1979 NBL season

The 1979 NBL season was the inaugural season of the National Basketball League (NBL). The championship was decided by a sudden death Grand Final between first (St. Kilda Saints) and second (Canberra Cannons).

1979 NBL season
LeagueNational Basketball League
SportBasketball
Duration24 February – 3 June (Regular season)
10 June (Grand Final)
Number of games90 (Regular Season)
1 (Grand Final)
Number of teams10
TV partner(s)ABC
Regular season
Top seedSt. Kilda Saints
Season MVPKen Richardson (West Adelaide)
Top scorerCal Bruton (Brisbane)
Grand Final
ChampionsSt. Kilda Saints (1st title)
  Runners-upCanberra Cannons
Grand Final MVPLarry Sengstock (St. Kilda)

Teams

Ten teams competed in the 1979 Season.

Club Location Stadium Capacity Founded Head Coach
Bankstown Bruins Sydney Bankstown Basketball Stadium 2,500 1979 Shaun O'Connell
Brisbane Bullets Brisbane Auchenflower Stadium 2,000 1979 Robert Young
Canberra Cannons Canberra Canberra Showgrounds Unknown 1979 Cal Stamp
City of Sydney Astronauts Sydney Alexandria Stadium Unknown 1979 Charlie Ammit
Glenelg Tigers Glenelg Apollo Entertainment Centre 3,000 1979 Alan Dawe
Illawarra Hawks Wollongong Beaton Park Stadium 2,000 1979 Joe Farrugia
Newcastle Falcons Newcastle Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre 2,200 1979 Bob Turner
Nunawading Spectres Melbourne Burwood Stadium 2,000 1979 Barry Barnes
St. Kilda Saints Melbourne Albert Park Basketball Stadium 2,000 1979 Brian Kerle
West Adelaide Bearcats Port Adelaide Apollo Entertainment Centre 3,000 1979 Ken Richardson

Regular Season

The 1979 Regular Season took place over 15 Rounds between 24 February 1979 and 3 June 1979.

Every team played 18 games, against each opponent twice.

Round 1
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
24/02/1979 Nunawading Spectres 78–62 Newcastle Falcons Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
24/02/1979 Glenelg Tigers 68–65 City of Sydney Astronauts Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
24/02/1979 Brisbane Bullets 70–77 Canberra Cannons Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
25/02/1979 Bankstown Bruins 79–82 Canberra Cannons Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
25/02/1979 St. Kilda Saints 107–81 Newcastle Falcons Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
25/02/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 101–77 City of Sydney Astronauts Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 2
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
3/03/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 86–91 Canberra Cannons Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
3/03/1979 Illawarra Hawks 91–88 St. Kilda Saints Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
3/03/1979 Newcastle Falcons 97–69 Brisbane Bullets Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
3/03/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 73–66 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
4/03/1979 Bankstown Bruins 74–101 St. Kilda Saints Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
4/03/1979 Newcastle Falcons 83-81 City of Sydney Astronauts Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
4/03/1979 Illawarra Hawks 74–78 Canberra Cannons Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
4/03/1979 Glenelg Tigers 68–74 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 3
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
10/03/1979 Canberra Cannons 75–65 West Adelaide Bearcats Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
10/03/1979 Illawarra Hawks 74–71 Bankstown Bruins Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
10/03/1979 Newcastle Falcons 99–87 Glenelg Tigers Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
11/03/1979 Nunawading Spectres 75–72 St. Kilda Saints Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
11/03/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 81–80 Glenelg Tigers Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
11/03/1979 Brisbane Bullets 68–78 West Adelaide Bearcats Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 4
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
17/03/1979 Bankstown Bruins 62–78 Brisbane Bullets Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
17/03/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 68–65 St. Kilda Saints Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
17/03/1979 Canberra Cannons 70–77 Illawarra Hawks Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
17/03/1979 Newcastle Falcons 79–82 Nunawading Spectres Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
18/03/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 107–81 Nunawading Spectres Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
18/03/1979 Illawarra Hawks 101–77 Brisbane Bullets Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
18/03/1979 Glenelg Tigers 101–77 St. Kilda Saints Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 5
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
24/03/1979 Glenelg Tigers 64–73 Bankstown Bruins Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
24/03/1979 St. Kilda Saints 88–70 Canberra Cannons Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
24/03/1979 Newcastle Falcons 79–77 Illawarra Hawks Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
25/03/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 92–82 Illawarra Hawks Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
25/03/1979 Nunawading Spectres 71–59 Canberra Cannons Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
25/03/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 91–88 Bankstown Bruins Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
31/03/1979 Illawarra Hawks 72–91 West Adelaide Bearcats Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 6
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
31/03/1979 Canberra Cannons 86–80 Brisbane Bullets Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
31/03/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 90–76 Bankstown Bruins Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
31/03/1979 St. Kilda Saints 86–54 Glenelg Tigers Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
1/04/1979 Nunawading Spectres 77–53 Glenelg Tigers Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
1/04/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 107–95 Brisbane Bullets Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
1/04/1979 Bankstown Bruins 70–92 West Adelaide Bearcats Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 7
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
7/04/1979 Glenelg Tigers 75–77 West Adelaide Bearcats Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
7/04/1979 Brisbane Bullets 101–86 Bankstown Bruins Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
7/04/1979 Canberra Cannons 76–83 City of Sydney Astronauts Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
7/04/1979 Nunawading Spectres 77–47 Illawarra Hawks Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
8/04/1979 St. Kilda Saints 89–81 Illawarra Hawks Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
8/04/1979 Brisbane Bullets 99–80 Newcastle Falcons Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 8
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
19/04/1979 Glenelg Tigers 71–80 Canberra Cannons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 9
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
21/04/1979 St. Kilda Saints 107–86 Bankstown Bruins Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
22/04/1979 Nunawading Spectres 93–81 Bankstown Bruins Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
22/04/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 64–65 Canberra Cannons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 10
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
28/04/1979 Newcastle Falcons 94–89 West Adelaide Bearcats Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
28/04/1979 Bankstown Bruins 91–86 Illawarra Hawks Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
28/04/1979 St. Kilda Saints 95–76 Nunawading Spectres Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
28/04/1979 Brisbane Bullets 91–74 Glenelg Tigers Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
29/04/1979 Illawarra Hawks 90–100 City of Sydney Astronauts Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
29/04/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 86–84 West Adelaide Bearcats Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
29/04/1979 Canberra Cannons 80–75 Glenelg Tigers Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore

Round 11
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
5/05/1979 Newcastle Falcons 96–103 Bankstown Bruins Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
5/05/1979 St. Kilda Saints 117–92 Brisbane Bullets Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
6/05/1979 Canberra Cannons 94–85 Newcastle Falcons Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
6/05/1979 Nunawading Spectres 84–97 Brisbane Bullets Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 12
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
12/05/1979 Illawarra Hawks 110–83 Glenelg Tigers Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
12/05/1979 Nunawading Spectres 72–58 West Adelaide Bearcats Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
12/05/1979 Newcastle Falcons 84–77 Canberra Cannons Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
13/05/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 99–119 Newcastle Falcons Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
13/05/1979 Bankstown Bruins 84–100 Glenelg Tigers Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
13/05/1979 St. Kilda Saints 92–85 West Adelaide Bearcats Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
13/05/1979 Brisbane Bullets 91–85 Illawarra Hawks Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 13
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
19/05/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 108–85 Newcastle Falcons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
19/05/1979 Glenelg Tigers 68–74 Illawarra Hawks Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
19/05/1979 City of Sydney Astronauts 78–103 St. Kilda Saints Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
19/05/1979 Brisbane Bullets 105–85 Nunawading Spectres Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
20/05/1979 Brisbane Bullets 81–98 St. Kilda Saints Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
20/05/1979 Canberra Cannons 84–70 Nunawading Spectres Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
20/05/1979 Bankstown Bruins 83–87 City of Sydney Astronauts Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
20/05/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 74–71 Illawarra Hawks Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
20/05/1979 Glenelg Tigers 79–77 Newcastle Falcons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 14
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
26/05/1979 Newcastle Falcons 79–92 St. Kilda Saints Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
26/05/1979 Bankstown Bruins 92–93 Nunawading Spectres Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
26/05/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 97–76 Glenelg Tigers Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
26/05/1979 Brisbane Bullets 104–88 City of Sydney Astronauts Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
27/05/1979 Illawarra Hawks 84–93 Nunawading Spectres Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
27/05/1979 Canberra Cannons 93–98 St. Kilda Saints Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore

Round 15
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
2/06/1979 Illawarra Hawks 81–80 Newcastle Falcons Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
2/06/1979 Canberra Cannons 101–86 Bankstown Bruins Canberra Showgrounds N/A boxscore
2/06/1979 Nunawading Spectres 81–61 City of Sydney Astronauts Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
2/06/1979 West Adelaide Bearcats 120–93 Brisbane Bullets Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
3/06/1979 St. Kilda Saints 97–86 City of Sydney Astronauts Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
3/06/1979 Bankstown Bruins 84–93 Newcastle Falcons Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
3/06/1979 Glenelg Tigers 92–112 Brisbane Bullets Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Ladder
# Team Played Won Loss Win% Last 5 Streak Home Away For Against Points%
1 St. Kilda Saints 18 15 3 83.33% 5-0 Won 13 9-0 6-3 1,689 1,431 118.03%
2 Canberra Cannons1 18 13 5 72.22% 3-2 Won 1 7-2 6-3 1,448 1,398 103.58%
3 Nunawading Spectres1 18 13 5 72.22% 3-2 Won 3 8-1 5-4 1,439 1,349 106.67%
4 West Adelaide Bearcats 18 12 6 66.67% 4-1 Won 4 8-1 4-5 1,523 1,397 109.02%
5 Brisbane Bullets 18 10 8 55.56% 3-2 Won 1 6-3 4-5 1,628 1,625 100.18%
6 Newcastle Falcons2 18 8 10 44.44% 1-4 Won 1 6-3 2-7 1,550 1,582 97.98%
7 City of Sydney Astronauts2 18 8 10 44.44% 1-4 Lost 3 5-4 3-6 1,528 1,609 94.97%
8 Illawarra Hawks 18 5 13 27.78% 2-3 Won 1 4-5 1-8 1,442 1,521 94.81%
9 Glenelg Tigers3 18 3 15 16.67% 2-3 Lost 2 2-7 1-8 1,340 1,524 87.93%
10 Bankstown Bruins3 18 3 15 16.67% 0-5 Lost 5 1-8 2-7 1,484 1,635 90.76%

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.

1Head-to-Head between Canberra Cannons and Nunawading Spectres (1-1). Canberra Cannons won For and Against (+2).

2Newcastle Falcons won Head-to-Head (2-0).

3Head-to-Head between Glenelg Tigers and Bankstown Bruins (1-1). Glenelg Tigers won For and Against (+7).

Grand Final
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
10/06/1979 St. Kilda Saints 94–93 Canberra Cannons Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore

Coaches
Main article: NBL All-Time Coaching Records
Coach Team Games Coached Won Lost Win% Points For Points Against Average Points For Average Points Against Comments
Brian Kerle St. Kilda Saints 19 16 3 84.21% 1,783 1,524 93.8 80.2 1979 Championship Coach (1st title)
Cal Stamp Canberra Cannons 19 13 6 68.42% 1,541 1,492 81.1 78.5
Barry Barnes Nunawading Spectres 18 13 5 72.22% 1,439 1,349 79.9 74.9
Ken Richardson West Adelaide Bearcats 18 12 6 66.67% 1,523 1,397 84.6 77.6
Robert Young Brisbane Bullets 18 10 8 55.56% 1,628 1,625 90.4 90.3
Bob Turner Newcastle Falcons 18 8 10 44.44% 1,550 1,582 86.1 87.9
Charlie Ammit City of Sydney Astronauts 18 8 10 44.44% 1,528 1,609 84.9 89.4
Joe Farrugia Illawarra Hawks 18 5 13 27.78% 1,442 1,521 80.1 84.5
Alan Dawe Glenelg Tigers 18 3 15 16.67% 1,340 1,524 74.4 84.7
Shaun O'Connell Bankstown Bruins 18 3 15 16.67% 1,484 1,635 82.4 90.8

Awards

Statistics leaders
CategoryPlayerTeamStat
PointsCal BrutonBrisbane Bullets597 pts / 18 games[1]
Free throw percentageRobbie CadeeSt. Kilda Saints89.7% (35/39)[1]

Regular season

Grand Final

References
  1. "All Time Leaders". nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-23. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
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