Perth Wildcats
Encyclopedia
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian
professional basketball
team competing in the National Basketball League
. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia
and are based in the state capital, Perth
. They are the most successful team in the league, having achieved five championships (moving ahead of the four championships won by the Adelaide 36ers
and more recently by the Melbourne Tigers
).
Since 1987 the Perth Wildcats have appeared in all 25 NBL finals, including playing in the 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999-2000, 2002-03
and 2009-10 Grand Finals, an accomplishment matched by no other NBL club. The Wildcats won the NBL Championship in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1999-2000 and 2009-10.
and struggled to make an impact on the league. In 1984 the Wildcats changed their name to the Perth Wildcats and in 1987 moved from Perry Lakes to the 5,000 seat Superdrome (now known as Challenge Stadium
).
After signing a number of star players (including Cal Bruton
, Tiny Pinder and James Crawford
), the Wildcats not only made their first playoff
appearance in 1987, but attained a Grand Final
berth. Unfortunately for the Wildcats they lost this Grand Final series to the Brisbane Bullets
. Despite this loss the 1987 season marked the beginning of 25 straight years of playoff appearances that still runs to this day.
The following years were not as successful on or off the court for the Wildcats. Significantly, the club was forced to deal with the shocking death of player Scott Fenton
and his fiancée in a car accident during the 1989 season. In his memory, Scott Fenton’s jersey (number 14) became the first to be retired by the club.
. The 1990 season also began with turmoil as coach Alan Black
was controversially fired after only two games. Despite this shaky start to the season the Wildcats charged into the Grand Final and achieved their first NBL championship
by defeating the Brisbane Bullets in Brisbane
. The Wildcats backed up this effort in 1991 by becoming the third team in NBL history to win back-to-back championships, defeating the Eastside Spectres in front of a home crowd.
The Wildcats were destined for more turmoil in 1992: they were unable to secure a hat-trick of championships, they lost player Kendall (Tiny) Pinder in very controversial circumstances, and captain Mike Ellis retired at the end of the season. Andrew Vlahov
became captain of the club in 1993 and the Wildcats competed in another Grand Final campaign. This time however the Wildcats were defeated in a tough battle with the Melbourne Tigers
, who claimed their first NBL championship. The Wildcats lost by two points. The television broadcast of the game incorrectly displayed the final score as a one-point loss.
The 1994 season was lacklustre, with sixteen wins and ten losses in the regular season and elimination 2-0 in the quarter-finals by the South-East Melbourne Magic. By contrast 1995 saw the Wildcats sitting on top of the table and eventually blitzing the North Melbourne Giants
in game three of the series. The Wildcats' third championship also allowed the club to travel to the McDonald's Championship
in London
to play against the best clubs in the world. The Wildcats lost against the Houston Rockets
from the NBA 116 - 72 in their first game of the tournament, but defeated Real Madrid
93 - 86 in their second game.
The 1997 season became the testimonial season for James Crawford
who was expected to retire at the end of that season. The Wildcats hosted an exhibition match against James Crawford’s all-star team, which featured many NBL stars both current and retired. Although 1997 had been touted as Crawford’s retirement year, he continued to play until injury forced him out during the 1998/99 season.
purchased the Wildcats from businessman Kerry Stokes
for the 1999/2000 season. The season itself was very successful for the Wildcats as they claimed their fourth championship against the Victoria Titans
, becoming the first team in NBL history to do so. To top off the stellar season, centre Paul Rogers
became the first Wildcat to win the Most Valuable Player award
.
The end of the 2001/02 season saw the Wildcats leave the Perth Entertainment Centre for a return to their old home the Superdrome (now Challenge Stadium
). Till then, Perth had avoided the league's fall in attendance, thanks to the team's performances and the popular central CBD location of the arena, but the Perth Entertainment Centre was no longer viable for its owner Kerry Stokes as basketball was not the primary tenant, and he was forced to close the venue and relocate the team back to their former and unpopular suburban-based arena.
Ricky Grace
became captain of the club in 2002/03 when Andrew Vlahov retired from the league. The season saw the Wildcats head to their seventh Grand Final, where unfortunately for the Wildcats they were defeated by the Sydney Kings
in their first championship. More controversy followed as coach Alan Black was fired for the second time by the club.
Mike Ellis became coach for the following season, but his tenure was short, being replaced the following season by Scott Fisher
. The 2004/05 season saw the end of an era as captain Ricky Grace played his last game of his career with the club. Grace was the only remaining member of all the Wildcats' championships and had been an integral part of the club for 15 years. In order to celebrate his career with the Wildcats a legends match was held featuring many retired Wildcats stars (including Bruton, Crawford, Ellis, Vlahov and Fisher), current and retired NBL stars (including Leroy Loggins
, Andrew Gaze
, Mark Davis
and Phil Smyth
).
With Grace retired, veteran player Tony Ronaldson
became captain of the Wildcats in 2005/06, but was relieved of his captaincy after only one season. Future Wildcats captain and multiple club MVP award winner Shawn Redhage
also first suited up for the Wildcats in 2005.
The Wildcats were instrumental in the NBL's push towards promoting the league in the lucrative Asia
n market during this period. Not only have Wildcats games been telecast to millions of potential viewers in Southeast Asia
, the Wildcats have hosted several regular season games in Singapore
in an event known as the "Singapore Spectacular.". The Singapore experiment culminated in the entry of the first Asian team into the NBL - the Singapore Slingers
- in the 2006/2007 season. The "Singapore Spectacular" has not been held since.
In February 2006, West Australian Jack Bendat became the Chairman and majority shareholder of the club. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the club as the Managing Director.
In August 2006, Paul Rogers became the fifth player to captain the Wildcats. Rogers replaced Tony Ronaldson as captain for 2006/07, despite Ronaldson continuing to play for the club. The Wildcats celebrated their 25th anniversary during the 2006/07 NBL season and recorded their highest number of wins in a single season (23 wins), although historically they have recorded better win-loss ratios. The 2007 season came to an end when the Wildcats were defeated by the Cairns Taipans
82-78 in the quarter finals.
The Wildcats continued to appear in the playoffs throughout the late 2000s, but failed to progress beyond the semi final round. Following the 2007/08 season, Head coach Scott Fisher departed the Wildcats in March 2008 to return to the United States for personal reasons. He was eventually replaced by his assistant Connor Henry, whose tenure at the Wildcats lasted only one season.
Prior to the 2009/10 season, Henry was replaced by former Sydney Spirit head coach Rob Beveridge. The new head coach was instrumental in recruiting a wave of new talent for the Wildcats, including Australian Boomer Damian Martin
and former Chicago Bulls
centre
Luke Schenscher
. Former Cairns Taipans
, and 1995 Wildcats championship squad member, Martin Cattalini
also signed for the Wildcats in what would be his final NBL season. Redhage became the next Wildcats captain, taking over from the injury plagued Paul Rogers.
The Wildcats finished the 2009/10 regular season at first place on the ladder. During the finals, the Wildcats managed a clean-sweep in two matches against the Gold Coast Blaze
, lead by former Wildcat James Harvey
, to progress to the grand final series against the Wollongong Hawks
. The series went to three matches were the Wildcats stormed home in Game 3 on the back of the Grand Final MVP performance by Kevin Lisch.
and Sudanese Australian Ater Majok
were signed to help the Wildcats with their loss of their big men.
Despite injury setbacks throughout the year, the Wildcats finished the 2010/11 regular season with a 16-12 win/loss record, finishing fourth. Their active playoff streak therefore stretched to 25 consecutive years.
Drawn to play minor premiers New Zealand Breakers in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcats scored an upset victory in Game 1 in Auckland, winning 101-78.
Game two in Perth was a tight affair that saw the Breakers level the series 1-1 with a 93-89 win before the Wildcats were knocked out of the championship race with a 83-99 loss in Game 3.
Source: www.NBL.com.au
(note: where seasons span two years the ending year of season is shown)
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team competing in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australasia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and are based in the state capital, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. They are the most successful team in the league, having achieved five championships (moving ahead of the four championships won by the Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...
and more recently by the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
).
Since 1987 the Perth Wildcats have appeared in all 25 NBL finals, including playing in the 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999-2000, 2002-03
2002-03 NBL Season
The 2002-03 National Basketball League is the 25th season of professional basketball in Australia....
and 2009-10 Grand Finals, an accomplishment matched by no other NBL club. The Wildcats won the NBL Championship in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1999-2000 and 2009-10.
The 1980s
Formed in 1982 as the Westate Wildcats, the Wildcats became the first, and so far only, Western Australian club to compete in the NBL. The club was initially captained by Mike Ellis and comprised members of the Western Australian state team and several import players. In these early years the Wildcats played at Perry Lakes StadiumPerry Lakes Stadium
Perry Lakes Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium adjacent to Perry Lakes in Floreat, Western Australia, Australia. It was built and funded by the State Government and the City of Perth in 1962 for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and had a nominal capacity of 30,000...
and struggled to make an impact on the league. In 1984 the Wildcats changed their name to the Perth Wildcats and in 1987 moved from Perry Lakes to the 5,000 seat Superdrome (now known as Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium is a sports complex in the suburb of Mount Claremont, west of Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It was opened in 1986 and is home to the Western Australian Institute of Sport. The main indoor arena holds 4,500 people...
).
After signing a number of star players (including Cal Bruton
Cal Bruton
Calvin Bruton is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Originally an American import, but later becoming a naturalised Australian, Bruton has been an integral part of the league since its inception...
, Tiny Pinder and James Crawford
James Crawford (basketball)
James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season....
), the Wildcats not only made their first playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
appearance in 1987, but attained a Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
berth. Unfortunately for the Wildcats they lost this Grand Final series to the Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...
. Despite this loss the 1987 season marked the beginning of 25 straight years of playoff appearances that still runs to this day.
The following years were not as successful on or off the court for the Wildcats. Significantly, the club was forced to deal with the shocking death of player Scott Fenton
Scott Fenton
Scott Fenton was a professional basketball player who played 140 games in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 until his death in 1989....
and his fiancée in a car accident during the 1989 season. In his memory, Scott Fenton’s jersey (number 14) became the first to be retired by the club.
The 1990s
A new decade saw the Wildcats move once again, now to the 8,200 seat Perth Entertainment CentrePerth Entertainment Centre
Perth Entertainment Centre is a former indoor arena and cinema complex, located in Wellington Street, in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia.-History:...
. The 1990 season also began with turmoil as coach Alan Black
Alan Black
Alan Black is a former basketball player and basketball coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Black's last coaching appointment was the head coach of the Cairns Taipans....
was controversially fired after only two games. Despite this shaky start to the season the Wildcats charged into the Grand Final and achieved their first NBL championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
by defeating the Brisbane Bullets in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. The Wildcats backed up this effort in 1991 by becoming the third team in NBL history to win back-to-back championships, defeating the Eastside Spectres in front of a home crowd.
The Wildcats were destined for more turmoil in 1992: they were unable to secure a hat-trick of championships, they lost player Kendall (Tiny) Pinder in very controversial circumstances, and captain Mike Ellis retired at the end of the season. Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Mitchell Vlahov is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1991 through till the 2001/2002 season...
became captain of the club in 1993 and the Wildcats competed in another Grand Final campaign. This time however the Wildcats were defeated in a tough battle with the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
, who claimed their first NBL championship. The Wildcats lost by two points. The television broadcast of the game incorrectly displayed the final score as a one-point loss.
The 1994 season was lacklustre, with sixteen wins and ten losses in the regular season and elimination 2-0 in the quarter-finals by the South-East Melbourne Magic. By contrast 1995 saw the Wildcats sitting on top of the table and eventually blitzing the North Melbourne Giants
North Melbourne Giants
The North Melbourne Giants were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League.-History :The team was formed in 1980 as the Coburg Giants and were renamed in 1987 as the North Melbourne Giants...
in game three of the series. The Wildcats' third championship also allowed the club to travel to the McDonald's Championship
McDonald's Championship
The McDonald's Championship was an international men's basketball cup competition played between the champions of the continental club competitions and an NBA invitee...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to play against the best clubs in the world. The Wildcats lost against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
from the NBA 116 - 72 in their first game of the tournament, but defeated Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
93 - 86 in their second game.
The 1997 season became the testimonial season for James Crawford
James Crawford (basketball)
James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season....
who was expected to retire at the end of that season. The Wildcats hosted an exhibition match against James Crawford’s all-star team, which featured many NBL stars both current and retired. Although 1997 had been touted as Crawford’s retirement year, he continued to play until injury forced him out during the 1998/99 season.
The 2000s
Andrew Vlahov and Luc LongleyLuc Longley
Lucien James "Luc" Longley is a retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons...
purchased the Wildcats from businessman Kerry Stokes
Kerry Stokes
Kerry Matthew Stokes AC is an Australian businessman. He holds business interests in a diverse range of industries including electronic and print media, property, mining, and construction equipment. He is most widely known as the chairman of the Seven Network, one of the largest broadcasting...
for the 1999/2000 season. The season itself was very successful for the Wildcats as they claimed their fourth championship against the Victoria Titans
Victoria Titans
The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...
, becoming the first team in NBL history to do so. To top off the stellar season, centre Paul Rogers
Paul Rogers (basketball)
Paul Andrew Rogers is a retired Australian basketball player who played in the National Basketball League...
became the first Wildcat to win the Most Valuable Player award
NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player
At the conclusion of each NBL game, both coaches award votes to the best players from that game. Each coach has 10 votes to allocate, with no more than 5 to be awarded to one player by each coach....
.
The end of the 2001/02 season saw the Wildcats leave the Perth Entertainment Centre for a return to their old home the Superdrome (now Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium is a sports complex in the suburb of Mount Claremont, west of Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It was opened in 1986 and is home to the Western Australian Institute of Sport. The main indoor arena holds 4,500 people...
). Till then, Perth had avoided the league's fall in attendance, thanks to the team's performances and the popular central CBD location of the arena, but the Perth Entertainment Centre was no longer viable for its owner Kerry Stokes as basketball was not the primary tenant, and he was forced to close the venue and relocate the team back to their former and unpopular suburban-based arena.
Ricky Grace
Ricky Grace
Ricky Ray Grace is an American/Australian professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1990 until the 2004/2005 season.- Playing career :...
became captain of the club in 2002/03 when Andrew Vlahov retired from the league. The season saw the Wildcats head to their seventh Grand Final, where unfortunately for the Wildcats they were defeated by the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
in their first championship. More controversy followed as coach Alan Black was fired for the second time by the club.
Mike Ellis became coach for the following season, but his tenure was short, being replaced the following season by Scott Fisher
Scott Fisher (basketball)
Scott Fisher is a retired American-Australian basketball player and former head coach of the National Basketball League's Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:...
. The 2004/05 season saw the end of an era as captain Ricky Grace played his last game of his career with the club. Grace was the only remaining member of all the Wildcats' championships and had been an integral part of the club for 15 years. In order to celebrate his career with the Wildcats a legends match was held featuring many retired Wildcats stars (including Bruton, Crawford, Ellis, Vlahov and Fisher), current and retired NBL stars (including Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins is a former professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1981 to the 2000-01 season...
, Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
, Mark Davis
Mark Davis (NBL)
Mark Davis is a naturalised Australian former basketball player who played from 1985 to 2001 with the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers, gaining the nickname of "Chairman of the Boards" for his record breaking rebounding achievements.-Professional career:Davis was signed by then Adelaide...
and Phil Smyth
Phil Smyth
Philip John Smyth AM is an Australian former basketball player and former three time championship winning head coach of the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers.-Professional career:...
).
With Grace retired, veteran player Tony Ronaldson
Tony Ronaldson
Anthony Dean "Bear" Ronaldson is a former Australian basketball player who last played for the NZL National Basketball League team, Waikato Pistons.-Playing career:...
became captain of the Wildcats in 2005/06, but was relieved of his captaincy after only one season. Future Wildcats captain and multiple club MVP award winner Shawn Redhage
Shawn Redhage
Shawn Redhage is a naturalised Australian professional basketball player, originally from the United States...
also first suited up for the Wildcats in 2005.
The Wildcats were instrumental in the NBL's push towards promoting the league in the lucrative Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n market during this period. Not only have Wildcats games been telecast to millions of potential viewers in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, the Wildcats have hosted several regular season games in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in an event known as the "Singapore Spectacular.". The Singapore experiment culminated in the entry of the first Asian team into the NBL - the Singapore Slingers
Singapore Slingers
The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....
- in the 2006/2007 season. The "Singapore Spectacular" has not been held since.
In February 2006, West Australian Jack Bendat became the Chairman and majority shareholder of the club. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the club as the Managing Director.
In August 2006, Paul Rogers became the fifth player to captain the Wildcats. Rogers replaced Tony Ronaldson as captain for 2006/07, despite Ronaldson continuing to play for the club. The Wildcats celebrated their 25th anniversary during the 2006/07 NBL season and recorded their highest number of wins in a single season (23 wins), although historically they have recorded better win-loss ratios. The 2007 season came to an end when the Wildcats were defeated by the Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...
82-78 in the quarter finals.
The Wildcats continued to appear in the playoffs throughout the late 2000s, but failed to progress beyond the semi final round. Following the 2007/08 season, Head coach Scott Fisher departed the Wildcats in March 2008 to return to the United States for personal reasons. He was eventually replaced by his assistant Connor Henry, whose tenure at the Wildcats lasted only one season.
Prior to the 2009/10 season, Henry was replaced by former Sydney Spirit head coach Rob Beveridge. The new head coach was instrumental in recruiting a wave of new talent for the Wildcats, including Australian Boomer Damian Martin
Damian Martin
Damian Martin is an Australian professional basketball player currently playing in the National Basketball League for the Perth Wildcats. He is also a member of the Australian Boomers.-Junior career:...
and former Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
centre
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Luke Schenscher
Luke Schenscher
Luke Dean Schenscher is an Australian professional basketball player for the Townsville Crocodiles in the Australasian National Basketball League.-School/College career:...
. Former Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...
, and 1995 Wildcats championship squad member, Martin Cattalini
Martin Cattalini
Martin Peter Cattalini is a retired Australian professional basketball player who won championships with both the Perth Wildcats and the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL....
also signed for the Wildcats in what would be his final NBL season. Redhage became the next Wildcats captain, taking over from the injury plagued Paul Rogers.
The Wildcats finished the 2009/10 regular season at first place on the ladder. During the finals, the Wildcats managed a clean-sweep in two matches against the Gold Coast Blaze
Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze is an Australian professional basketball team which competes in the National Basketball League . The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club is based on the Gold Coast and joins two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland...
, lead by former Wildcat James Harvey
James Harvey (basketball)
James Harvey is an Australian professional basketball player currently playing in the NBL. Harvey currently plays for the Gold Coast Blaze and previously played for the Perth Wildcats and West Sydney Razorbacks.In March 2007, it was revealed Harvey was one of three Australian sportsmen whose...
, to progress to the grand final series against the Wollongong Hawks
Wollongong Hawks
The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...
. The series went to three matches were the Wildcats stormed home in Game 3 on the back of the Grand Final MVP performance by Kevin Lisch.
2010/11
Retirements to Cattalini and Rogers followed the championship win , while Brad Robbins was elevated to co-captain with Redhage. The Wildcats title defence in 2010/11 suffered numerous setbacks as the season progressed including prolonged injuries to key players Matthew Knight and Jesse Wagstaff, and a season ending injury to co-captain Shawn Redhage (who had not missed a match since joining the Wildcats). American Import Andre BrownAndre Brown
Andre D. Brown is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'9" tall center or power forward.-High school/college career:Brown played at Leo High School and DePaul University, both in Chicago....
and Sudanese Australian Ater Majok
Ater Majok
Ater Majok is an Australian professional basketball player who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 58th overall pick in the 2nd round.-High School / College:...
were signed to help the Wildcats with their loss of their big men.
Despite injury setbacks throughout the year, the Wildcats finished the 2010/11 regular season with a 16-12 win/loss record, finishing fourth. Their active playoff streak therefore stretched to 25 consecutive years.
Drawn to play minor premiers New Zealand Breakers in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcats scored an upset victory in Game 1 in Auckland, winning 101-78.
Game two in Perth was a tight affair that saw the Breakers level the series 1-1 with a 93-89 win before the Wildcats were knocked out of the championship race with a 83-99 loss in Game 3.
Retired Jerseys
- #6 Mike Ellis
- #7 James CrawfordJames Crawford (basketball)James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season....
- #14 Scott FentonScott FentonScott Fenton was a professional basketball player who played 140 games in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 until his death in 1989....
(deceased) - #15 Ricky GraceRicky GraceRicky Ray Grace is an American/Australian professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1990 until the 2004/2005 season.- Playing career :...
- #21 Andrew VlahovAndrew VlahovAndrew Mitchell Vlahov is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1991 through till the 2001/2002 season...
- #30 Scott FisherScott Fisher (basketball)Scott Fisher is a retired American-Australian basketball player and former head coach of the National Basketball League's Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:...
Honour Roll
| NBL Championships: | 5 (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010) |
| NBL Finals Appearances: | 1987 - current |
| NBL Grand Final appearances: | 8 (1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2010) |
| NBL Most Valuable Players: | Paul Rogers (2000) |
| NBL Grand Final MVPs: | Ricky Grace (1990), Pete Hanson (1991), Ricky Grace (1993), Andrew Vlahov (1995), Marcus Timmons (2000), Kevin Lisch (2010) |
| All-NBL First Team: | James Crawford (1987), Ricky Grace (1991, 2001–03), Andrew Vlahov (1992, 1995), Paul Rogers (2000, 2002), Shawn Redhage (2008, 2010), Damian Martin (2011) |
| NBL Coach of the Year: | Murray Arnold (1991) |
| NBL Rookie of the Year: | Andrew Vlahov (1991), Jesse Wagstaff (2010) |
| NBL Most Improved Player: | James Harvey (2001), Matt Burston (2003), Peter Crawford (2005) |
| NBL Best Defensive Player: | Damian Martin (2011) |
| NBL Best Sixth Man: | Stephen Black (2003) |
Source: www.NBL.com.au
(note: where seasons span two years the ending year of season is shown)
Season-by-Season
| Season | Results | Finals | Coach | Captain | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 1982 NBL Season The 1982 National Basketball League was the fourth season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 14 teams contested in the league from 6 states and 1 territory across Australia... |
10th (10-16) | - | Henry Daigle | Mike Ellis | Tim Evans |
| 1983 | 12th (6-16) | - | Gordon Ellis | Mike Ellis | Mike Ellis |
| 1984 | 16th (3-20) | - | Lynn Massey | Mike Ellis | Mike Ellis |
| 1985 | 8th (13-13) | - | Jay Brehmer | Mike Ellis | Dan Clausen |
| 1986 | 12th (8-18) | - | Jay Brehmer | Mike Ellis | Mike Ellis |
| 1987 | 4th (19-7) | Grand-Finalists | Cal Bruton Cal Bruton Calvin Bruton is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Originally an American import, but later becoming a naturalised Australian, Bruton has been an integral part of the league since its inception... |
Mike Ellis | James Crawford James Crawford (basketball) James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season.... |
| 1988 | 6th (13-11) | Semi-Finalists | Cal Bruton | Mike Ellis | James Crawford James Crawford (basketball) James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season.... |
| 1989 | 3rd (16-8) | Semi-Finalists | Alan Black Alan Black Alan Black is a former basketball player and basketball coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Black's last coaching appointment was the head coach of the Cairns Taipans.... |
Mike Ellis | Tiny Pinder |
| 1990 | 5th (17-9) | CHAMPIONS | Alan Black Cal Bruton |
Mike Ellis | James Crawford James Crawford (basketball) James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season.... |
| 1991 | 1st (22-4) | CHAMPIONS | Murray Arnold | Mike Ellis | Ricky Grace Ricky Grace Ricky Ray Grace is an American/Australian professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1990 until the 2004/2005 season.- Playing career :... |
| 1992 | 6th (12-12) | Quarter-Finalists | Murray Arnold | Mike Ellis | James Crawford James Crawford (basketball) James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season.... |
| 1993 | 1st (21-5) | Grand-Finalists | Adrian Hurley Adrian Hurley Dr Adrian Hurley OAM is a former Australian basketball coach and a former player. He is now retired and is presently President of Basketball NSW and serves on advisory committees for Basketball Australia and the National Basketball League.... |
Andrew Vlahov Andrew Vlahov Andrew Mitchell Vlahov is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1991 through till the 2001/2002 season... |
Scott Fisher Scott Fisher (basketball) Scott Fisher is a retired American-Australian basketball player and former head coach of the National Basketball League's Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:... |
| 1994 | 6th (16-10) | Quarter-Finalists | Adrian Hurley | Andrew Vlahov | Scott Fisher Scott Fisher (basketball) Scott Fisher is a retired American-Australian basketball player and former head coach of the National Basketball League's Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:... |
| 1995 | 1st (19-7) | CHAMPIONS | Adrian Hurley | Andrew Vlahov | Andrew Vlahov |
| 1996 | 3rd (16-10) | Quarter-Finalists | Adrian Hurley | Andrew Vlahov | Andrew Vlahov |
| 1997 | 4th (17-13) | Semi-Finalists | Adrian Hurley | Andrew Vlahov | Ricky Grace |
| 1998 | 3rd (17-13) | Semi-Finalists | Alan Black | Andrew Vlahov | Ricky Grace |
| 1998-99 | 6th (13-13) | Elimination-Finalists | Alan Black | Andrew Vlahov | Ricky Grace |
| 1999-2000 | 3rd (22-6) | CHAMPIONS | Alan Black | Andrew Vlahov | Paul Rogers Paul Rogers (basketball) Paul Andrew Rogers is a retired Australian basketball player who played in the National Basketball League... |
| 2000–01 | 3rd (21-7) | Elimination-Finalists | Alan Black | Andrew Vlahov | Ricky Grace |
| 2001–02 | 2nd (17-13) | Elimination-Finalists | Alan Black | Andrew Vlahov | Ricky Grace |
| 2002-03 2002-03 NBL Season The 2002-03 National Basketball League is the 25th season of professional basketball in Australia.... |
2nd (22-8) | Grand-Finalists | Alan Black | Ricky Grace | Rob Feaster Rob Feaster Robert M. "Rob" Feaster is an American expatriate professional basketball player. Feaster graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in 1995 but went undrafted in the 1995 NBA Draft. Since then, his professional career has taken him to Germany, Australia and France... |
| 2003-04 2003-04 NBL Season Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2003-2004.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 198 games were played, 33 for each team... |
7th (15-18) | Quarter-Finalists | Mike Ellis | Ricky Grace | Rashad Tucker |
| 2004-05 2004-05 NBL Season Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2004-2005.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team... |
7th (15-17) | Quarter-Finalists | Scott Fisher | Ricky Grace | Rosell Ellis Rosell Ellis Rosell Ellis in an American basketball player.-Career:Rosell Ellis was a former Washington state player of the year for Rainier Beach High School. His high school coach, Michael Bethea, remembers him as "domineering and overpowering" player... |
| 2005-06 2005-06 NBL Season Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2005-2006.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team. The top 8 teams qualified for the finals series.KeyThe quarter finals were... |
7th (16-16) | Semi-Finalists | Scott Fisher | Tony Ronaldson Tony Ronaldson Anthony Dean "Bear" Ronaldson is a former Australian basketball player who last played for the NZL National Basketball League team, Waikato Pistons.-Playing career:... |
Shawn Redhage Shawn Redhage Shawn Redhage is a naturalised Australian professional basketball player, originally from the United States... |
| 2006-07 2006-07 NBL Season The 2006-07 National Basketball League is the 29th season of professional basketball in Australia. For the first time, a team was established from outside the Australasian area, with the Singapore Slingers taking over the licence of the Hunter Pirates... |
3rd (23-10) | Quarter-Finalists | Scott Fisher | Paul Rogers | Shawn Redhage |
| 2007-08 2007-08 NBL Season 2007-08 is the 30th NBL season.On 21 November 2006, the NBL announced that Gold Coast Blaze will join the league, expanding it to 13 teams.-2007-08 league participants:-Pre-season Transactions:... |
4th (18-12) | Semi-Finalists | Scott Fisher | Paul Rogers | Shawn Redhage |
| 2008-09 2008-09 NBL Season -2008-09 league participants:* On 30 June 2008 the Brisbane Bullets confirmed they would be handing back the team's license to the NBL. The NBL confirmed there will be no Brisbane team participating in the 2008/09 season.... |
4th (17-13) | Elimination-Finalists | Conner Henry Conner Henry Conner Henry is a retired American basketball player. He was a 6'7" 195 lb shooting guard and from 1982–86 played college basketball with the University of California, Santa Barbara, where, as of 2004, he ranks eighth all-time in points scored.He was selected by the Houston Rockets... |
Paul Rogers | Shawn Redhage |
| 2009-10 | 1st (17-11) | CHAMPIONS | Rob Beveridge | Shawn Redhage | Shawn Redhage |
| 2010-11 | 4th (16-12) | Semi-Finalists | Rob Beveridge | Shawn Redhage Brad Robbins |
Shawn Redhage Kevin Lisch Kevin Lisch Kevin Lisch is an American professional basketball player, currently signed with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL... |
| 2011-12 | TBD | TBD | Rob Beveridge | Shawn Redhage Brad Robbins |
TBD |
Current roster
Depth Chart
| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Bench | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Matthew Knight | Luke Nevill Luke Nevill Luke Nevill is an Australian basketball player.Nevill played collegiately at the University of Utah, where as a senior in 2008–09 he led the Utes to the NCAA Tournament... |
Michael Vigor | |
| PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Shawn Redhage Shawn Redhage Shawn Redhage is a naturalised Australian professional basketball player, originally from the United States... |
Jesse Wagstaff | Jeremiah Trueman Jeremiah Trueman Jeremiah Kloeten Trueman is a New Zealand professional basketball player currently with the Perth Wildcats. He was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, on 19 May 1987 to Marty and Cathy Trueman of Stratford, Taranaki. He spent his childhood in Brazil where his parents worked as Christian... |
|
| SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
Cameron Tovey | Greg Hire | Ben Purser | Jarrod Balcombe |
| SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Kevin Lisch Kevin Lisch Kevin Lisch is an American professional basketball player, currently signed with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL... |
Drew Williamson | Robert Cassir | |
| PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Brad Robbins | Everard Bartlett Everard Bartlett Everard Bartlett is a New Zealand professional basketball player, currently signed with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL. Standing at 6'6" , Bartlett plays both point guard and shooting guard.... |
Damien Scott |  Damian Martin Damian Martin is an Australian professional basketball player currently playing in the National Basketball League for the Perth Wildcats. He is also a member of the Australian Boomers.-Junior career:... |