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Waikato Titans
The Waikato Pistons were a New Zealand basketball team based in Hamilton. The Pistons competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at Hamilton Boys' High School. After sitting out the 2012 NBL season, the Pistons returned to play in 2013 and 2014, before permanently withdrawing again in November 2014. Team history The Waikato Pistons, then known as Hamilton, were a foundation member of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1982. After finishing seventh in the eight-team competition, the team was relegated to the second-tiered Conference Basketball League (CBL) in 1983. After finishing as CBL Northern champions in 1983, Hamilton was promoted back into the NBL in 1984. In 1987, the team was renamed Waikato. Waikato saw little success in the NBL until 2001, when they claimed their first minor premiership with a first-place finish and a 15–1 record. Behind the likes of Clifton Bush and Pero Cameron, the Titans defeated the Auckland Stars 93–88 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Basketball League (New Zealand)
The National Basketball League (NBL) is a men's semi-professional basketball league in New Zealand. In 1981, a group of club and provincial teams came together to create a men's national basketball league. The following year, the league was brought under the management of the New Zealand Basketball Federation. The league quickly grew in size and popularity due to the influx of sponsors and American import players. The early 1990s held dwindling fortunes for New Zealand basketball, with reduced TV coverage, sponsorships, and crowd numbers. The sport's popularity increased in the 2000s with the success of the Tall Blacks and the introduction of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL. In the early days, Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington were the benchmark teams of the league. During the 1990s, Auckland and Nelson were the teams to beat, before Waikato joined Auckland as the dominant sides during the 2000s. During the 2010s, Wellington and Southland became the league's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brendon Pongia
Brendon Pongia (born 27 June 1969) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He is also a television presenter, having co-hosted ''Good Morning'' alongside Sarah Bradley between 2006 and 2011. Early life Born in Greymouth, New Zealand, Pongia grew up on the West Coast of the South Island. His father, a Māori, walked out on the family when Pongia was very young. As a 16-year-old in 1986, Pongia began training with NBL club Hamilton. Basketball career A stalwart of the National Basketball League through the 1990s, Pongia earned greatest recognition in 2001 as a member of the Tall Black squad that defeated Australia to qualify for the 2002 FIBA World Championship. Although he saw little actual court time, he was front and centre in the pre-match build-ups as leader of the haka. He finally captured an NBL title with the Waikato Titans in 2002, but lost his place in the national side. Pongia attended th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basketball Teams In New Zealand
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket in diameter mounted high to a backboard at each end of the court, while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Basketball League (New Zealand) Teams
National Basketball League may refer to: * Indian National Basketball League * Malaysia National Basketball League * National Basketball League (1898–1904), U.S., first professional men's basketball league in the world * National Basketball League (United States), 1937–49 * National Basketball League (Australia) * National Basketball League (Bulgaria) * National Basketball League (Canada), 1993–94 * National Basketball League of Canada * National Basketball League (China), professional men's basketball minor league in China * National Basketball League (Czech Republic) * National Basketball League (England) * National Basketball League (Indonesia) * National Basketball League (Japan) * National Basketball League (Kazakhstan) * National Basketball League (Lithuania), semi-professional men's basketball league * National Basketball League (New Zealand), semi-professional men's basketball league * National Basketball League (Philippines), professional men's basketball league * Nati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alex Pledger
Alex John Pledger (born 27 March 1987) is a New Zealand professional basketball player who last played for the Southland Sharks of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played college basketball in the United States before playing nine seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL, where he won four championships. He is also a regular member of the New Zealand national team. College career Between 2005 and 2008, Pledger was a member of the UMKC Kangaroos college basketball team in the United States. His best season came in 2006–07 when he averaged 5.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 29 games. After a foot injury limited him to one game in the 2007–08 season, Pledger transferred to Belmont Abbey College for the 2008–09 season, where he averaged 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 12 games for the Crusaders in the NCAA Division II. Professional career Pledger made his debut in the New Zealand NBL in 2009 for the Waikato Pistons. He aver ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hayden Allen
Hayden Allen (born 10 November 1979) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career in the National Basketball League (NBL). He played close to 300 games and scored over 4000 points in his NBL career. Professional career Allen debuted as a teenager for the Otago Nuggets in 1998 and enjoyed his best season with the club in 2001, when he averaged 20 points per game and was named in the All-Star Five. His first championship title came the following year in 2002 with the Waikato Titans. He returned to Otago for the 2003 and 2004 seasons before joining the New Zealand Breakers as a development player for the 2004–05 NBL season. He went on to play three seasons for the Harbour Heat while also joining the Singapore Slingers for the 2007–08 NBL season. In 2009, Allen joined the Auckland Stars before returning to Waikato to play with the Pistons in 2010 and 2011. Allen's second championship came in 2012 with the Auckland Pirates. In 2013 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars were a New Zealand basketball team based in Christchurch. The Cougars competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at Cowles Stadium. The Cougars pulled out of the NBL in 2011 after just two seasons following the Christchurch earthquake. Team history In December 2008, in the wake of the Canterbury Rams withdrawing from the NBL, the Christchurch Cougars were established by Christchurch basketball couple Amy and Andrew Gardiner. Andrew Gardiner, a former Tall Black and long-serving national league player who finished his career with Canterbury, was immediately named the Cougars' head coach. The team recruited well with guards Paul Henare and Paora Winitana, and imports Tim Behrendorff and Trenton Wurtz. In their inaugural season, the Cougars finished fourth with a 10–6 record. After winning their quarter-final match-up against the Harbour Heat, they were defeated in the semi-finals by the Waikato Pistons. While Henare ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Ballinger
Adam Ballinger (born June 12, 1979) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who spent his entire career in the Australian National Basketball League, playing 12 seasons for various clubs such as the Victoria Giants, Wollongong Hawks, Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers. He also spent time in Puerto Rico, New Zealand and Israel during the Australian NBL off-seasons. College career Ballinger committed to the Michigan State Spartans after a stellar prep career at Bluffton High School in Indiana, where he garnered Honorable Mention All-American honours his senior year. His freshman year, he redshirted after fracturing his fibula. He returned to play 37 games for the 2000 NCAA champion Spartans, including the Championship Game in which he scored on his only field goal attempt. Ballinger played in 25 games in his redshirt sophomore year as the Spartans went to the Final Four. Ballinger's junior year was his most successful campaign as he earned third team All ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Justin Bailey (basketball)
Justin Bailey (born June 10, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Hartford before playing overseas for 13 years as a professional in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Kazakhstan and Russia. High school career Bailey was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Piscataway, where he attended Piscataway Township High School, leading the school's basketball team to a 23–2 record and a Group IV state championship as a junior in 1993–94. College career Bailey began his college career in 1995–96, joining the Hartford Hawks as a freshman. He averaged 12.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 28 games in his first season, earning himself North Atlantic Conference All-Rookie Team honors. As a sophomore playing for the Hawks in 1996–97, Bailey was considered the team's super-sub after a preseason ankle injury moved him to the bench. In 28 games on the season, Bailey averaged 12.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Abercrombie (basketball)
Thomas Iain Abercrombie (born 5 July 1987) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). A product of Westlake Boys High School in Auckland, Abercrombie had a short-lived college basketball stint with Washington State before debuting in the Australian NBL in 2008 with the Breakers. In 2011, he won his first NBL championship and earned Grand Final MVP honours. He went on to win three more championships in 2012, 2013 and 2015. Abercrombie is the Breakers' all-time leading scorer and has the most 3-pointers in club history. Abercrombie has also played four seasons in the New Zealand NBL, and has had stints aboard in France, Spain and Turkey. Early life and junior career Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Abercrombie attended Westlake Boys High School and played four years of school basketball. In 2005, he captained the basketball team to the title at the Secondary School National Championsh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Fitchett (basketball)
Michael Robert Elmslie Fitchett (born 20 September 1982) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He attended Nelson College from 1996 to 2000, where he excelled as a sportsman. He was the school's junior athletics champion in 1996 and 1997, played for the 'A' basketball team from 1996 to 2000, and was a member of the 1st XI cricket team from 1996 to 2000. He played in the New Zealand NBL every year between 1999 and 2012. He also played one game in the Australian NBL with the New Zealand Breakers in January 2009. He also represented the Tall Blacks multiple times between 2008 and 2011. In October 2018, Fitchett was appointed head coach of the Nelson Giants for the 2019 season. He was elevated to dual general manager / head coach of the Giants in 2021. He continued in the role in 2022 and won the New Zealand NBL Coach of the Year Award The National Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1989 New ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Crowe (basketball)
Jason Darius Crowe (born August 24, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He graduated from Cal State Northridge in 1999 and played 13 years as a professional in Europe, South America, Iran, Australia and New Zealand. College career Crowe attended Inglewood High School in Inglewood, California, before playing his first season of college basketball at Los Angeles Trade–Technical College in 1995–96. He transferred to American University in April 1996, signing with the Eagles men's basketball program for the 1996–97 season. As a sophomore in 1996–97, Crowe averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21 games. In 1997, Crowe transferred again, this time to Cal State Northridge. He subsequently sat out the 1997–98 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, joining the Matadors squad for the 1998–99 season as a redshirted junior. Crowe was expected to make the Matadors a potent offensive threat, but despite flashes of brilliance, the transition ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
