NBL1 South is a semi-professional basketball league in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2019, Basketball Victoria partnered with the National Basketball League (NBL) to create NBL1. NBL1 South was the lone conference in 2019, with North, Central, West and East joining over the proceeding three years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBL1 South did not have a season in 2020 and only half a season in 2021.

NBL1 South
Most recent season or competition:
2024 NBL1 season
SportBasketball
Founded2019
First season2019
General ManagerAlison Cody
No. of teamsM: 19
W: 19
CountryAustralia
ContinentFIBA Oceania (Oceania)
Most recent
champion(s)
M: Eltham Wildcats (1st title)
W: Waverley Falcons (1st title)
Official websiteNBL1.com.au/South

History

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In October 2018, following the demise of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), Basketball Victoria announced a new senior elite league to take the reins as Australia's pre-eminent semi-professional basketball league. All Victorian-based SEABL teams joined the new league, while Eltham Wildcats, Knox Raiders, Ringwood Hawks and Waverley Falcons also joined the league from the Big V.[1] The North-West Tasmania Thunder men and Launceston Tornadoes women also kept their place, as did Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence teams.[1] In February 2019, the league was named NBL1 after Basketball Victoria partnered with the National Basketball League (NBL).[2][3]

The NBL1 in 2019 was a single league and consisted of one conference. After a successful first season, the NBL expanded the NBL1 in 2020 by introducing Basketball Victoria's inaugural 2019 league and teams as the new South Conference and partnering with Basketball Queensland and Basketball South Australia to make the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) and South Australian Premier League the new North and Central conferences.[4][5][6] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was cancelled for all three conferences.[7]

On 1 September 2021, the 2021 NBL1 South season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria. With a combined 154 men's and women's games that could not be completed, it was decided to abandon the season with no champions and no individual awards.[8]

Current clubs

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Club City State Arena Joined NBL1 NBL1 National Championships Most recent
Ballarat Miners* Ballarat   Victoria Ballarat Sports Events Centre 2019 0 N/A
Bendigo Braves* Bendigo   Victoria Bendigo Stadium 2019 1 2023; 1 year ago (2023)
Casey Cavaliers** Melbourne   Victoria Casey Stadium 2022 0 N/A
Dandenong Rangers* Melbourne   Victoria Dandenong Stadium 2019 0 N/A
Diamond Valley Eagles* Melbourne   Victoria Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre 2019 0 N/A
Eltham Wildcats** Melbourne   Victoria Montmorency Secondary College 2019 0 N/A
Frankston Blues* Melbourne   Victoria Frankston Stadium 2019 0 N/A
Geelong United* Geelong   Victoria Geelong Arena 2019 0 N/A
Hobart Chargers Hobart   Tasmania Hobart Netball and Sports Centre 2020 0 N/A
Keilor Thunder** Melbourne   Victoria Keilor Basketball Stadium 2022 0 N/A
Kilsyth Cobras* Melbourne   Victoria Kilsyth Sports Centre 2019 0 N/A
Knox Raiders** Melbourne   Victoria State Basketball Centre 2019 2 2024; 0 years ago (2024)
Launceston Tornadoes* (Women) Launceston   Tasmania Elphin Sports Centre 2019 0 N/A
Melbourne Tigers* Melbourne   Victoria Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre 2019 0 N/A
Mount Gambier Pioneers*** Mount Gambier   South Australia Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre 2020 0 N/A
North-West Tasmania Thunder* (Men) Ulverstone   Tasmania Ulverstone Sports and Leisure Centre 2019 0 N/A
Nunawading Spectres* Melbourne   Victoria Nunawading Basketball Centre 2019 0 N/A
Ringwood Hawks** Melbourne   Victoria The Rings 2019 0 N/A
Sandringham Sabres* Melbourne   Victoria Sandringham Basketball Stadium 2019 0 N/A
Waverley Falcons** Melbourne   Victoria Waverley Basketball Centre 2019 1 2024; 0 years ago (2024)

* Clubs that transferred from the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).

** Clubs that transferred from the Big V (Victoria).

*** Clubs that transferred from the Premier League (South Australia).

Former and defunct clubs

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Honours

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League championships

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Team Total Titles Men's Women's Notes
Titles Winning Seasons Titles Winning Seasons
Kilsyth Cobras 1 0 1 2019 Won the women's inaugural title in 2019.
Nunawading Spectres 1 1 2019 0 Won the men's inaugural title in 2019.
Ringwood Hawks 1 0 1 2022
Hobart Chargers 1 1 2022 0
Bendigo Braves 1 0 1 2023
Knox Raiders 1 1 2023 0
Waverley Falcons 1 0 1 2024
Eltham Wildcats 1 1 2024 0

Awards

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  • Most Valuable Player
  • Defensive Player of the Year
  • Youth Player of the Year
  • All-Star Five
  • Coach of the Year
  • Referee of the Year
  • Club of the Year

References

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  1. ^ a b Ward, Roy (31 October 2018). "Basketball Victoria announces new elite league to replace SEABL". SMH.com.au. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  2. ^ "NBL1 to Showcase Next Level of Australia's Basketball Talent". NBL.com.au. 15 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Basketball Victoria partners with NBL to launch NBL1 league". pickandroll.com.au. 15 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  4. ^ "NBL1 To Come To Queensland In 2020". NBL1.com.au. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  5. ^ "NBL1 Expands To North And South Conferences". NBL1.com.au. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  6. ^ "NBL1 Central To Tip Off In 2020". NBL1.com.au. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  7. ^ "NBL1 Season Cancelled". NBL.com.au. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  8. ^ "NBL1 South season cancelled". NBL1.com.au. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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