North Adelaide Rockets

North Adelaide Rockets
North Adelaide Rockets logo
LeaguesNBL1 Central
Founded1957
HistorySA State League / NBL1 Central:
North Adelaide Rockets
1957–present
WNBL:
North Adelaide Rockets
1981–1991
SEABL:
North Adelaide Rockets
1981–1983
ArenaThe Lights Community & Sports Centre
LocationLightsview, South Australia
Team colorsRed, white, grey
PresidentDavid Durant
ChampionshipsSA State League / NBL1 Central:
6 (1957, 1958, 1959, 1983, 2007, 2021) (M)
21 (1957, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2014, 2018) (W)
WNBL:
1 (1990)
Websitenabc-rockets.club

North Adelaide Rockets is a NBL1 Central club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The club fields both a men's and women's team. The club is a division of the overarching North Adelaide Basketball Club (NABC), the major administrative basketball organisation in the region. The Rockets play their home games at The Lights Community & Sports Centre.

Club history

Background

The North Adelaide Basketball Club was established in 1939 as the Panthers Basketball Club. The club named changed to North Adelaide in 1951.[1][2]

SA State League / NBL1 Central

In the first official season of the SA State League in 1957, both the Rockets men and women won the championship.[3][4] The men won three straight championships with titles in 1958 and 1959.[3]

Between 1961 and 1991, the Rockets women competed in every SA State League grand final except 1978. They won 15 championships in that time: 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.[4] The Rockets women won further State League championships in 1994, 1998, 2004[4] and 2014,[5] while the men won championships in 1983 and 2007.[3]

In 2018, the Rockets women won the Premier League championship with a 79–61 grand final victory over the Forestville Eagles to cap off an unbeaten season.[6]

In 2020, the Premier League joined the NBL1 to become the NBL1 Central.[7] In the inaugural NBL1 Central season in 2021, the Rockets men won the championship with an 87–72 grand final victory over the Norwood Flames.[8][9]

WNBL and SEABL

In 1981, the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) was established. The Rockets entered the WNBL for the inaugural season, playing 11 years until leaving following the 1991 season.[10] The Rockets made the grand final in 1981, where they lost to the St. Kilda Saints. They returned to the grand final in 1988, losing to the Nunawading Spectres. In 1990, the Rockets made their third grand final and defeated the Hobart Islanders 72–57 to win their only WNBL championship.[11]

Also established in 1981 was the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). The Rockets men competed in the SEABL in 1981, 1982 and 1983.[12][13]

References

  1. ^ "History by the Numbers - North Adelaide Rockets". GameDay. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  2. ^ "History of NA from 1939 - North Adelaide Rockets". GameDay. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Men's Premiers (1957–2019)". NBL1 Central. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Women's Premiers (1957–2019)". NBL1 Central. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  5. ^ "2014-2015 Basketball SA Annual Report" (PDF). basketballsa.com.au. p. 18. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  6. ^ Turner, Matt (21 August 2018). "Southern Tigers win second men's title in three years, while North Adelaide completes unbeaten season in women's Premier League". adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ Keam, Patrick (14 February 2020). "Basketball SA and Adelaide Premier League clubs agree to join NBL1 competition in 2020". The Advertiser. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  8. ^ Sharrad, Thamsin (17 September 2021). "Congratulations to our 2021 NBL1 Central Champions!". Basketball SA. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Rocket-Men fly to first since 2007". NBL1.com.au. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  10. ^ "2014–15 WNBL Media Guide" (PDF). wnbl.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Past Champions". WNBL. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  12. ^ "SEABL Ladders History" (PDF). seabl.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2008.
  13. ^ "SEBL Ladders 1981–1993". Angelfire. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.