West Adelaide Bearcats

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West Adelaide Bearcats

Established	1979
Final Season	1984
Former Home Venue	Apollo Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
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