2009–10 NBL season

2009–10 NBL season
League	National Basketball League
Sport	Basketball
Duration	24 September 2009 – 14 February 2010 18 – 27 February 2010 (Semi-Finals) 5 – 11 March 2010 (Grand Finals)
Number of teams	8
TV partner(s)	Fox Sports (Australia) Maori TV (New Zealand) rivusTV (Internet)
Regular season
Top seed	Perth Wildcats
Season MVP	Corey Williams
Finals
Champions	Perth Wildcats
Runners-up	Wollongong Hawks
Finals MVP	Kevin Lisch

The 2009–10 NBL season was the 32nd season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams contested the league. The regular season was played between 24 September 2009 and 14 February 2010, followed by a post-season involving the top four teams. The schedule was announced on 5 June 2009.^[1]

The 48 minute game switched to an 40-minute game.

Pre-season

Pre-season training began for a majority of clubs during the last week of July.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

A pre-season tourney, dubbed the NBL Top End Challenge, involving all eight sides was contested during August in Darwin, Northern Territory.^[7]

Wollongong Hawks exhibition games

10 August

Wollongong Hawks 78, St. Mary's Gaels 59

Illawarra Basketball Stadium, Wollongong Attendance: 1,100

14 August

Wollongong Hawks 84, Vanderbilt Commodores 83

Hills Sports Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 395

Burger King Breakers Pre-season Tour

12 August

New Zealand Breakers 90, Athletes in Action 81

Energy Events Centre, Rotorua Attendance: 2,200

13 August

New Zealand Breakers 92, Athletes in Action 86

Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier Attendance: 1,750

15 August

New Zealand Breakers ??, Athletes in Action ??

Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua

Melbourne Tigers exhibition games

14 August

Melbourne Tigers 79, St. Mary's Gaels 66

Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne

18 September

Melbourne Tigers 96, Gold Coast Blaze 90

Kilsyth Sports Centre, Melbourne

19 September

Melbourne Tigers 79, Gold Coast Blaze 88

King Club, Melbourne

Gold Coast Blaze exhibition games

17 August

Gold Coast Blaze 82, St. Mary's Gaels 74

Carina Basketball Stadium, Brisbane

18 August

Gold Coast Blaze 85, St. Mary's Gaels 84

The Southport School, Gold Coast

2009 Crocs Pre-season Assault

16 August

Townsville Crocodiles 104, Vanderbilt Commodores 99

NPA Stadium, Townsville

28 August

Townsville Crocodiles 81, Melbourne Tigers 90

NPA Stadium, Townsville

29 August

Townsville Crocodiles 79, Melbourne Tigers 92

Mackay Basketball Stadium, Mackay

10 September

Townsville Crocodiles 86, Cairns Taipans 89

NPA Stadium, Townsville

2009 Coca-Cola Pre-season Championship

25 August

Perth Wildcats 73, Adelaide 36ers 76

Craigie Leisure Centre, Perth

27 August

Perth Wildcats 79, Adelaide 36ers 77

Waroona Recreation & Aquatic Centre, Waroona

29 August

Perth Wildcats 75, Adelaide 36ers 95

Eaton Recreation Centre, Bunbury

Cairns Taipans exhibition games

25 August

Cairns Taipans 89, Gold Coast Blaze 67

Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

26 August

Cairns Taipans 84, Gold Coast Blaze 77

Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

31 August

Cairns Taipans 88, Melbourne Tigers 83

Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

1 September

Cairns Taipans 77, Melbourne Tigers 87

Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

12 September

Cairns Taipans 85, Townsville Crocodiles 92

Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

NBL Top End Challenge

3 September

Cairns Taipans 78, Gold Coast Blaze 83

DBA Stadium, Darwin

3 September

Melbourne Tigers 94, Wollongong Hawks 100

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

3 September

Adelaide 36ers 75, New Zealand Breakers 84

DBA Stadium, Darwin

3 September

Townsville Crocodiles 85, Perth Wildcats 82

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

4 September

Adelaide 36ers 78, Melbourne Tigers 82

DBA Stadium, Darwin

4 September

Gold Coast Blaze 90, Wollongong Hawks 107

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

4 September

Cairns Taipans 88, Perth Wildcats 77

DBA Stadium, Darwin

4 September

New Zealand Breakers 102, Townsville Crocodiles 91

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

5 September

Adelaide 36ers 72, Cairns Taipans 82

DBA Stadium, Darwin

5 September

Perth Wildcats 79, Melbourne Tigers 84

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

5 September

Gold Coast Blaze 85, Townsville Crocodiles 84

DBA Stadium, Darwin

5 September

Wollongong Hawks 94, New Zealand Breakers 88

Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

Wollongong Hawks win Top End Challenge.

Hood Sweeney Pre-season Challenge

11 September

Adelaide 36ers 93, Wollongong Hawks 96

Whyalla Basketball Stadium, Whyalla

13 September

Adelaide 36ers 92, Wollongong Hawks 78

Adelaide Arena, Adelaide

Regular season

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Ladder

#	Team	Pld	W	L	Last 5	Streak	For	Against	%	Win %
1	Perth Wildcats	28	17	11	3-2	W2	2,401	2,285	105.08%	60.71%
2	Townsville Crocodiles	28	16	12	3-2	L1	2,418	2,369	102.07%	57.14%
3	Gold Coast Blaze	28	16	12	3-2	W1	2,410	2,376	101.43%	57.14%
4	Wollongong Hawks	28	16	12	3-2	W3	2,299	2,270	101.28%	57.14%
5	New Zealand Breakers	28	15	13	5-0	W6	2,415	2,340	103.21%	53.57%
6	Melbourne Tigers	28	11	17	1-4	L4	2,338	2,423	96.49%	39.29%
7	Cairns Taipans	28	11	17	2-3	L2	2,092	2,239	93.43%	39.29%
8	Adelaide 36ers	28	10	18	0-5	L7	2,353	2,424	97.07%	35.71%

Finals Series

The 2009–10 National Basketball League Finals played between 18 February 2010 and 12 March 2010, consisting of two best-of-three semi-finals and final series in which the higher seed hosts the first and deciding third game.

Playoff Seedings

1. Perth Wildcats
2. Wollongong Hawks
3. Townsville Crocodiles
4. Gold Coast Blaze

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of a tie of three or more teams, winning percentage in games played only between those teams will determine order of finish.

Under that system, Wollongong (5-3) will finish second, Townsville (4-4) third and Gold Coast (3-5) fourth.^[8]

Playoff Bracket

	Semi Finals					Grand Final
	1	Perth Wildcats	2
	4	Gold Coast Blaze	0
						1	Perth Wildcats	2
						2	Wollongong Hawks	1
	2	Wollongong Hawks	2
	3	Townsville Crocodiles	1

Semi Finals

Grand Final

Season awards

• Most Valuable Player: Corey Williams, Townsville Crocodiles^[9]
• Rookie of the Year: Jesse Wagstaff, Perth Wildcats
• Best Defensive Player: Dillon Boucher, New Zealand Breakers
• Best Sixth Man: Erron Maxey, Gold Coast Blaze
• Most Improved Player: Anthony Petrie, Gold Coast Blaze
• Coach of the Year: Gordie McLeod, Wollongong Hawks
• Finals MVP: Kevin Lisch, Perth Wildcats
• All-NBL First Team:
  • Corey Williams – Townsville Crocodiles
  • Kirk Penney – New Zealand Breakers
  • Tywain McKee – Wollongong Hawks
  • Mark Worthington – Melbourne Tigers
  • Shawn Redhage – Perth Wildcats
• All-NBL Second Team:
  • Adam Ballinger – Adelaide 36ers
  • C. J. Bruton – New Zealand Breakers
  • Anthony Petrie – Gold Coast Blaze
  • Adam Gibson – Gold Coast Blaze
  • Ayinde Ubaka – Gold Coast Blaze
• All-NBL Third Team:
  • Julius Hodge – Melbourne Tigers
  • Glen Saville – Wollongong Hawks
  • John Gilchrist – Adelaide 36ers
  • Cameron Tragardh – Wollongong Hawks
  • Larry Davidson – Wollongong Hawks

See also

• 2009–10 NBL squads

References

1. "Season tips-off on September 24". NBL.com.au. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
2. http://www.taipans.com/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=78299
3. http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/07/25/101625_gold-coast-blaze.htm
4. http://www.tigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=78284
5. http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/07/29/67245_sport.html
6. http://www.perthwildcats.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108:perth-wildcats-begin-pre-season-training&catid=1:wildcats&Itemid=5
7. http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/07/29/70621_ntsport.html
8. "Semi Finals schedule set". NBL.com.au. 14 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
9. NBL: Basketball Australia