Dr Dave Adkins and why he should be in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
February 14, 2021
Brad Miley
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 15/5/58
- Place of Birth: Rushville, Indiana (USA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 88
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Indiana State (1976–1980)
- NBL DEBUT: 6/02/82
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 18/07/82
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 24
- NBL History: Geelong 1982
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Born and raised in Rushville, Indiana (USA), Miley played his senior season for Rushville Consolidated High School in Rushville, Indiana under head coach Larry Angle, where Miley was a member of Rushville’s 26–2 1976 state runner-up squad. He remains the school’s single-season rebounding leader with 394 rebounds in 28 games (14.1 rpg).
Miley set a state finals record 29 rebounds in the Lions’ come-from-behind semi-final game against East Chicago Washington. He followed it up in the state championship game with 16 rebounds in the loss to Marion.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Brad Miley made his NBL debut with the Geelong Cats at 23 years of age. He scored 11 points in his first game.
On the back of winning a state league title in 1981, Geelong and a successful appeareance in the NBL preseason tournament where the Cats defeated multiple NBL squads, Geelong was entered into the NBL for the 1982 season.
No one would have predicted that Geelong would reach the NBL Grand Final in their first year in the competition, especially after starting the year with a 2-3 record which included a drubbing at the hands of Nunawading.
Bruton began the year carrying the offensive load for the Cats, in fact, he was the league-leading scorer for the first seven weeks of the season until eventual winner Reg Biddings took over, on the back of his 63 point effort, which remains the highest score in a 40-minute NBL game.
As a result of the team’s slow start, coach Tim Kaiser was fired and replaced with the team’s high-scoring guard Cal Bruton, who would act as a player-coach for the remainder of the season. A stunning 13-game winning streak followed, culminating with Geelong finishing in second place (20-6).
Miley averaged 7.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists for the season, alongside Bruton (23.4 points 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) and fellow import James Crawford (26.0 points and 10.9 rebounds) as the team got their revenge on Nunawading by defeating them in the semifinals (71-59).
Geelong then advanced to the Grand Final where they would face West Adelaide who had lost only five games for the year, twice by one point and once by two points before eliminating Coburg in the semifinals to reach the Grand Final. In fact, during the last round of the season, West Adelaide had thrashed Geelong by 29 points at Apollo Stadium to cement themselves into a first-place finish.
The championship game was played at the neutral venue of Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium (Newcastle), as a neutral venue, where the Bearcats would prove far too strong.
Behind the team’s ‘Big Three’ of Al Green (23.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists), Leroy Loggins (25.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) and player/coach Ken Richardson (14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists), they resisted a courageous second-half challenge by Geelong to win the Grand Final (80-74), becoming the team from South Australia to win the national championship.
In their 15 seasons of NBL competition from 1982 to 1996, this would prove to be Geelong’s only NBL Grand Final appearance. At the end of the season, Bruton received the league’s Coach of the Year award, and Crawford earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team.
Brad Miley played one season in the NBL. He averaged 7.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 28 NBL games.
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.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 24 | Geelong | 20-6 (2) | 28 | 0.0 | 213 | 284 | 27 | 91 | 193 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 68 | 99 | 212 | 47% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 15 | 43 | 35% | 46% | 47% | 14 | Totals | 28 | 0 | 213 | 284 | 27 | 91 | 193 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 68 | 99 | 212 | 46.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 15 | 43 | 34.9% | 46% | 47% | 14 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 24 | Geelong | 20-6 (2) | 28 | 0.0 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 6.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 7.6 | 47% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 1.5 | 35% | 45.8% | 47% | 14 | Total | 28 | 0.0 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 6.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 7.6 | 46.7% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 34.9% | 46% | 47% | 14 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 14 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Iceland - Valur (1980). Keflavík (1983-84)
In October 1980, Miley began his pro career with reigning Úrvalsdeild karla champions Valur (Iceland). In his debut, he scored 14 points in Valurs overtime victory against ÍS. For the season, Miley averaged a team high 19.7 points in 17 games but Valur failed to repeat as champions. In the Icelandic Cup, Valur fared better, beating national champions Njarðvík in the Cup final where Miley scored 13 points.
After a year spent in Australia, Miley returned to Iceland in November 1982, signing as player-coach, replacing Tim Higgins with newly promoted team Keflavík. Miley would continue playing in Iceland until retiring in 1984.
COLLEGE
Miley played college basketball for Indiana State from 1976 to 1980 where he became known for his defense.
Miley started all 34 games during the 1978–79 season as Indiana State finished 33-1 and the runner-up to the NCAA championship, losing to 75-64 to Michigan State with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser in the NCAA Final. Miley averaged 5.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, shooting 62% from the field, playing alongside Larry Bird, Carl Nicks and Bob Heaton under coach Bill Hodges.
In 120 career games at Indiana State, Miley averaged 4.6 points 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, shooting 53% from the floor.
Related
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