Southland Sharks

The Southland Sharks are a New Zealand basketball team based in Invercargill. The Sharks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Stadium Southland. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks.[1]

Southland Sharks
LeagueNational Basketball League
FoundedDecember 2009
HistorySouthland Sharks
2010–2019; 2021–
ArenaStadium Southland
LocationInvercargill, Southland,
New Zealand
Team coloursOrange, blue, black
Main sponsorSouthern Institute of Technology
PresidentGareth Davis
General managerJill Bolger
Head coachRob Beveridge
Championships3 (2013, 2015, 2018)
Retired numbers1 (12)
WebsiteSharksBasketball.co.nz

Team history

The Southland Sharks brand dates back to the 1990s when the Smokefree Southland Sharks competed in the Conference Basketball League (CBL) and won championships in 1995 and 1998.[2] In 2002, a group of local businessmen launched a bid to enter a Southland team into the National Basketball League (NBL), but that attempt fell over late in the piece when the Community Trust of Southland declined a $150,000 application.[3][4]

In October 2009, Southland Basketball Association was granted a three-year NBL license.[5] In December 2009, the Sharks were confirmed for the 2010 NBL season.[4][6]

The Sharks made playoff appearances in their first two seasons in the NBL, before missing the post-season in 2012. In 2013, the Sharks won their maiden NBL championship with a 92–81 win over the Nelson Giants in the final.[7][8] After another playoff appearance in 2014, the Sharks won their first minor premiership in 2015, before going on to reach the NBL final, where they won their second championship with a 72–68 win over the Wellington Saints.[9] With the win, they broke the 2001 Waikato Titans 15-game winning streak to finish the season with 16 wins in a row.[10] The 2015 season also saw the Sharks retire Kevin Braswell's No. 12 jersey.[11][12][13]

After another playoff appearance in 2016, the Sharks made their third NBL final in 2017, where they lost 108–75 to the Saints.[14] In 2018, the Sharks returned to the NBL final for the fourth time in six years, where they won their third championship with a 98–96 win over the Saints.[15][16]

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the planned 2020 season was initially suspended and then modified into a small-scale, quick-fire format. As a result, the Sharks declined to enter the rejigged competition and began focussing on 2021.[17]

Honour roll
NBL Championships: 3 (2013, 2015, 2018)
NBL Playoff appearances: 9 (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
NBL Grand Final appearances: 4 (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Most Valuable Player:
Kiwi MVP:
All-Star Five: René Rougeau (2010), Brian Conklin (2013), Todd Blanchfield (2015), Tai Wesley (2015), Alex Pledger (2016), Jarrad Weeks (2018)
Most Outstanding Guard:
Most Outstanding Kiwi Guard:
Most Outstanding Forward: Brian Conklin (2013), Tai Wesley (2015)
Most Outstanding Kiwi Forward/Centre:
Scoring Champion:
Rebounding Champion: Alex Pledger (2016)
Assist Champion:
Rookie of the Year: Martin Iti (2010)
Coach of the Year: Paul Henare (2013, 2015)

Players

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Southland Sharks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.
F 11 Kelman-Poto, Dominique 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
C 35 Pledger, Alex 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in)
F Alexander, Daniel (I) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)
G Belger, Courtney (I) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
G Burton, Alonzo 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
G/F Gillooly, Toby 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
G Helu, Johnny 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
F Inger, Brayden 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Head coach
  • Rob Beveridge
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (I) Import player
  • Injured
Updated: 25 January 2021

Notable past players

References
  1. "SIT to continue Sharks sponsorship". Stuff.co.nz. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  2. "2010 Conference Basketball League" (PDF). Basketball.org.nz. pp. 4–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2015.
  3. Egan, Brendon (20 December 2009). "NBL decision expected next week". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  4. Burdon, Nathan (23 December 2009). "Southland basketball begins top player search". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  5. Savory, Logan (22 December 2009). "Basketball green light expected today". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 December 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  6. Richens, Matt (23 December 2009). "NBL move will cost: Davey". Waikato Times. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  7. Worthington, Sam (14 July 2013). "Hungry Sharks claim unlikely NBL title". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  8. Jourdain, Daniel (14 July 2013). ""Started from the bottom, Now we're here!" – Sharks win NBL". NZhoops.co.nz. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  9. Hyslop, Liam (5 July 2015). "Southland Sharks beat Wellington Saints in tense NBL final". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  10. Pickett, Brittany (6 July 2015). "Southland Sharks greeted by fans at airport". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  11. Savory, Logan (20 June 2015). "Southland Sharks guard Kevin Braswell announces his retirement". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  12. Savory, Logan (26 June 2015). "Sharks veteran Kevin Braswell to play for his mum in final game in Invercargill". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  13. Savory, Logan (28 June 2015). "Southland Sharks retire Kevin Braswell's No 12 jersey". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  14. Savory, Logan (18 June 2017). "Judd Flavell 'dead keen' to return as Southland Sharks coach in 2018". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  15. "Reuben Te Rangi leads Southland Sharks to thrilling NBL final win over Wellington Saints". Stuff.co.nz. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  16. Anderson, Niall (5 August 2018). "Basketball: Southland Sharks beat Wellington Saints in superb final to win NBL title". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. "2020 Update - Sharks confirm NBL plans". sharksbasketball.co.nz. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
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