1987 NBL Finals

1987 NBL Finals
LeagueNational Basketball League
SportBasketball
Duration30 September - 16 October 1987
Number of teams4
TV partner(s)ATN7, BTQ7, STW9, SAS10
NBL Finals
ChampionsBrisbane Bullets
  Runners-upPerth Wildcats
Finals MVPLeroy Loggins
Seasons
← 1986
1988 →

The 1987 NBL Finals was the championship series of the 1987 season of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Brisbane Bullets defeated the Perth Wildcats in two games (2-0) for their second NBL championship.

Format

The 1987 National Basketball League Finals started on 30 September and concluded on 16 October. The playoffs consisted of two best of three Semi-finals and the best of three game Grand Final series.

Qualification

Qualified teams

Team Finals
appearance		 Previous
appearance		 Previous best
performance
Brisbane Bullets 6th 1986 Runners up (1986)
Adelaide 36ers 4th 1986 Champions (1986)
Illawarra Hawks 3rd 1986 4th in 1986
Perth Wildcats 1st - 8th in 1985

Ladder

Pos 1987 NBL season
Team Pld W L PCT Last 5 Streak Home Away PF PA PP
1 Adelaide 36ers 26 21 5 80.77% 4–1 W2 11–2 10–3 3046 2677 113.78%
2 Brisbane Bullets1 26 20 6 76.92% 5–0 W9 13–0 7–6 2711 2497 108.57%
3 Illawarra Hawks1 26 20 6 76.92% 4–1 W4 13–0 7–6 2680 2528 106.01%
4 Perth Wildcats 26 19 7 73.08% 4–1 W4 11–2 8–5 3005 2756 109.03%
5 Canberra Cannons 26 17 9 65.38% 3–2 W1 10–3 7–6 2848 2770 102.82%
6 North Melbourne Giants 26 15 11 57.69% 2–3 W1 10–3 5–8 3060 2807 109.01%
7 Hobart Tassie Devils 26 14 12 53.85% 2–3 L3 8–5 6–7 2599 2568 101.21%
8 Eastside Spectres2 26 13 13 50.00% 2–3 L1 6–7 7–6 2607 2596 100.42%
9 Geelong Cats2 26 13 13 50.00% 3–2 L2 10–3 3–10 2644 2707 97.67%
10 Sydney Supersonics 26 9 17 34.62% 2–3 W1 5–8 4–9 2744 2861 95.91%
11 West Sydney Westars 26 8 18 30.77% 2–3 L2 4–9 4–9 2564 2695 95.14%
12 Newcastle Falcons 26 6 20 23.08% 3–2 W1 4–9 2–11 2948 3176 92.82%
13 Westside Saints 26 4 22 15.38% 0–5 L6 3–10 1–12 2673 2980 89.70%
14 Melbourne Tigers 26 3 23 11.54% 1–4 W1 3–10 0–13 2635 3146 83.76%

Updated to match(es) played on 20 September 1987. 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.

Playoff bracket

Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final
1 Adelaide 36ers 99 99 93
4 Perth Wildcats 101 4 Perth Wildcats 98 101 103
5 Canberra Cannons 96 2 Brisbane Bullets 80 106 X
4 Perth Wildcats 79 87 X
2 Brisbane Bullets 109 77 100
3 Illawarra Hawks 105 3 Illawarra Hawks 87 78 82
6 North Melbourne Giants 97


Elimination Finals

Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue
26 September Illawarra Hawks 105-97 North Melbourne Giants Illawarra Basketball Stadium
27 September Perth Wildcats 101-96 Canberra Cannons Perth Superdrome

Semifinals

(2) Brisbane Bullets vs (3) Illawarra Hawks

Game 1

30 September
Illawarra Hawks 87, Brisbane Bullets 109
Scoring by quarter: 19-26, 16-32, 27-34, 25-17
Pts: Bateman, Borner 15 each
Rebs: Jim Bateman 11
Asts: McLeod, Borner 4 each		 Pts: Leroy Loggins 38
Rebs: Leroy Loggins 10
Asts: Ron Radliff 6
Illawarra Basketball Stadium
Attendance: 2,000
Referees: Ray Hunt, Geoff Weeks

Game 2

2 October
Brisbane Bullets 77, Illawarra Hawks 78
Scoring by quarter: 12-21, 22-18, 32-17, 11-22
Pts: Ron Radliff 15
Rebs: Larry Sengstock 11
Asts: Leroy Loggins 6		 Pts: Jim Bateman 22
Rebs: Jim Bateman 14
Asts: Gordie McLeod 8
Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

Game 3

4 October
Brisbane Bullets 100, Illawarra Hawks 82
Scoring by quarter: 26-19, 20-21, 26-27, 28-15
Pts: Larry Sengstock 16
Rebs: Larry Sengstock 14
Asts: Darren Perry 5		 Pts: Bateman, Borner 17 each
Rebs: Jim Bateman 13
Asts: Gordie McLeod 6
Brisbane win the series 2-1
Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

(1) Adelaide 36ers vs (4) Perth Wildcats

Game 1

30 September
Perth Wildcats 98, Adelaide 36ers 99
Scoring by quarter: 23-30, 26-29, 23-24, 26-16
Pts: Pinder, Crawford 24 each
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 16
Asts: Alan Black 9		 Pts: Darryl Pearce 24
Rebs: Mark Davis 14
Asts: Darryl Pearce 6
Perth Superdrome
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

Game 2

2 October
Adelaide 36ers 99, Perth Wildcats 101
Scoring by quarter: 26-22, 22-26, 32-22, 19-31
Pts: Darryl Pearce 29
Rebs: Mark Davis 21
Asts: Al Green 4		 Pts: James Crawford 40
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 13
Asts: Black, Bruton, Crawford 3 each
Apollo Stadium, Adelaide
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Ray Hunt, Robert Barnett

Game 3

4 October
Adelaide 36ers 93, Perth Wildcats 103
Scoring by quarter: 23-33, 27-23, 18-26, 25-21
Pts: Mark Davis 36
Rebs: Mark Davis 16
Asts: Jones, McKay 3 each		 Pts: James Crawford 34
Rebs: James Crawford 13
Asts: Cal Bruton 4
Perth win the series 2-1
Apollo Stadium, Adelaide
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Ray Hunt, Robert Barnett

Grand Final series

(2) Brisbane Bullets vs (4) Perth Wildcats

Game 1

10 October
Perth Wildcats 79, Brisbane Bullets 80
Scoring by quarter: 25-23, 15-22, 21-19, 18-16
Pts: Kendal Pinder 27
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 15
Asts: Cal Bruton 6		 Pts: Emery Atkinson 22
Rebs: Larry Sengstock 15
Asts: Sibley, Radliff 3 each
Brisbane leads series, 1–0
Perth Superdrome
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

Game 2

16 October
Brisbane Bullets 106, Perth Wildcats 87
Scoring by quarter: 29-23, 18-21, 33-26, 26-17
Pts: Leroy Loggins 36
Rebs: John Dorge 10
Asts: Loggins, Perry 3 each		 Pts: Kendal Pinder 25
Rebs: Kendal Pinder 15
Asts: Cal Bruton 6
Brisbane wins series and NBL Championship, 2–0
Grand Final MVP: Leroy Loggins (Brisbane)
Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Attendance: 11,000
Referees: Ray Hunt, Eddie Crouch

See also

References