The 2003–04 NBL season was the 26th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 12 teams contested the league. This season marked the first NBL season that featured the
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the Sky Sport Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at ...
, the first New Zealand team in the Australian competition. Also, the
Canberra Cannons
The Canberra Cannons are a defunct basketball team that competed in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates. After t ...
were replaced by the
Hunter Pirates.
Regular season
The 2003–04 regular season took place over 22 rounds between 1 October 2003 and 29 February 2004.
Round 1
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 2
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 3
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 4
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 5
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 6
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 7
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 8
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 9
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 10
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 11
, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1
!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 12
, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1
!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 13
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 14
, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1
!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 15
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 16
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 17
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 18
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 19
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 20
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 21
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Round 22
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Ladder
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.
''1West Sydney Razorbacks won Head-to-Head (2-1). ''
Finals
Playoff bracket
Elimination Finals
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!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Semi Finals
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
Grand Final
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!width=90, Date
!width=180, Home
!width=60, Score
!width=180, Away
!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
!width=70, Boxscore
All Star Game
Most Valuable Player
*
Ebi Ere
Ebikekeme Hasain Fere “Ebi” Ere (; born August 2, 1981) is an American-Nigerian former professional basketball player.
High school and college career
Ere attended McLain High School and played two seasons of junior college basketball for Bar ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
Awards
*
NBL Most Valuable Player:
Matthew Nielsen
Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
*
Larry Sengstock Medal (GF MVP):
Matthew Nielsen
Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
*
NBL Coach of the Year
The National Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best head coach of the regular season. At the season's end, each club's Head Coach, one Assistant Coach a ...
:
Joey Wright
Joey Glenn Wright (born September 4, 1968) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He has been the head coach of three teams in the Australian National Basketball League: the Brisbane Bullets, which won an NBL championsh ...
(
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
*
NBL Best Defensive Player: Ben Castle (
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
*
NBL Rookie of the Year:
Steven Markovic (
West Sydney Razorbacks
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were th ...
)
*
NBL Most Improved Player:
Geordie Cullen (
Hunter Pirates)
*
NBL Best Sixth Man
The National Basketball League Best Sixth Man is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1996 NBL season
The 1996 NBL season was the 18th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 14 teams co ...
:
Darryl McDonald (
Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
*
All-NBL First Team:
**
Matthew Nielsen
Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
**
Mark Bradtke
Mark Robert Bradtke (born 27 September 1969) is an Australian retired professional basketball player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League, but also had a single stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the ...
(
Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
**
Stephen Black
Stephen Black (born 5 April 1980) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He is the son of Alan Black.
Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Black attended the Australian ...
(
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
**
John Rillie
John Peter Rillie (born 4 November 1971) is an Australian basketball coach and former player. He currently serves as head coach of the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played 16 seasons in the NBL between 1995 and 2010 ...
(
West Sydney Razorbacks
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were th ...
)
**
Sam Mackinnon
Samuel Mackinnon (born 25 August 1976) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is the general manager of basketball for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). His athleticism above the rim saw ...
(
West Sydney Razorbacks
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were th ...
)
Player of the month
* October:
Matthew Nielsen
Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
* November:
Dusty Rychart
Dusty Mike Rychart (born August 11, 1978) is an Australian-American professional basketball player for the Brisbane Capitals of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL).
College career
Rychart attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis ...
(
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers, also known as the Sixers, are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in th ...
)
* December:
Kevin Freeman (
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
* January:
Mike Chappell
Michael Lawrence Chappell (born January 21, 1978) is a retired American professional basketball player born in Southfield, Michigan.
College career
After being recruited heavily by the top universities in America, Mike Chappell attended college ...
(
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the Sky Sport Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at ...
)
* February:
Matthew Nielsen
Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...
(
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
Coach of the month
* October:
Brian Goorjian (
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...
)
* November:
Brendan Joyce
Brendan Joyce (born 1 May 1960) is an Australian professional basketball coach. He has coached all levels of the game. He has been to 3 Olympic Games with both the Australian men's Boomers team 2004, 2008 and women's Opals team 2016 and 2 world c ...
(
Wollongong Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is an Australian professional basketball team based in Wollongong, New South Wales. The Illawarra Hawks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games ...
)
* December:
Joey Wright
Joey Glenn Wright (born September 4, 1968) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He has been the head coach of three teams in the Australian National Basketball League: the Brisbane Bullets, which won an NBL championsh ...
(
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
* January:
Gordon McLeod (
West Sydney Razorbacks
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were th ...
)
* February:
Brendan Joyce
Brendan Joyce (born 1 May 1960) is an Australian professional basketball coach. He has coached all levels of the game. He has been to 3 Olympic Games with both the Australian men's Boomers team 2004, 2008 and women's Opals team 2016 and 2 world c ...
(
Wollongong Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is an Australian professional basketball team based in Wollongong, New South Wales. The Illawarra Hawks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games ...
)
All NBL Team
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:NBL,2003-04
Australia,NBL
2003–04 in Australian basketball
2003 in New Zealand basketball
2004 in New Zealand basketball