BIO: Chris Blakemore was born in Adelaide, SA and grew up in nearby Whyalla. He was identified by the Adelaide 36ers as a fifteen year old and signed a contract to play for the team in 1990 before spending two seasons at the Australian Institute of Sport and returning to the team in 1993 to play his first NBL season. Blakemore received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1991. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Chris Blakemore made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 18 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

After two losing seasons under coach Don Shipway, Adelaide hired American coach Don Monson to replace him and steer the team back to its winning ways. With the 36ers still regrouping from the loss of Australian Boomers big man Mark Bradtke (to Melbourne), they built up the team’s frontcourt by adding Chris Blakemore, a talented young big man from the Australian Institute of Sport, import Paris McCurdy and welcomed back former 36er Willie Simmons (via Canberra). Key additions to the back court included Australian Boomers guard Phil Smyth (via Canberra) and the return of local prodigy Scott Ninnis (via South East Melbourne) who had spent two seasons playing under Brian Goorjian in Melbourne.

After nine games it was clear McCurdy (12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals) wasn’t what the team needed and he was replaced by import David Robinson (18.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) a serviceable import for sure, but not quite the same player as his NBA namesake.

Adelaide improved on last season under Monson, finishing in seventh place (14-12) and returning to the playoffs.

Mark Davis (22.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks) led the team in scoring and rebounding, Ninnis (19.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals) delivered the best season of his career and was selected as the league’s Most Improved Player and Blakemore (5.7 points and 4.9 rebounds) went on to claim Rookie of the Year honours.

Once into the playoffs, Adelaide were eliminated in the Quarterfinals by defending champions South East Melbourne.

Despite Blakemore carrying injuries during the first half of the season he averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds per game and was awarded the NBL Rookie of the Year.

1994
The 36ers continued strengthening their roster in 1994, enticing last season’s MVP Robert Rose (via South East Melbourne) to move to Adelaide. The undersized 36ers also acquired 6’8″ forward Andrew Svaldenis from the Hobart Devils before lastly replacing Monson with heralded NCAA coach Mike Dunlap.

The team finished in fourth place with a 19–8 record and went on to win their semi-final series against defending champions, the Melbourne Tigers and earning a matchup against the North Melbourne Giants to decide the NBL championship.

The win over the Tigers came at a cost though as team captain Mark Davis’s court time was limited in the Grand Final after dislocating his right shoulder during the first game of the semi finals. Adelaide would lose both games to North Melbourne (0-2), losing game one at the Powerhouse in overtime (93–95) and game two in Melbourne (97-117). Robert Rose averaged 32 points for the 36ers over the two grand final games, scoring 33 in game one and 31 in Game 2. He played a major role in game one as Adelaide came back from 63–77 down in the last period down to level the game at 84-84 at the end of regulation time and most felt that had Adelaide won the series he would have been the leading candidate for the Grand Final MVP award.

During the season Blakemore had improved his production from 6 points in 19 minutes per game to 13 points in 33 minutes per game and was awarded the league’s Most Improved Player award.

Under coach Mike Dunlap Adelaide’s good form continued into 1995 as the 36ers looked to build on the youth of the team, first deciding not to re-sign veteran Phil Smyth (who then signed with the Sydney Kings) and developing young stars Brett Maher, Blakemore and Brett Wheeler alongside stars Robert Rose, Mark Davis and new import signing Jo Jo English.

The 36ers finished sixth with a 17-9 record and would eliminated Newcastle in the Quarterfinals before meeting Perth in the semifinals where in game one Blakemore elbowed Perth forward Martin Cattalini as he cut through the key, delivering a cut to his mouth that required 15 stitches. The incident almost led to a brawl and Blakemore was suspended for game two of the series in Perth. Perth went on to win game two 85-76 and were eliminated by their playoff nemesis Perth who had also eliminated them in the 1987, 1989 and 1991 playoffs.

After the 1995 season rumors that Robert Rose price tag was too much for a 31 year old player who the 36ers believed that his best basketball was behind him. Additionally it was viewed that coach Dunlap preferred to coach younger players who still could be taught and didn’t get along very well with the team’s older players, which led to the departures of Mike McKay (Brisbane), Phil Smyth (Sydney) and Robert Rose and Blakemore (Canberra).

CANBERRA CANNONS
1996
During Blakemore’s first season with the Canberra Cannons his production was similar to that of his time in Adelaide but injuries again limited him from reaching his full potential. He averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds in his first season and knee injuries only increased in his second year in Canberra where he managed only 7 points and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes per game before missing the last third of the season.

Blakemore’s rehabilitate his injuries and signed a deal to play with the Brisbane Bullets in 1998 but struggled during pre-season and retired from playing before the season began.

Chris Blakemore played five seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Adelaide 36ers and the Canberra Cannons. He averaged 9.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1 assists in 140 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (833 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.