1989 NBL season
Sports season
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The 1989 NBL season was the 11th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 13 teams contest the league.
29 September – 8 October 1989 (Semi-finals)
14 – 20 October 1989 (Grand Finals)
| 1989 NBL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | 20 April – 24 September 1989 29 September – 8 October 1989 (Semi-finals) 14 – 20 October 1989 (Grand Finals) |
| Teams | 13 |
| TV partner | Seven Network |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Canberra Cannons |
| Season MVP | Scott Fisher (North Melbourne) |
| Top scorer | Andrew Gaze (Melbourne) |
| Finals | |
| Champions | North Melbourne Giants (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Canberra Cannons |
| Finals MVP | Scott Fisher (North Melbourne) |
Clubs
NOTES
- Steve Breheny was suspended by the league following the semi-finals series between Canberra and Sydney for allegedly headbutting Kings player Damian Keogh.[2] Assistant Coach Andy Campbell was in charge of the team for the Grand Final Series.[3]
Regular season
The 1989 regular season took place over 22 rounds between 20 April 1989 and 16 September 1989.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Ladder
This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. The top 6 teams qualified for the finals series.
| Pos | 1989 NBL season | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP | |
| 1 | Canberra Cannons | 24 | 18 | 6 | 75.00% | 4–1 | W4 | 10–2 | 8–4 | 2736 | 2580 | 106.05% |
| 2 | North Melbourne Giants | 24 | 17 | 7 | 70.33% | 5–0 | W7 | 11–1 | 6–6 | 2993 | 2701 | 110.81% |
| 3 | Perth Wildcats1 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 66.67% | 3–2 | W2 | 11–1 | 5–7 | 2681 | 2660 | 100.79% |
| 4 | Melbourne Tigers1 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 66.67% | 3–2 | L2 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 2802 | 2660 | 105.34% |
| 5 | Sydney Kings2 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 62.50% | 2–3 | L2 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 2471 | 2489 | 99.28% |
| 6 | Adelaide 36ers2 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 62.50% | 3–2 | W2 | 10–2 | 5–7 | 2778 | 2668 | 104.12% |
| 7 | Eastside Spectres | 24 | 14 | 10 | 53.85% | 4–1 | W4 | 9–3 | 5–7 | 2527 | 2454 | 102.97% |
| 8 | Brisbane Bullets | 24 | 11 | 13 | 45.83% | 1–4 | W1 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 2563 | 2492 | 102.85% |
| 9 | Westside Saints3 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 33.33% | 3–2 | W1 | 5–7 | 3–9 | 2522 | 2648 | 95.24% |
| 10 | Hobart Tassie Devils3 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 33.33% | 3–2 | W1 | 6–6 | 2–10 | 2566 | 2757 | 93.07% |
| 11 | Illawarra Hawks | 24 | 7 | 17 | 29.17% | 0–5 | L6 | 5–7 | 2–10 | 2826 | 2929 | 96.48% |
| 12 | Newcastle Falcons | 24 | 6 | 18 | 25.00% | 2–3 | L2 | 5–7 | 1–11 | 2649 | 2799 | 94.64% |
| 13 | Geelong Supercats | 24 | 5 | 19 | 20.83% | 0–5 | L6 | 3–9 | 2–10 | 2445 | 2722 | 89.82% |
Updated to match(es) played on 16 September 1989. Source: NBL.com.au
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.
1Perth Wildcats won Head-to-Head (2-0).
2Head-to-Head between Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers (1-1). Sydney Kings won For and Against (+7).
3Head-to-Head between Westside Saints and Hobart Tassie Devils (1-1). Westside Saints won For and Against (+5).
Finals
Playoff bracket
| Elimination Finals | Semifinals | Grand Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Canberra Cannons | 108 | 92 | 142 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Melbourne Tigers | 105 | 112 | 83 | 5 | Sydney Kings | 98 | 100 | 82 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Sydney Kings | 117 | 89 | 85 | 1 | Canberra Cannons | 105 | 97 | X | |||||||||||
| 2 | North Melbourne Giants | 111 | 111 | X | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | North Melbourne Giants | 129 | 108 | 165 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Perth Wildcats | 122 | 114 | 112 | 3 | Perth Wildcats | 108 | 111 | 110 | |||||||||||
| 6 | Adelaide 36ers | 124 | 94 | 108 | ||||||||||||||||
There were two best of three Elimination finals, four best of three Semifinals, and then best of three grand final series.
Elimination Finals
Semifinals
Grand Final
1989 NBL statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Andrew Gaze | Melbourne Tigers | 34.5 |
| Rebounds per game | Dean Uthoff | Eastside Spectres | 17.0 |
| Assists per game | Andrew Gaze | Melbourne Tigers | 7.2 |
| Steals per game | Phil Smyth | Canberra Cannons | 3.3 |
| Blocks per game | Willie Simmons | Canberra Cannons | 3.2 |
| Free throw percentage | Scott Fisher | North Melbourne Giants | 87.5% |
NBL awards
- Most Valuable Player: Scott Fisher, North Melbourne Giants
- Most Valuable Player Grand Final: Scott Fisher, North Melbourne Giants
- Best Defensive Player: Phil Smyth, Canberra Cannons
- Most Improved Player: Mark Bradtke, Adelaide 36ers
- Rookie of the Year: Justin Withers, Illawarra Hawks
- Coach of the Year: Lindsay Gaze, Melbourne Tigers