Southern Melbourne Saints
Southern Melbourne Saints logo
LeaguesNBL
Founded1979
Dissolved1991
HistorySt. Kilda Saints
1979–1986
Westside Saints
1987–1990
Southern Melbourne Saints
1991
ArenaAlbert Park Basketball Stadium (1979–83)
The Glass House (1984–86, 1991)
Keilor Stadium (1987–90)
CapacityAPBS - 2,000
TGH - 7,200
Keilor - 2,000
LocationMelbourne, Victoria
Team colorsBlack, white, red
     
Championships2 (1979, 1980)

The Southern Melbourne Saints, previously known as the St. Kilda Saints, the St. Kildas Pumas and Westside Saints,[1] were an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne. The Saints competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) between 1979 and 1991.

History

St Kilda was one of the ten inaugural, foundation teams of the NBL that competed in the league's first season in 1979, operating out of Albert Park Basketball Stadium at the time. As the St Kilda Pumas, the team was the powerhouse team over the league's first three seasons behind coach Brian Kerle, winning three straight minor premierships and claiming the first two NBL Championships. In 1981, after finishing the regular season in first place, the Saints decided to compete in the FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil rather than contest the NBL finals. The team never regained this level of success, as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals for the rest of their tenure in the NBL.[2][3][4][5]

In 1987, the Saints changed their name to incorporate a wider area of Melbourne rather than just the suburb of St Kilda.[6] For the next three years, the team was known as the "Westside Saints", playing out of the 2,000-seat Keilor Stadium. In 1991, the team changed their name again, this time to the "Southern Melbourne Saints".[7]

Prior to the 1992 season, the Saints merged with the Eastside Spectres to become the South East Melbourne Magic.[8]

Honour roll

NBL Championships: 2 (1979, 1980)
NBL finals appearances: 2 (1980, 1983)
NBL Grand Final appearances: 2 (1979, 1980)
NBL Most Valuable Player: Rocky Smith (1980)
NBL Grand Final MVP: Larry Sengstock (1979), Rocky Smith (1980)
All-NBL First Team: Danny Morseu (1980, 1981), Rocky Smith (1981), Phil Smyth (1982)
NBL Coach of the Year: None
NBL Rookie of the Year: None
NBL Most Improved Player: Andrew Parkinson (1991)
NBL Best Defensive Player: Phil Smyth (1982)
NBL Best Sixth Man: None

Season by season

NBL champions League champions Runners-up Finals berth
Season Tier League Regular season Post-season Head coach
Finish Played Wins Losses Win %
St. Kilda Saints
1979 1 NBL 1st 18 15 3 .833 Won NBL final (Canberra) 94–93 Brian Kerle
1980 1 NBL 1st 22 17 5 .773 Won semifinal (Nunawading) 101–77
Won NBL final (West Adelaide) 113–88 		Brian Kerle
1981 1 NBL 1st 22 17 5 .773 1981 FIBA Club World Cup* Brian Kerle
1982 1 NBL 6th 26 17 9 .654 Did not qualify Brian Kerle
1983 1 NBL 4th 22 12 10 .545 Eliminated round robin 0–3 Brian Kerle
1984 1 NBL 5th 23 9 14 .391 Did not qualify Andris Blicavs
1985 1 NBL 10th 26 10 16 .385 Did not qualify Andris Blicavs
1986 1 NBL 14th 26 5 21 .192 Did not qualify Andris Blicavs
Westside Saints
1987 1 NBL 13th 26 4 22 .154 Did not qualify Andris Blicavs
1988 1 NBL 11th 24 9 15 .375 Did not qualify Andris Blicavs
1989 1 NBL 9th 24 8 16 .333 Did not qualify Colin Cadee
1990 1 NBL 14th 26 3 23 .115 Did not qualify Dean Templeton
Southern Melbourne Saints
1991 1 NBL 11th 26 9 17 .346 Did not qualify Gary Fox
Regular season record 311 135 176 .434 3 regular season champions
Finals record 6 3 3 .500 2 NBL championships

As of the end of the 1991 season

*Note: In 1981, the St. Kilda Saints did not compete in the playoffs, choosing to compete at the World Club Championships in Brazil.

*Note: In 1983 and 1984, the NBL was split into Eastern and Western divisions during the regular season.

Source: Southern Melbourne Saints Year by Year

References

  1. ^ Scholes, Gary (30 November 1990). "Sport: Dufelmeier set to rise from ashes yet again". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 26. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Pumas to survive Cannons? - Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  3. ^ Blake, Martin (30 October 1992). "13 years on, a game they now notice". The Age. p. 24. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Last fling saves Pumas". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 June 1979. p. 25. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  5. ^ Comerford, Damien (17 June 1980). "Pumas title in the basket". The Age. p. 33. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  6. ^ Blake, Martin (21 May 1987). "Saints move to the west in their search for greater glory". The Age. p. 34. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  7. ^ Brown, Michelle (24 April 1991). "Self-belief makes Saints go marching in". The Age. p. 36. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  8. ^ Howell, Stephen (19 January 1992). "The making of Melbourne Magic". The Age. p. 68. Retrieved 7 February 2022.

External links

St. Kilda Saints 1979 NBL Champions
St. Kilda Saints 1980 NBL Champions
Defunct National Basketball League teams
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