NBL EXPERIENCE

Jeff Patterson made his NBL debut with the Newcastle Falcons on 11/2/1984. He scored 10 points in his first game.

The 1984 NBL season marked a turning point for the Newcastle Falcons, with club icon Dave Ankeney stepping in as head coach following the departure of Denis Kibble. Ankeney, the team’s all-time leading scorer at the time, was tasked with turning the franchise into a contender. He rebuilt around emerging local guard Michael Johnson and revamped the import rotation—bringing in explosive forward Jerry Dennard and inside presence Jim Bateman in place of George Morrow and Donnie Cruse

Newcastle opened the year in top form, storming out to a 5–0 start. The streak included a 91–80 win over the previously undefeated Brisbane Bullets (6–0), a statement victory that put the rest of the league on notice. The Falcons stayed in the thick of the Eastern Division title race all season, engaged in a tight three-way fight for top spot with Brisbane and Coburg

Jim Bateman (24.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals) made an immediate impact as the team’s go-to option in the paint, while Michael Johnson (21.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists) followed up his breakout campaign with another big year. Veteran Ian Davies chipped in 19.1 points, 4.7 boards, and 2.9 assists per game, and the high-energy duo of Jerry Dennard (15.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 steals) and Ian Robilliard (12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.7 steals) created havoc at both ends

Jeff Patterson served as a valuable depth piece off the bench, appearing in 23 games and averaging 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.8 steals. A capable swingman, Patterson’s size and hustle allowed him to fill multiple roles in Ankeney’s rotation, providing bursts of energy, rebounding, and scoring in limited minutes. He contributed key minutes throughout the regular season and offered versatility when foul trouble or injuries hit the starting five

Newcastle remained a title threat deep into the season, but a costly 129–117 road loss to Adelaide in the final weeks proved decisive. The Falcons finished the regular season at 18–6, tied with Coburg, but were relegated to third place based on point differential (+4) in the head-to-head series, with Brisbane locking up the top seed at 19–5

The Falcons advanced to the playoffs for the first time in club history, taking on Illawarra in a high-stakes elimination final. Newcastle prevailed 108–101 thanks to standout performances from Davies (26 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals), Johnson (23 points, 8 rebounds), Bateman (21 points, 12 rebounds), and Robilliard (21 points, 10 rebounds). Patterson added 2 points in limited floor time as Newcastle shot 44% from the field and won the rebounding battle 48–42

The following night, however, Newcastle’s dream run came to a halt in the semi-finals against Coburg. Despite 29 points from Johnson, 24 from Davies, and 15 from Bateman, the Falcons fell 132–109 as Coburg’s Wayne Carroll erupted for 29 points and 7 assists. Patterson contributed 4 points and 5 rebounds in the loss, continuing to bring hustle and effort in his reserve role

While the campaign ended in disappointment, 1984 was a landmark season for both Patterson and the Falcons.

Jeff Patterson played one season in the NBL. He averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1 assists in 23 NBL games.