1991 NBL season
Sports season
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The 1991 NBL season was the 13th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 14 teams contested the league.
25 September – 11 October 1991 (Finals)
19 – 27 October 1991 (Grand Finals)
| 1991 NBL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | 6 April – 22 September 1991 25 September – 11 October 1991 (Finals) 19 – 27 October 1991 (Grand Finals) |
| Teams | 14 |
| TV partner | Seven Network |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Perth Wildcats |
| Season MVP | Andrew Gaze (Melbourne) |
| Top scorer | Andrew Gaze (Melbourne) |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Perth Wildcats (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Eastside Spectres |
| Finals MVP | Peter Hansen (Perth) |
Clubs
On 5 March 1991, the NBL board revoked the Gold Coast Cougars' licence due to liquidity issues faced by the club's then-owner, John Minuzzo.[2][3] A new consortium acquired the franchise on 24 March,[4] but Minuzzo retained the rights to the Cougars name and identity.[5] With the season imminent and unable to secure the original branding, the new ownership adopted the name "Gold Coast Rollers" and selected green, blue, and white as the team's colours in the week leading up to the season's commencement.[6]
Regular season
The 1991 regular season took place over 24 rounds between 6 April 1991 and 22 September 1991.
1991 saw Melbourne Tigers superstar Andrew Gaze became the first player to score 1,000 points in an NBL regular season. He scored 1,007 points in 26 games at 38.7 points per game. For his efforts he was awarded the first of what would eventually become a league record seven NBL Most Valuable Player awards as well as his 6th straight selection to the All NBL team.
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
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
Round 24
Ladder
| Pos | 1991 NBL season | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP | |
| 1 | Perth Wildcats | 26 | 22 | 4 | 84.62% | 5–0 | W8 | 12–1 | 10–3 | 2750 | 2508 | 109.65% |
| 2 | Eastside Spectres1 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 65.38% | 5–0 | W5 | 10–3 | 7–6 | 2932 | 2792 | 105.01% |
| 3 | Geelong Supercats1 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 65.38% | 3–2 | W2 | 11–2 | 6–7 | 3143 | 2980 | 105.47% |
| 4 | Adelaide 36ers2 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 61.54% | 4–1 | L1 | 11–2 | 5–8 | 3028 | 2876 | 105.29% |
| 5 | Melbourne Tigers2 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 61.54% | 3–2 | L2 | 10–3 | 6–7 | 3104 | 3044 | 101.97% |
| 6 | North Melbourne Giants2 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 61.54% | 3–2 | W1 | 8–5 | 8–5 | 3047 | 2840 | 107.29% |
| 7 | Sydney Kings3 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 53.85% | 4–1 | W4 | 9–4 | 5–8 | 2821 | 2775 | 101.66% |
| 8 | Gold Coast Rollers3 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 53.85% | 0–5 | L6 | 8–5 | 6–7 | 2781 | 2805 | 99.14% |
| 9 | Brisbane Bullets | 26 | 13 | 13 | 50.00% | 2–3 | W1 | 8–5 | 5–8 | 2912 | 2968 | 98.11% |
| 10 | Canberra Cannons4 | 26 | 9 | 17 | 34.62% | 1–4 | L1 | 7–6 | 2–11 | 2741 | 2781 | 98.56% |
| 11 | Southern Melbourne Saints4 | 26 | 9 | 17 | 34.62% | 1–4 | L2 | 6–7 | 3–10 | 2872 | 3094 | 92.82% |
| 12 | Hobart Tassie Devils | 26 | 8 | 18 | 30.77% | 1–4 | L2 | 6–7 | 2–11 | 2811 | 3047 | 92.25% |
| 13 | Illawarra Hawks | 26 | 6 | 20 | 23.08% | 2–3 | L1 | 4–9 | 2–11 | 3032 | 3196 | 94.87% |
| 14 | Newcastle Falcons | 26 | 5 | 21 | 19.23% | 2–3 | W1 | 4–9 | 1–12 | 2803 | 3071 | 91.27% |
Updated to match(es) played on 22 September 1991. 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.
1Head-to-Head between Eastside Spectres and Geelong Supercats (1-1). Eastside Spectres won For and Against(+1).
23-way Head-to-Head between Adelaide 36ers (3-1), Melbourne Tigers (2-2) and North Melbourne Giants (1-3).
3Head-to-Head between Sydney Kings and Gold Coast Rollers (1-1). Sydney Kings won For and Against (+8).
4Head-to-Head between Canberra Cannons and Southern Melbourne Saints (1-1). Canberra Cannons won For and Against (+44).
Finals
Playoff bracket
| Elimination Finals | Semifinals | Grand Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Perth Wildcats | 102 | 105 | X | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Adelaide 36ers | 129 | 132 | X | 4 | Adelaide 36ers | 99 | 104 | X | |||||||||||
| 5 | Melbourne Tigers | 115 | 96 | X | 1 | Perth Wildcats | 109 | 81 | 90 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Eastside Spectres | 83 | 86 | 80 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Eastside Spectres | 99 | 115 | X | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Geelong Supercats | 139 | 116 | 113 | 6 | North Melbourne Giants | 93 | 104 | X | |||||||||||
| 6 | North Melbourne Giants | 119 | 136 | 125 | ||||||||||||||||
There were two best of three Elimination finals, two best of three semifinals, and then best of three grand final series. All three of these finals were sudden death.
Elimination Finals
Semifinals
Grand Final
1991 NBL statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Andrew Gaze | Melbourne Tigers | 38.7 |
| Rebounds per game | James Bullock | Newcastle Falcons | 16.0 |
| Assists per game | Butch Hays | Adelaide 36ers | 9.0 |
| Steals per game | Bobby Locke | Geelong Supercats | 3.0 |
| Blocks per game | John Dorge | Geelong Supercats | 4.3 |
| Free throw percentage | Leroy Loggins | Brisbane Bullets | 91.1% |
NBL awards
- Most Valuable Player: Andrew Gaze, Melbourne Tigers
- Most Valuable Player Grand Final: Peter Hansen, Perth Wildcats
- Best Defensive Player: Terry Dozier, Geelong Supercats
- Most Improved Player: Andrew Parkinson, Southern Melbourne Saints
- Rookie of the Year: Andrew Vlahov, Perth Wildcats
- Coach of the Year: Murray Arnold, Perth Wildcats