances: | 3 (1980, 1982, 1983) |
NBL Most Valuable Players: | Ken Richardson (1979), Al Green (1982) |
NBL Grand Final MVPs: | Leroy Loggins (1982) |
All-NBL First Team: | Ken Richardson (1980), Al Green (1981), Leroy Loggins (1982, 1983) |
NBL Coach of the Year: | None |
NBL Rookie of the Year: | None |
NBL Most Improved Player: | None |
NBL Best Defensive Player: | Ray Wood (1980, 1981) |
NBL Best Sixth Man: | None |
Clubs in the Australian Basketball Association |
Australian Institute of Sport | Albury Wodonga Bandits | Ballarat Miners | Bendigo Braves | Canberra Gunners | Frankston Blues | Geelong Supercats | Hobart Chargers | Kilsyth Cobras | Know Raiders | Mildura Mavericks | Mt Gambier Pioneers | Nunawading Spectres | NW Tasmania Thunder |
SUNSTATE DIVISION: Brisbane Capitals | Cairns Marlins | Gold Coast Goannas | Mackay Meteors | Northside Wizards | Rockhampton Rockets | Southern Districts Spartans | South West Metro Pirates | Townsville Heat | SOUTHERN CROSS DIVISION: Bundaberg Bears | Caloundra Suns | Gladstone Port City Power | Ipswich Eagles | Logan Thunder | Maroochydore Clippers | Toowoomba Mountaineers |
Central District Lions | Eastern Mavericks | Forestville Eagles | North Adelaide Rockets | Norwood Flames | South Adelaide Panthers | Southern Tigers | Sturt Sabres | West Adelaide Bearcats | Woodville Warriors |
Bankstown Bruins | Canberra Nationals | Central Coast Basketball | Hornsby Spiders | Illawarra Hawks | Maitland Mustangs | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | Newcastle Hunters | Norths Bears | Parramatta Wildcats | Sutherland Sharks | Sydney Comets |