NICKNAME/S: AJ

BIO: Andrew “A.J.” Ogilvy was born in Sydney (NSW) and attended Oakhill College, located in Castle Hill, NSW. He started playing basketball as a junior with the Hills Hornets under the guidance of Coach Howard.

In 2005, he also won the New South Wales Junior Basketball Player of the Year Award, the Basketball Australia Education Award, and the AIS Academic Excellence Award. Ogilvy received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2005. He spent three years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2005, 2006, 2007).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Aj Ogilvy made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 25 years of age. He scored 14 points in his first game.

On 16 April 2013, Ogilvy signed with his hometown team the Sydney Kings for the 2013/14 NBL season. In his first NBL season, Ogilvy (13.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.3 blocks) led the league in rebounds (243) and blocks (65), earning his first spot on the All-NBL First Team. Sydney went on to finish sixth place during the regular season (12-16), missing out on the playoffs.

After suffering a foot injury while playing in Spain, Ogilvy returned to Australia for the 2015/16 season, signing with the Illawarra Hawks and was a revelation for the Hawks, who had finished last in the NBL the prior season, finishing in the top six of five statistical categories. He averaged 16.4 points (6th), 8.5 rebounds (2nd), 1.5 steals (2nd), 1.7 blocks per game (1st) while shooting 45.% from the field (4th).

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2015/16
Following long-time coach Gordie McLeod’s departure, Rob Beveridge was signed as head coach for the 2015/16 season. He made big moves coming into his first season, inking the trio of AJ Ogilvy, Kirk Penney, and Kevin Lisch, who had all been playing in Europe the previous season.

The trio were dubbed ‘the three-headed monster’, but a knee injury to Lisch in the Hawks opening game of the season saw the trio play limited games together during the first month of the season.

Lisch returned to action with a 15 point and 7 rebound effort in a loss to his former team, the Perth Wildcats (106–99). In January, Lisch was named NBL Player of the Month for December after leading the Hawks to five wins in six games and averaging 22.7 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game throughout the month. This included a career-high 40 points in a double-overtime win over New Zealand (103–96) in Auckland. Four days later, he played his 150th NBL game in a loss to the Wildcats in Perth.

Ogilvy, who had just overcome a foot injury sustained while playing in Spain, was a revelation for the Hawks, finishing sixth in the league in scoring, fourth in field-goal percentage, second in both rebounds and steals and first in blocks. Ogilvy (16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.7 blocks) delivered one of the greatest statistical seasons of the past 20 years as Illawarra finished in third place (17–11).

This set up a semi final series against second-seed Perth, where, during the first quarter, Illawarra suffered a major blow to their playoff hopes. Lisch suffered a ankle injury late in the first quarter before returning to the bench in the second half in a moon boot and on crutches. The injury ruled Lisch out of Game 2, but the Hawks managed to rally at home to even the series. He recovered in time to face the Wildcats in game three however, despite Lisch’s return, the Hawks were defeated (89–74) and eliminated from the playoffs.

Penney was named to the All-NBL second team while both Ogilvy (16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) and Lisch (19.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals) were selected to the All-NBL First Team. Lisch also took home the Best Defensive Player award as well as winning the NBL MVP for the second time, making Lisch only the second player in NBL history to win the award with two different team’s.

2016/17
The Hawks would face a tough off-season in 2017, first losing Kevin Lisch to NSW rival Sydney who offered a very large contract to Kevin Lisch far above what the Hawks could afford. Then losing veteran Kirk Penney who would return to play for the New Zealand Breakers.

Beveridge quickly signed Mitch Norton and Nick Kay who had been left without a team after the demise of the Townsville Crocodiles following the 2015/16 season. Both players being heavily sought after by a number of rival NBL clubs.

Despite both receiving a number of higher financial offers, it was the recommendation from former Crocodiles Shawn Dennis to playing under head coach Rob Beveridge while delivered both to the Illawarra Hawks. Both players signing two-year deals with the club In April 2016.

Beveridge would replace Lisch with returning Hawk and former NBL MVP Rotnei Clarke, pair him with Marvelle Harris as the team’s second import and was able to retain his core group of Oscar Forman, Tim Coenraad, Rhys Martin and Kevin White.

With all the new faces, the Hawks struggled to start the season and after first four rounds they sat at the bottom of the ladder.

Behind a strong finish to the season from the high-scoring Clarke (17 points per game) the Hawks squeezed into the top four by one game and Ogilvy finished the regular season averaging 11.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

The Hawks faced the Adelaide in the semifinals, the 36ers had finished the season on top of the NBL Ladder and took game one easily, 93-78, behind Jerome Randle’s 26 points and 4 assists. In a major upset, the Hawks would go on to win games two (100–94) and three (106-98) ending the 36ers season in premature fashion. Rotnei Clark led the team in scoring with 20 points in the deciding game.

There they would face off against Beveridge’s former team, the Perth Wildcats, who would sweep the Hawks in three straight games and win their eighth NBL Championship.

Rotnei Clarke, the Hawks leading scorer, struggled against the Wildcats, with defensive player of the year Damian Martin limiting him to just eight shots in game one. On the other hand, Perth’s leading scorer Bryce Cotton couldn’t be stopped, etching his name in the record books after exploding for 45 points in game three and taking home the NBL Finals MVP award.

2017/18
After finishing fourth with a 15-13 record and reaching the 2017 NBL Grand Final, where they were swept by Perth, Illawarra entered 2017/18 under coach Rob Beveridge with Marvelle Harris (to Team Challenge ALS) and Michael Holyfield (to Beijing Dongfang) departing, while imports Demitrius Conger (via Antwerp Giants) and Delvon Johnson (via Södertälje Kings) joined a largely returning Australian core.

Coming off a second consecutive All-NBL First Team selection, AJ spent part of the off-season with Azad University Tehran in Iran before returning to Australia with a rolled ankle. He used the months before the season to recover and entered the second year of the three-year deal he had signed with Illawarra in 2016, saying, “this is definitely where I want to be and I’m very happy with the decision.”

Illawarra opened the season in Cairns on October 6, where Ogilvy (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block) produced his best game of the season, while Clarke (22 points) and Conger (17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block) provided support, but Alex Loughton (19 points and 3 rebounds) made the game-winning free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining to give Cairns an 88-87 win.

Ogilvy (9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 22 games) remained Illawarra’s starting centre for the first half of the season and shot 52 per cent from the field, but injuries limited him to six fewer games than the previous season.

Against Brisbane on November 3, Ogilvy (14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks) helped Illawarra produce its biggest win of the season, with Kay (19 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Conger (18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and a steal) leading the Hawks to a 112-81 victory at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, while Perrin Buford (18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) led the Bullets.

On November 16, Ogilvy (19 points, 9 rebounds, a steal, and 2 blocks) played an important role as Illawarra recovered from a 16-point deficit at three-quarter time to defeat Sydney 97-93 in overtime at WIN Entertainment Centre. Clarke (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Conger (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) provided support, while Jerome Randle (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Sydney in his first game for the Kings.

A groin injury ruled AJ out in early December, costing him his first game of the season. He returned for two games before a hip injury sidelined him for another three games during late December. He returned in January and came off the bench for each of his final nine appearances. His other two absences came during the final three games of the season, with no further injury or illness publicly specified.

Illawarra’s backcourt was also hit when Mitchell Norton fractured his thumb in early December and underwent surgery, ruling him out for six weeks. Indiana Faithfull (via Sydney) joined on December 9 while the Hawks sought point guard cover and appeared in nine games. Johnson (4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 28 games) remained with Illawarra for the entire season despite calls for his replacement during the year, with the Hawks making no mid-season import change.

Conger (19.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 27 games) led the Hawks in scoring, finished second in NBL MVP voting and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Clarke (18 points across 25 games), Kay (11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals across 28 games), Norton (7.8 points across 19 games), Coenraad (6.9 points and 3 rebounds across 28 games), Ellis (6.7 points across 20 games) and Martin (5.9 points and 1.3 steals across 28 games) were Illawarra’s other major contributors. Kevin White served as captain, while Oscar Forman played his final NBL season.

With Ogilvy unavailable for Illawarra’s final game on February 18, the Hawks defeated minor premier Melbourne 94-84 at Hisense Arena behind Kay (27 points, 7 rebounds, and a block) and Coenraad (24 points and 6 rebounds), while Tai Wesley (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Josh Boone (14 points and 3 rebounds) led United. The Hawks finished fifth with a 12-16 record and missed the playoffs.

2018/19Ogilvy had originally joined Illawarra (via Spain) for the 2015/16 season after a foot injury while playing in Spain brought him back to Australia. On April 12, 2018, he exercised his player option to return for another season, and six days later was the only Hawks player under contract as Beveridge began rebuilding the roster around him.

Ogilvy’s best game came immediately in the season opener against defending champion Melbourne at WIN Entertainment Centre on October 12, where Ogilvy (15 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) matched his career-high rebounding total as Illawarra fell 122-123 after four overtimes. Blanchfield (26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Conklin (17 points and 6 rebounds) were the Hawks’ other leading scorers, while Josh Boone (24 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks) led Melbourne. Ogilvy grabbed several important offensive rebounds as the game stretched into overtime and later said, “I started to get a couple of offensive rebounds in the second overtime that created some energy.” With Melbourne ahead late in the third overtime, Ogilvy secured Casper Ware’s missed three-pointer and started the transition play that ended with Jordair Jett forcing a fourth overtime.

Talk about putting on the JETS…@jjett5 sends this thing to quadruple OT#NBL19 #MELatILL pic.twitter.com/jDFiC2AOdD

— The NBL (@NBL) October 12, 2018

Ogilvy (9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds across 27 games) led Illawarra in rebounding and remained an important part of its interior defence. Two days after the opener, he suffered an ankle injury during the 61-101 loss in Perth and was limited to 10 minutes. The ankle problem then kept him out of the October 21 road win against Cairns, his only missed game of the season, before he returned to the lineup the following week.

One of Ogilvy’s best scoring games came in Brisbane on November 22, where Ogilvy (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) shot 6-of-9 from the field, but Illawarra suffered its third consecutive loss as Brisbane won 104-85. Conklin (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Coenraad (13 points) provided support, while Lamar Patterson (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Brisbane.

Three days later, Ogilvy produced his season-high scoring performance against Adelaide, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block as Illawarra snapped its losing streak with a 120-109 win. Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Jett (18 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) helped the Hawks produce their highest score of the season, while former Hawk Conger (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Adelaide.

Conklin (14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds) led Illawarra in scoring, while Blanchfield (13.5 points and 4.2 rebounds) was named the Hawks’ club MVP. Jett (11.8 points and 1.5 steals), Coenraad (8.7 points and 4 rebounds), Andersen (8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds), Jackson (7.9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) and Grida (5.1 points) were the other major contributors as the Hawks struggled to maintain enough consistency to return to the playoffs.

Ogilvy did not exit Illawarra following the season. On March 29, 2019, he re-signed for 2019/20 with an option for a second season, extending the Hawks tenure that had begun in 2015. Ogilvy (retired) ultimately remained with Illawarra through the 2021/22 season before calling time on his career in August 2022 after seven seasons with the club. He later explained that Illawarra had not offered him another contract after his final season and, despite receiving offers elsewhere, he did not want to relocate for one more year, announcing, “The time has come for me to hang up the boots.”

Illawarra’s season ended in Wellington on February 14, where Ogilvy (12 points and 4 rebounds) completed his 27th appearance as New Zealand defeated the Hawks 130-96. Grida (17 points) and Coenraad (11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) were Illawarra’s other leading performers, while Shawn Long (21 points and 8 rebounds) led New Zealand as the Hawks finished seventh with a 12-16 record.

2019/20
After finishing seventh with a 12-16 record the previous season, Illawarra made significant changes under new head coach Matt Flinn. Kevin White (to Adelaide), Brian Conklin, Jordair Jett and Cedric Jackson departed, while former NBA guard Aaron Brooks, Next Star LaMelo Ball, Josh Boone (via Melbourne), Sunday Dech (via Perth) and Sam Froling were added to a returning group which included Todd Blanchfield, Tim Coenraad and David Andersen.

Illawarra opened the season at home against Brisbane on October 6, where Ogilvy (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) provided an efficient contribution inside but the Hawks fell 90-81. Brooks (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra, while Ball (12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals) made an immediate impact in his NBL debut and Lamar Patterson (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led Brisbane.

Ogilvy (8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds across 26 games) had re-signed with Illawarra on March 29 for the 2019/20 season with an option for a second year, extending his stay with the club after four seasons in Wollongong. He remained a regular part of the Hawks’ frontcourt rotation and started 23 of his 26 appearances.

Ogilvy’s best game of the season came against Cairns on October 14, where he finished with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals and delivered the game-winning free throw with 1.1 seconds remaining as Illawarra collected its first win of the season, 89-88. After missing two free throws moments earlier, Ogilvy was fouled by Cameron Oliver and made the first attempt to put the Hawks ahead, with Blanchfield (20 points) and Brooks (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) providing support while DJ Newbill (26 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Cairns.

Illawarra’s season changed on October 27 when Brooks (17.9 points and 4.1 assists across 7 games) tore his Achilles against Perth, ending his season and ultimately his playing career. Ball (17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.7 steals across 12 games) was pushed into a larger role following Brooks’ injury and later became the youngest player in NBL history to record a triple-double before recording another in his next game.

Ball then bruised his foot in practice in December and was expected to miss around four weeks, leading to the addition of Darington Hobson (5.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals across 13 games). Ball eventually returned to the United States with four games remaining to prepare for the NBA Draft, while Billy Preston (6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds across 3 games) was added to the roster before being released after three appearances following multiple missed practices.

Ogilvy delivered his second-highest scoring game against New Zealand on December 22, making nine field goals to finish with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist as Illawarra fell 91-89 after Scotty Hopson hit the game-winner with 3.7 seconds remaining. Blanchfield (19 points) and Emmett Naar (17 points and 8 assists) helped keep the Hawks close, while Hopson (21 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Sek Henry (21 points and 6 assists) led New Zealand.

After playing Illawarra’s first 18 games, Ogilvy missed the January 4 game against Melbourne and January 6 game against Adelaide. No injury or illness was reported around either absence, and he returned against Perth on January 10, playing the remainder of the season.

Ogilvy produced his third-highest scoring game of the season against Melbourne on February 8, finishing with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in a 95-72 loss at Melbourne Arena. Blanchfield (12 points) and Boone (10 points and 7 rebounds) provided support, while Chris Goulding (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led a balanced United performance in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,300.

With Brooks and Ball unavailable for much of the season, Blanchfield (13.3 points and 3.9 rebounds across 28 games) became Illawarra’s leading scorer and won the Hawks’ MVP award for the second consecutive season, while Ball was named NBL Rookie of the Year. Dech (9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds across 27 games) developed into a larger role, while Boone (8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds across 24 games), Coenraad (8.1 points across 28 games) and Andersen (6.6 points across 16 games) were other regular contributors. Froling (6 points and 3.4 rebounds across 17 games) missed 11 games with an ankle injury, while Naar (5.6 points and 3.6 assists across 25 games) provided additional minutes in the backcourt.

“Success is measured in different ways. While we’re not happy with our record, we’re proud of the progress made and the exposure brought to the club,” Flinn said on the challenging season.

Illawarra closed the season at Qudos Bank Arena against Sydney on February 14, where Ogilvy (5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 5 steals) played 21 minutes as the Hawks lost 98-82. Dech (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Angus Glover (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra, while Jae’Sean Tate (19 points and 5 rebounds) and Casper Ware (19 points and 3 assists) led Sydney as the Hawks finished ninth with a 5-23 record and ten consecutive losses.

2020/21
Following a five-win season which left Illawarra at the bottom of the NBL ladder, the club entered voluntary administration in April 2020 before creditors voted to liquidate the franchise the following month. The NBL ensured the Hawks survived and on June 17 awarded the licence to Dorry Kordahi, Bryan Colangelo and Michael Proctor, with the new ownership renaming the team The Hawks and appointing six-time NBL championship-winning coach Brian Goorjian. With all existing player contracts needing to be renewed, LaMelo Ball (to Charlotte), Todd Blanchfield (to Perth), Sunday Dech (to Adelaide), Angus Glover (to Sydney) and Josh Boone (to Bahrain) departed, while Tim Coenraad retired. Sam Froling and Emmett Naar returned as Goorjian rebuilt the roster with Cam Bairstow (via Vilnius), Deng Adel (via Long Island), Deng Deng (via New Zealand), Isaac White (via Stanford), Max Darling (via Croatia), Next Star Justinian Jessup (via Boise State) and imports Tyler Harvey (via Ulm) and Justin Simon (via Windy City).

Initially left off the rebuilt roster, AJ Ogilvy returned on a one-year deal as an injury replacement for Daniel Grida, who had torn his ACL in March 2020 and was initially expected to miss the season. As the most experienced Hawk on the roster, Ogilvy was later appointed captain and asked by Goorjian to provide leadership to the young playing group. “Wollongong has been my home for the past five years so signing with the Hawks was my first priority.” he said.

The Hawks opened the season at Nissan Arena on January 16, where Ogilvy (0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) played 13 minutes off the bench as Illawarra defeated Brisbane 90-84. Froling (19 points and 4 rebounds) and Naar (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Hawks, while Nathan Sobey (19 points) and Victor Law (17 points and 9 rebounds) led Brisbane.

Ogilvy (4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds across 39 games) was promoted into the starting lineup for the following game and ultimately started 37 of Illawarra’s 39 games, appearing in all 36 regular-season games and all three semifinals. He did not miss a game through injury during the season, finishing with 39 steals and 39 blocks while providing a veteran defensive presence alongside the Hawks’ younger frontcourt players. Illawarra won its opening four games while public opposition continued over the removal of “Illawarra” from the team’s name, before increased memberships and corporate support helped convince the NBL to restore the Illawarra name ahead of the club’s first home game.

Ogilvy’s best scoring game came against Brisbane on January 21, where Ogilvy (14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made 6-of-9 from the field as the Hawks overcame a 13-point deficit to win 90-82 and improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2013. Harvey (31 points and 2 steals) scored 20 points in the first half and Jessup (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) provided support, while Sobey (24 points and 2 steals) and Law (16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Brisbane.

One of Ogilvy’s best all-round games came against Cairns on April 11, where Ogilvy (8 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks) made 4-of-5 from the field as Illawarra defeated the Taipans 82-80. Harvey (35 points and 3 rebounds) led the Hawks and Simon (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) provided support, while Cameron Oliver (27 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Cairns’ best.

Ogilvy reached his 200th NBL game against Cairns on May 23 and recorded his only double-double of the season, with Ogilvy (11 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) helping Illawarra defeat the Taipans 93-81. Jessup (24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks), Harvey (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Froling (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks) led the Hawks, while Scott Machado (17 points and 9 assists) and Majok Deng (16 points) led Cairns.

Illawarra’s roster continued to change around him. Bairstow (11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds across 14 games) missed nine consecutive games with a hip issue before being ruled out for the remainder of the season, leading Coenraad (5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds across 11 games) to come out of retirement as his injury replacement. Grida returned on April 3 after more than 12 months recovering from his ACL injury, while Adel (5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds across 23 games) mutually agreed to leave the club in May after injuries and inconsistent form prevented him from establishing himself.

Harvey (20 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals across 37 games) led Illawarra in scoring, was named to the All-NBL First Team and finished runner-up to Bryce Cotton for league MVP. Jessup (13.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across 38 games) was the Hawks’ second-leading scorer, Froling (11.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 39 games) won the NBL Most Improved Player award and Simon (8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals across 39 games) won the Damian Martin Trophy as the league’s Best Defensive Player. Scoring didn’t come easy to Illawarra, who fell from averaging 90.5 points across its opening ten games to a league-low 81.5 for the season, while also finishing last in field-goal percentage at 42.5 percent, shooting 47.8 percent from two-point range, 33.2 percent from three and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line.

From Round 16 the Hawks won eight of their final ten regular-season games and clinched their first postseason appearance since 2017 against defending champion Perth on June 1. Ogilvy (0 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) helped Illawarra defeat the Wildcats 81-79, with Harvey (27 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Froling (14 points and 2 blocks) leading the Hawks while John Mooney (14 points and 16 rebounds) was Perth’s best. It was Illawarra’s only victory over Perth in four regular-season meetings after losing the previous three by double figures.

With a finals position secured, Goorjian reduced the minutes of several starters in the regular-season finale against Sydney on June 3, with Ogilvy (0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal) playing 12 minutes. White (12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals), Naar (12 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Froling (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks) led Illawarra, while Jarell Martin (23 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Xavier Cooks (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Sydney to a 79-73 win as the Hawks finished third with a 20-16 record.

The semifinal series opened at RAC Arena, where Ogilvy (0 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) started as Illawarra defeated Perth 74-72. Jessup (17 points and 4 rebounds), Simon (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Froling (10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led the Hawks, while Todd Blanchfield (24 points), Mooney (13 points and 15 rebounds) and Luke Travers (12 points and 6 rebounds) led Perth. Simon grabbed an offensive rebound and threw down the match-winning putback dunk with 15 seconds remaining as Illawarra recorded only its second victory in 24 games at RAC Arena.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Ogilvy (4 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal) played 12 minutes as Perth defeated Illawarra 79-71. Harvey (24 points and 4 steals), Jessup (11 points and 1 block) and Deng (9 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) led the Hawks, while Mooney (18 points and 10 rebounds), Travers (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Clint Steindl (12 points) led Perth, with Steindl scoring all 12 of his points during a 32-point Wildcats third quarter.

Game three returned to RAC Arena, where Ogilvy (2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) came off the bench as Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Harvey (10 points) and Simon (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists) helped Illawarra reduce a 16-point deficit to one early in the fourth quarter, while Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Mooney (16 points and 15 rebounds) and Mitch Norton (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth to a 79-71 win.

2021/22
After pushing defending champion Perth to a deciding game in the NBL21 semifinals, Illawarra entered its second season under Brian Goorjian with Justin Simon (to Germany), Cam Bairstow (to Adelaide) and Max Darling (released) departing. Tyler Harvey re-signed on a three-year deal, while Antonius Cleveland, Travis Trice, Harry Froling (via Brisbane) and Duop Reath (via Serbia) were added. Trice was released before the season after choosing not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, with Xavier Rathan-Mayes signed as his replacement.

The Hawks also re-signed captain AJ for another season after he collected the club’s Players’ Player award and helped lead Illawarra back to the playoffs. “He is the ultimate professional, he never complains… and he leads by example every step of the way,” said Goorjian.

Illawarra opened its season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on December 5, where Ogilvy (6 points and 2 rebounds) delivered his best game of the season as the Hawks defeated Adelaide 81-71. Reath (18 points and 9 rebounds), Justinian Jessup (17 points and 3 steals), Harvey (15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals) and Rathan-Mayes (15 points) led Illawarra, while former Hawk Bairstow (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) was Adelaide’s best.

Ogilvy (1.5 points and 1.4 rebounds across 11 games) remained the team’s captain but saw his role significantly reduced following the additions of Reath and Harry Froling, while Sam Froling continued to receive major minutes in the frontcourt. He played a total of 48 minutes and did not miss any games because of a confirmed injury or illness, with his 19 non-appearances coming as a result of limited opportunities in Goorjian’s rotation.

Club legend Tim Coenraad was initially added as an injury replacement before being elevated to the full roster after Daniel Grida suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Harvey (16.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals) remained Illawarra’s leading scorer, while Reath (15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks) collected the Hawks’ MVP award. Cleveland (14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1.2 blocks) won the NBL Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Jessup (13.3 points and 3.8 rebounds), Rathan-Mayes (10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists) and Sam Froling (8.9 points and 7.5 rebounds) were the other major contributors as Illawarra finished second with a 19-9 record.

Following the season, AJ announced his retirement after 218 NBL games and seven seasons with Illawarra. “The time has come for me to hang up the boots,” he said.

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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
2021-22	33	Illawarra	19-9 (2)	11	48.0	17	15	1	4	11	2	0	1	9	5	9	56%	1	2	50%	4	7	57%	69%	0%	6
2020-21	33	Illawarra	20-16 (3)	39	693.8	193	187	59	81	106	39	39	32	97	78	159	49%	2	5	40%	35	51	69%	53%	50%	14
2019-20	31	Illawarra	5-23 (9)	26	520.0	221	163	45	64	99	27	23	39	67	82	190	43%	7	21	33%	50	78	64%	49%	45%	19
2018-19	30	Illawarra	12-16 (7)	27	564.1	253	179	48	55	124	22	31	44	77	86	189	46%	6	20	30%	75	110	68%	52%	47%	19
2017-18	29	Illawarra	12-16 (5)	22	437.8	210	121	40	38	83	14	30	38	70	78	150	52%	4	11	36%	50	79	63%	56%	53%	22
2016-17	28	Illawarra	15-13 (4)	31	717.8	344	224	80	67	157	30	46	67	93	126	269	47%	9	35	26%	83	121	69%	53%	49%	22
2015-16	27	Illawarra	17-11 (3)	31	846.5	508	265	57	91	174	47	54	77	94	186	341	55%	1	7	14%	135	176	77%	60%	55%	36
2013-14	25	Sydney	12-16 (6)	28	792.0	367	243	54	99	144	23	65	71	85	137	240	57%	0	1	0%	93	123	76%	61%	57%
Totals				215	4620	2113	1397	384	499	898	204	288	369	592	778	1547	50.3%	30	102	29.4%	525	745	70.5%	56%	51%	36

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
2021-22	33	Illawarra	19-9 (2)	11	4.4	1.5	1.4	0.1	0.4	1.0	0.2	0.0	0.1	0.8	0.5	0.8	56%	0.1	0.2	50%	0.4	0.6	57%	69%	0%	6
2020-21	33	Illawarra	20-16 (3)	39	17.8	4.9	4.8	1.5	2.1	2.7	1.0	1.0	0.8	2.5	2.0	4.1	49%	0.1	0.1	40%	0.9	1.3	69%	53%	50%	14
2019-20	31	Illawarra	5-23 (9)	26	20.0	8.5	6.3	1.7	2.5	3.8	1.0	0.9	1.5	2.6	3.2	7.3	43%	0.3	0.8	33%	1.9	3.0	64%	49%	45%	19
2018-19	30	Illawarra	12-16 (7)	27	20.9	9.4	6.6	1.8	2.0	4.6	0.8	1.1	1.6	2.9	3.2	7.0	46%	0.2	0.7	30%	2.8	4.1	68%	52%	47%	19
2017-18	29	Illawarra	12-16 (5)	22	19.9	9.5	5.5	1.8	1.7	3.8	0.6	1.4	1.7	3.2	3.5	6.8	52%	0.2	0.5	36%	2.3	3.6	63%	56%	53%	22
2016-17	28	Illawarra	15-13 (4)	31	23.2	11.1	7.2	2.6	2.2	5.1	1.0	1.5	2.2	3.0	4.1	8.7	47%	0.3	1.1	26%	2.7	3.9	69%	53%	49%	22
2015-16	27	Illawarra	17-11 (3)	31	27.3	16.4	8.5	1.8	2.9	5.6	1.5	1.7	2.5	3.0	6.0	11.0	55%	0.0	0.2	14%	4.4	5.7	77%	60%	55%	36
2013-14	25	Sydney	12-16 (6)	28	28.3	13.1	8.7	1.9	3.5	5.1	0.8	2.3	2.5	3.0	4.9	8.6	57%	0.0	0.0	0%	3.3	4.4	76%	61%	57%
Total				215	21.5	9.8	6.5	1.8	2.3	4.2	0.9	1.3	1.7	2.8	3.6	7.2	50.3%	0.0	0.0	29.4%	0.1	0.5	70.5%	56%	51%	36

CAREER HIGHS

POINTS	REBOUNDS	ASSISTS	STEALS	BLOCKS	TURNOVERS	TRIPLE DOUBLES
36	21	7	5	8	9	0

STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE

• Canberra (2005–2007), Sydney (2019, 2022), Rockhampton (2019)

Ogilvy joined the Australian Institute of Sport for the 2005 SEABL season and remained with the AIS through 2007, developing as part of the Canberra-based program before leaving for Vanderbilt. During his 2007 SEABL campaign he averaged 18.3 points and 7.4 rebounds across 17 games in a shortened season.

He joined Hills Hornets for the 2019 Waratah League season and, after the one-game stint with the Hornets in April 2019 noted in the input, moved to Rockhampton later that year.

Rockhampton Rockets added Ogilvy for the 2019 QBL season and he made an immediate impact, posting 36 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in a 109–92 win over Gladstone in his opening game with the club. Across his QBL stint he played 12 games and averaged 16.9 points in 31.9 minutes per game while shooting 54.8 per cent from the field.

Hills Hornets brought him back for the 2022 NBL1 East season and he finished as one of the team’s main interior contributors, averaging 12.75 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.25 assists and 1.75 blocks per game while leading the Hornets in rebounds and blocks.

FIBA EXPERIENCE

Ogilvy was selected to represent his country in the 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in which he gave a impressive performance averaging 22.3 points and 9.8 rebounds a game with 6 double-doubles and was ranked third overall in scoring.

NBA EXPERIENCE

After going undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft, Ogilvy played for the Chicago Bulls at the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas before beginning his professional career in Europe.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Spain - Valencia (2011–2012), Manresa (2014–2015) | Turkey - Beşiktaş (2010–2011) | Germany - Brose Baskets (2012–2013) | Puerto Rico - Atenienses de Manatí (2016) | Iran - Azad University Tehran (2017) | Greece - Iraklis (2020)

Ogilvy joined Beşiktaş for the 2010–11 season in Turkey, playing his first season in the country after signing on 7 July 2010, and he averaged 7.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in six EuroCup games.

Ogilvy spent the 2010/11 season in Turkey with Beşiktaş, the 2011/12 season in Spain with Valencia, and the 2012/13 season in Germany with Brose Baskets, before coming to the NBL as a 24-year-old in 2013.

Ogilvy joined Valencia for the 2011–12 season in Spain after signing on 6 July 2011, and he averaged 5.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 20 Liga ACB games while adding 9.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in eight EuroCup games as Valencia reached the EuroCup final.

Ogilvy joined Brose Baskets for the 2012–13 season in Germany after signing on 10 August 2012, and he averaged 3.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 15 EuroLeague games as Brose won the 2013 German Bundesliga title.

Ogilvy joined Manresa for the 2014–15 Liga ACB season in Spain after signing on 3 September 2014, and he averaged 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in six league games before the foot injury that ended his stint.

Ogilvy played another season in 2014/15 in Spain with Manresa but a foot injury cut his season short and he returned to Australia to heal.

During the 2015/16 NBL off-season, Ogilvy moved to Puerto Rico to play for Atenienses de Manatí.

Ogilvy joined Atenienses de Manatí for the 2016 Puerto Rican BSN season, and he appeared in 22 games while averaging 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, including a 21-point and 13-rebound game against Capitanes de Arecibo on 4 April 2016.

After helping the Hawks reach the NBL Grand Final in 2017, Ogilvy moved to Iran to play for Azad University Tehran during the off-season.

Ogilvy joined Azad University Tehran for the 2017 Iranian Superleague season, and in 14 games he averaged 15.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists while recording 10 double-doubles.

On 26 February 2020, Ogilvy signed with Iraklis for the rest of the 2019/20 Greek League season.

COLLEGE

Ogilvy moved from Sydney, Australia to the United States in 2007 to play college basketball for Vanderbilt Commodores, joining the Commodores after a decorated junior career at the Australian Institute of Sport and youth national events.

He made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut against Austin Peay on November 10, 2007, scoring 18 points and grabbing nine rebounds — the best freshman debut for Vanderbilt since 1981–82 — and was named SEC Freshman of the Week following that performance.

As a freshman in the 2007–08 season, Ogilvy started 33 of 34 games, scored in double figures in 32 contests and surpassed the 20-point mark 11 times, finishing with 578 points (17.0 per game) to set a new Vanderbilt freshman scoring record and lead all SEC freshmen in scoring. He also posted 49 blocks, the fourth-most in a single season in school history, and earned SEC All-Freshman Team and Second-Team All-SEC honours.

That freshman year featured four double-doubles as well as standout games such as 27 points and 12 field goals in a 93–82 win over Auburn in the SEC Tournament, and 18 points against Siena in the NCAA Tournament.

In his sophomore season (2008–09), Ogilvy continued to produce at a high level, starting 28 of 29 games and averaging 15.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game. He posted the team’s highest rebound average since 2006 and ranked among the league leaders in interior defense.

During that 2008-09 campaign, he was named Cancun Challenge MVP after averaging 19 points and five rebounds in the final games of the tournament, scored a then career-high 28 points versus South Carolina on February 28, and set a new career high with 33 points in a victory over LSU on March 4 — becoming the first Vanderbilt sophomore to reach 1,000 career points.

Ogilvy’s sophomore year ended with Second-Team All-SEC honours from the league’s coaches and an honourable mention All-SEC nod from the media, reflecting his status among the conference’s top big men.

In his junior season (2009–10), he appeared in 33 games with 28 starts and averaged 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field, continuing his role as a paint presence for Vanderbilt.

Ogilvy earned Second-Team All-SEC selection for the third straight year and was named to the NABC All-District (21) Second Team in 2010, becoming only the second player in Commodore history at that point to accumulate 1,000 points and 100 career blocks.

Over his three collegiate seasons from 2007–08 to 2009–10, Ogilvy appeared in 96 games (89 starts) and finished with career averages of approximately 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting near 55 percent from the field, ranking among Vanderbilt’s most efficient scorers.

He also left Vanderbilt as the school’s all-time leader in free throws made (470+) and ranked among the leaders in blocks per game (approximately 1.51), a testament to his interior defensive impact.

Following the 2009–10 season, Ogilvy declared for the 2010 NBA Draft, forgoing his senior season, and was later invited as an alternate to the NBA Draft Combine, officially participating in pre-draft workouts.

AWARDS

- 3x All-NBL First Team
- 1x NBL Leading Rebounder
- 3x NBL Blocks Leader
- BBL champion (2013)
- TBL All-Star (2011)
- 3× Second-team All-SEC (2008–2010)
- SEC All-Freshman Team (2008)

LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL

On 7 August 2022, Ogilvy announced his retirement from the NBL.

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