Everette Stephens on playing for the Newcastle Falcons and Geelong Supercats during the 1990s
June 17, 2023
Adrian Branch
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 17/11/63
- Place of Birth: Washington D.C., Washington (USA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 84
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Maryland (1981–1985)
- NBL DEBUT: 4/04/92
- AGE AT DEBUT: 28
- LAST NBL GAME: 3/06/94
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 30
- NBL History: Brisbane 1992 | Geelong 1993-94
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Adrian Branch was born in Washington D.C., Washington (USA). A 6’7″ small forward out of DeMatha High School, Branch starred at the University of Maryland from 1981 to 1985.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Adrian Branch made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 28 years of age. He scored 21 points in his first game.
In his first season in the NBL, Branch averaged 28.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists as the Bullets finished in seventh place (12-12).
GEELONG SUPERCATS
1993
After the team was gutted in 1992, a move which resulted in Geelong finishing with just two wins for the season, the Supercats were able to regroup and add to their wafer-thin roster of last season. Vince Hinchen (via Melbourne) would return after a season playing with the Tigers, and Ray Borner (via North Melbourne) was signed to help fill a gaping hole inside. Imports Bobby Locke and Chris Williams were replaced by Branch and Mike Morrison, who had just finished up a stint with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
Six games into the season, the Supercats received a letter from coach Steve Breheny, which outlined he felt he did not have the support of the club. It was reported that he did not want Branch as part of the team, but the club chose to sign him to a two-year deal anyways. After a loss to Melbourne, Breheny brought Branch off the bench in their next game against Adelaide, feeling he cared more about stats than winning (a sentiment echoed by his former Brisbane coach Brian Kerle). Geelong would win this game (113-100), with Branch playing 36 minutes and scoring 30 points. Branch then skipped trainings, prompting Breheny to pen a letter to management asking for their support or agreeing to re-sign. The Supercats (2-4) accepted his resignation and continued the season under interim coach Terry Kealey. Jim Calvin was hired as a permanent solution shortly after.
Branch (26.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals) would go on to lead the team statistically, with Morrison (22.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals), Cecil Exum (16.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals), Borner (16.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) and Vince Hinchen (14.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals) adding support. The team saw very little support from the bench, with its starting five all playing a minimum of 35 minutes a game and only Wayne Larkins (6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 steals) playing meaningful minutes off the bench. The team basically played with six players for the entire season.
With three rounds left, Geelong sat equal last alongside Hobart and Townsville, all three team’s sitting on four wins. Geelong, however, reeled off three wins in a row to end the season, knocking off Sydney (126–115), Gold Coast (113–108) and fourth-placed Brisbane (118–115) to end the season on a high note.
1994
The 1994 season saw Branch average 20.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists and play a key role in helping the Supercats to a first place finish in the regular season with a 7-19 record.
Adrian Branch played three seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Brisbane Bullets and the Geelong Supercats. He averaged 26.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 61 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 23rd in points per game.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 30 | Geelong | 7-19 (11) | 10 | 394.0 | 209 | 82 | 19 | 27 | 55 | 14 | 6 | 32 | 32 | 85 | 183 | 46% | 9 | 38 | 24% | 30 | 58 | 52% | 50% | 49% | 31 |
| 1993 | 29 | Geelong | 7-19 (12) | 26 | 1,100.0 | 700 | 218 | 51 | 86 | 132 | 49 | 17 | 111 | 91 | 288 | 558 | 52% | 51 | 131 | 39% | 73 | 110 | 66% | 57% | 56% | 39 |
| 1992 | 28 | Brisbane | 12-12 (7) | 25 | 1,038.0 | 711 | 271 | 73 | 89 | 182 | 41 | 13 | 110 | 102 | 283 | 564 | 50% | 31 | 90 | 34% | 114 | 181 | 63% | 55% | 53% | 44 | Totals | 61 | 2532 | 1620 | 571 | 143 | 202 | 369 | 104 | 36 | 253 | 225 | 656 | 1305 | 50.3% | 91 | 259 | 35.1% | 217 | 349 | 62.2% | 56% | 54% | 44 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 30 | Geelong | 7-19 (11) | 10 | 39.4 | 20.9 | 8.2 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 8.5 | 18.3 | 46% | 0.9 | 3.8 | 24% | 3.0 | 5.8 | 52% | 50% | 49% | 31 |
| 1993 | 29 | Geelong | 7-19 (12) | 26 | 42.3 | 26.9 | 8.4 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 11.1 | 21.5 | 52% | 2.0 | 5.0 | 39% | 2.8 | 4.2 | 66% | 57% | 56% | 39 |
| 1992 | 28 | Brisbane | 12-12 (7) | 25 | 41.5 | 28.4 | 10.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 11.3 | 22.6 | 50% | 1.2 | 3.6 | 34% | 4.6 | 7.2 | 63% | 55% | 53% | 44 | Total | 61 | 41.5 | 26.6 | 9.4 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 6.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 10.8 | 21.4 | 50.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.1% | 1.5 | 4.2 | 62.2% | 56% | 54% | 44 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 44 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Adrian Branch was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with pick #46 in the 1985 NBA Draft.
He played a reserve role with the Los Angeles Lakers when they won the NBA Championship in 1987.
In 2004, he became a television color analyst for the NBAs Charlotte Bobcats games.
Adrian Branch joined ESPN in 2007 as a college basketball analyst.
Branch played 32 games in the NBA. He averaged 4.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- February 15, 1983: Traded by the Los Angeles Lakers (as a future 1985 2nd round draft pick) to the Chicago Bulls for Dwight Jones.
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June 18, 1985: Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 2nd round (46th pick) of the 1985 NBA Draft.
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October 7, 1985: Waived by the Chicago Bulls.
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June 16, 1986: Signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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August 22, 1986: Waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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September 18, 1986: Signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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November 5, 1987: Player rights sold by the Los Angeles Lakers to the New Jersey Nets.
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December 22, 1987: Waived by the New Jersey Nets.
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October 6, 1988: Signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers.
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October 13, 1989: Waived by the Portland Trail Blazers.
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October 20, 1989: Signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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December 26, 1989: Waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 99% | 82% | 96% | 85% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 44 | 8 | 5 | 3 | ||||||
| Total | 656 | 1305 | 50.3% | 91 | 259 | 35.1% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 23 | LA Lakers | SF | 32 | 0 | 219 | 138 | 53 | 16 | 23 | 30 | 16 | 3 | 24 | 39 | 48 | 96 | 50% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 42 | 54 | 78% | 58% | 50% | Total | 32 | 0 | 219 | 138 | 53 | 16 | 23 | 30 | 16 | 3 | 24 | 39 | 48 | 96 | 50% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 42 | 54 | 78% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 23 | LA Lakers | SF | 32 | 0 | 6.8 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0% | 1.3 | 1.7 | 78% | 58% | 50% | Total | 32 | 0 | 6.8 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 50% | 0.1 | 0% | 1.3 | 1.7 | 78% |
COLLEGE
In 1984, Branch led the Terrapins to the ACC Championship. He finished his career at Maryland as their second all-time leading scorer.
In 2004, Branch was honored at the ACC Tournament as a "ACC Legend."
He was a All-ACC second team selection twice. Branch was drafted into the NBA in the second round by the Chicago Bulls in 1985.
AWARDS
- McDonald's All-American (1981)
- NBA champion (1987)
Related
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