NBL EXPERIENCE

Ted Holcomb made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks on 3/3/1979. He scored 18 points in his first game.

Launching into the NBL’s debut year, Illawarra built around a Wollongong core under coach Joe Farrugia and captain Bob Kubbinga, with American center Ted Holcomb partnering with fellow American Jim Slacke and Australian Boomers guard Gordie McLeod orchestrating the offence at Beaton Park’s “Snakepit.”

They completed the inaugural campaign 5–13 and eighth in a ten-team league, a formative season that established a blueprint the club would carry forward.

Illawarra came up big in their first NBL game ever, upsetting St Kilda 91–88 at the Snakepit as Jim Slacke (22 points) led the line supported by Ted Holcomb (18 points), Steve Tonkin (16 points), and Jim Williams (15 points), while the Saints rode Larry Sengstock (25 points) and Tony Barnett (25 points) in a contest where both teams shot 50% and the Hawks converted 17-of-21 free throws to St Kilda’s 16-of-29.

A 74–78 home loss to Canberra followed the next day, but a 74–71 edging of Bankstown pushed Illawarra to 2–1 before momentum flipped.

The middle of the schedule proved unforgiving as the Hawks dropped nine straight, including their heaviest defeat of the season at Nunawading on April 7, a 47–77 result where Bruce Andrews (17 points) and Jim Slacke (16 points) were the only Hawks in double figures as Illawarra attempted just 36 field goals and finished 11-of-15 at the stripe while the Spectres went 37-of-74 from the floor.

The frontcourt clicked on May 12 in the club’s biggest win, a 110–83 home result over Glenelg driven by Ted Holcomb (32 points) and Jim Slacke (26 points) as Illawarra posted a season-high 110 on 48-of-96 shooting while the Tigers were paced by David Smyth (21 points) and Lutz Heim (18 points).

Seven days later the Hawks finished a sweep of Glenelg with a 74–68 road win in Adelaide, then closed the season on June 2 with a one-point derby decided at Beaton Park, edging Newcastle 81–80 behind Jim Slacke (34 points) and Ted Holcomb (14 points), as the Falcons leaned on Dave Ankeney (26 points) and Dan Riley (24 points).

While Jim Slacke (23.8 points across 18 games) ended the season in fifth place among the league’s top scorers, Ted Holcomb (16.1 points across 10 games) teamed with him to form a strong offensive 1-2 punch.

Other key contributors for the Hawks this season were Steve Tonkin (13.4 points across 15 games), Gordie McLeod (10.1 points across 17 games) and captain Bob Kubbinga (8.1 points across 18 games).

Illawarra’s record left them outside the four-team postseason, and the league’s first title was decided in a single-game Grand Final as St Kilda edged Canberra 94–93, a result that underscored the significance of Illawarra’s opening-night win over the eventual champions.

1980
Illawarra’s second NBL season saw national-team assistant Adrian Hurley take over coaching duties, while hometown guard Gordie McLeod stepped into the captaincy to guide a Wollongong-built core around American frontcourt presence Ted Holcomb and primary scorer Jim Slacke at Beaton Park’s “Snakepit.” The Hawks saw it’s key rotation return, the only major changes being Kevin Becker and Ray Hannett replacing Steve Tonkin and Bruce Andrews.

The campaign opened on February 2 with a narrow 76–73 road loss at Coburg, where the Giants rode Wayne Carroll (20 points), while Illawarra leaned on Jim Slacke (25 points) and Ted Holcomb (18 points) leading the way offensively.

Less than 24 hours later the Hawks produced an early marker by toppling reigning champions St Kilda 74–68 at Albert Park, overcoming Rocky Smith (36 points) behind Jim Slacke (29 points), Gordie McLeod (15 points), Kevin Becker (13 points), and Ted Holcomb (6 points) on a day both teams shot 50% from the field and Illawarra added 12-of-20 at the stripe.

That result ignited a six-game surge to 6–1 built on cleaner half-court execution and improved resistance at the Snakepit, with wins that included a 101–77 home statement over West Torrens, a 78–56 road victory at Canberra, a 73–71 steal in Newcastle, a 72–65 follow-up against the Cannons, and an 83–82 escape at Bankstown before returning home to edge Newcastle 101–98. Reality checks arrived through March as West Adelaide, the eventual runners-up, handed Illawarra a heavy 104–68 lesson in Adelaide, and Nunawading pinched an 89–88 heartbreaker at Beaton Park, moments that tightened a finals race that would remain congested into May. The Hawks countered with important road scalps—an 85–83 win at Nunawading and an 84–81 success in Brisbane—plus an 82–79 result at City of Sydney that kept the ledger on the right side of .500 and Illawarra in the semi-final chase.

The run home ultimately decided the season, as Hurley’s group dropped three straight to finish—beginning with a 95–85 home loss to West Adelaide, followed by an 87–80 setback to Brisbane, and then an upset 80–79 loss to Launceston at the Snakepit that sealed their fate. The Hawks finished the season one game short of making the playoffs.

In their final game of the season, Illawarra—without captain Gordie McLeod—saw Jim Slacke (24 points), Kevin Becker (16 points), Jim Williams (13 points), Ray Hannett (9 points), and Ted Holcomb (8 points) carry the scoring load, while the Tigers were led by Curtis Coleman (31 points) and Cliff Martin (20 points).

Across the roster, Jim Slacke (22.6 points, 87.2% FT across 22 games) set the offensive bar and captured the league’s free-throw percentage title. Kevin Becker (16.3 points across 22 games) provided reliable secondary scoring on the wing, while Gordie McLeod (13 points across 19 games) combined captaincy with pace control and timely buckets in his first season wearing the armband. Ted Holcomb (11.5 points across 21 games) complemented the trio, with Ray Hannett (7.4 points across 22 games) and Jim Williams (5.4 points across 21 games) rounding out the team’s other key contributors.

Illawarra closed 13–9 and sixth on a 12-team table—one win short of the four-team semi-finals—after an arc that began 6–1, featured quality road wins against contenders, and ended with losses to playoff-bound West Adelaide and Brisbane and the one-point stinger versus Launceston that kept a breakthrough post-season just out of reach.

1982
In 1982, Illawarra entered a new chapter under head coach Tom Pottinger, returning with much of their 1981 roster intact but missing import guard Benny Lewis and forward Alan Yates. The Hawks signed American forward Alonzo Weatherly to replace Lewis and successfully retained reigning league MVP Michael Jones, forming a dynamic frontcourt duo. Team captain Gordie McLeod continued to steer the offense, supported by long-time Hawks Jim Slacke, Ray Hannett, and returning forward Ted Holcomb, who rejoined the lineup after missing the previous season.

The Hawks faced a season defined by inconsistency. They were formidable at home, posting an 8–5 record at Beaton Park Stadium (“The Snakepit”), showcasing their strength on familiar ground. Their season opener was a highlight — a 98–91 victory over Launceston Casino City — before suffering a narrow one-point loss to Adelaide City (87–88) in Round 2. Despite flashes of excellence, Illawarra struggled to maintain momentum, managing just three wins from thirteen road games. The inability to close tight contests, particularly away from home, would haunt their playoff ambitions.

Pottinger’s side showed both promise and frustration through the campaign. They rebounded from an early slump with a strong April surge, stringing together four consecutive victories, including a 125–103 shootout against Westate and a 106–83 demolition of Nunawading — their largest winning margin of the season. Jones (23.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists) and Weatherly (23.7 points and 9.2 rebounds) were dominant during this stretch, combining interior scoring and rebounding power that overwhelmed visiting defenses. Slacke (16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds) provided consistent perimeter scoring, while McLeod (10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) directed the tempo with reliability. Holcomb delivered valuable frontcourt depth throughout this run, offering steady defense and rebounding support in a rotation anchored by Jones and Weatherly.

Illawarra’s mixed form returned late in the year — they edged Coburg (98–93) and Bankstown (85–81) but endured close defeats such as a 91–89 road loss to Canberra and a 99–105 setback against Brisbane. The final fortnight summed up their season: a thrilling 92–90 home win over Canberra capped their Snakepit schedule, followed by heavy road defeats to St Kilda (87–119) and Nunawading (73–103). Despite flashes of playoff-level play, the Hawks finished ninth with an 11–15 record.

After missing the 1981 campaign, Ted Holcomb (6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.4 assists across 26 games) played every fixture of the 1982 season in what would be his last NBL season.

Ted Holcomb played three seasons the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 10 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.1 assists in 57 NBL games.