Stan Hill

This article is about the New Zealand basketball player. For his father, a rugby union player, also called Stan Hill, see Tiny Hill (rugby union).

Stan Hill
MNZM
Personal information
Born1955 (age 68–69)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Career information
High schoolSt Andrew's College, Christchurch

Stanley Alan Hill MNZM (born 1955) is a New Zealand former basketball player who was captain of the New Zealand men's national basketball team, known as the "Tall Blacks", for nine years.

Early life

Hill was born in Christchurch,[citation needed] of Māori descent.[1] His father was Stanley Frank "Tiny" Hill, who represented the New Zealand national rugby union team from 1955 to 1959, including two matches as captain.[1][2]

Hill played rugby for the St Andrew's College 1st XV, and also represented the school in basketball. He also played basketball Burnham in the Christchurch club competition.[3]

Basketball career

Hill, who was 2.08 metres (6 ft 10 in) tall, played for the San Jose State University basketball team in NCAA Division I men's basketball between 1976 and 1978, scoring 489 points in his two seasons there.[4] Rather than stay in the US and try for NBA, he chose to play professionally in England.[5]

Hill was chosen for the Tall Blacks as a 17-year-old by the coach Steve McKean and played for the national team for 14 years, including nine years as captain. In 1978, he led New Zealand to a historic first victory over Australia (67–65), coached by McKean.[6] Later that year, the Tall Blacks won the silver medal at the Commonwealth championships in Britain.[7]

Hill represented New Zealand at the 1983 Kirin World Invitation Tournament in Japan, which New Zealand won, and was named the MVP. He also played for his country in the 1986 FIBA World Championship.[8][9]

While playing in New Zealand's National Basketball League, Hill won many awards including:

Hill later coached at NBL level and was assistant coach of the Tall Blacks with Keith Mair.[citation needed]

In 2017, Hill was inducted into the New Zealand Basketball Hall of Fame[10] He was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.[11]

Hill was honoured by the inception of the Stan Hill Award for NBL players. This award, which Hill himself won in 1985, is given to the best performing small forward, power forward or centre in the NBL.

In the 2000 New Year Honours, Hill was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to basketball.[12]

Personal life

Hill's younger brother, John, also played basketball for New Zealand.[1]

Hill's wife Mandy Purnell played for the New Zealand women's national basketball team, the "Tall Ferns", and their sons Ben and Oliver played in the NBL. Ben played for the Manawatu Jets, Waikato Pistons and Bay Hawks as well as the Tall Blacks.[13] Oliver played for the Nelson Giants.[14]

As of 2009, Hill had been running the Coromandel Hotel in Coromandel, New Zealand, for six years.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c ""Maori hoopsters standing tall"". Tu Tangata. No. 26. 1 October 1985. p. 20. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  2. ^ Luxford, Bob. "Tiny Hill". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  3. ^ Dew, R.O. (21 July 1973). "Basketball preferred by All Black's son". The Press. Vol. 113, no. 33283. p. 4. Retrieved 28 April 2024 – via PapersPast.
  4. ^ "Perrott-Hunt overtakes Tall Blacks legend Stan Hill". 26 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz.
  6. ^ Screen, NZ On. "Basketball - NZ vs Australia, second test (1978) | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com.
  7. ^ "Basketball".
  8. ^ "Stan Hill - Player Profile". FIBA.basketball.
  9. ^ ZB, Newstalk. "Stan Hill: Remembering the Tall Blacks first ever win over Australia 45 years ago".
  10. ^ "Stan Hill (2017) | Player | Basketball New ZealandBasketball New Zealand". nz.basketball.
  11. ^ "Stan Hill". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
  12. ^ "New Year Honours List 2000". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1999. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Basketball - Hill keeps family name in lights". Hawke's Bay Today. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  14. ^ MacTaggart, Gregor (27 May 2005). "The latest big thing". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  15. ^ Anderson, Ian (1 September 2009). "Ex-star tells of good life after Tall Blacks". Stuff. Retrieved 28 April 2024.