NICKNAME/S: Parky, The Microwave

BIO: Andrew “Parky” Parkinson was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Knox basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Andrew Parkinson made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

After a winless 1988 season and the very real threat of folding, the Geelong basketball club was saved by a group of committed local businessmen who injected the team with crucial financial backing. The club was rebranded as the “Supercats,” and former Eastside Melbourne coach Barry Barnes was brought in to lead a full-scale rebuild. Among the fresh faces was 18-year-old Andrew Parkinson, who joined the team in a developmental role, looking to carve out his place in the NBL.

While much of the attention centred around high-profile recruits like Shane Heal (14.2 points, 5.5 assists), Jim Bateman (17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds), and imports Daren Rowe (23.1 points, 11.7 rebounds) and Aubrey Sherrod (22.6 points), Parkinson quietly gained valuable experience in his first professional season. Appearing in 17 games, he averaged 4.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in limited minutes, offering glimpses of the shooting touch and composure that would later become hallmarks of his game.

With so many new faces and a revamped identity, the 1989 Supercats spent much of the year building chemistry. While the team struggled for consistency and depth, their five-win campaign marked a substantial improvement from the previous two seasons, which had seen Geelong fail to register a single victory.

For Parkinson, the season served as a crucial development year. Playing behind experienced scorers, he learned the pace and physicality of the league while showcasing enough to suggest a bright future. Though his role was small, his presence as part of the rebuild aligned with the club’s longer-term vision, and his future contributions would become increasingly important in seasons to come.

1990
Andrew Parkinson returned to the Geelong Supercats for the 1990 NBL season, once again finding himself in a team undergoing major change. Head coach Barry Barnes rebuilt the roster with the additions of John Dorge (via Brisbane), Vince Hinchen (via Westside Melbourne), and import forward Brian Vaughns. With an emphasis on reversing their recent fortunes, the Supercats entered the season with cautious optimism.

Parkinson (6.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.5 steals across 22 games) provided reliable depth in the guard rotation, primarily coming off the bench. While his role was limited offensively due to the arrival of high-usage backcourt talents, he remained a steady contributor and brought defensive energy when called upon.

The Supercats struggled out of the gate, losing their first four games despite Vaughns averaging a double-double. Vaughns was quickly replaced by explosive guard Bobby Locke, who immediately made headlines with a 50-point debut. Locke’s arrival transformed the team’s offense, and alongside 19-year-old Shane Heal—who earned the NBL’s Most Improved Player award—the Supercats began to build momentum.

With Locke (31.6 points), Heal (22.4 points, 8.3 assists), and Daren Rowe (18.3 points, league-leading 3.2 blocks) leading the way, Geelong’s offense flourished. The team went on to win 11 games—more than their combined total from the previous two seasons—and finished 10th with an 11–15 record.

While Parkinson wasn’t a headline act in 1990, his consistency and team-first mentality added value to a young, rebuilding Supercats side. His experience and work ethic helped complement the team’s high-scoring stars and contributed to a season that marked a turning point in the club’s rebuild.

SOUTH MELBOURNE SAINTS
1991

1991 saw Parkinson average 20.9 points and 3.9 rebounds and play a key role in helping the South Melbourne Saints to a second place finish in the regular season with a 9-17 record.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE MAGIC
1992 – ONE MAGIC YEAR
At the end of 1991, the South Melbourne Saints were in financial crisis and unable to continue operations. In a landmark move, they merged with cross-town rivals the Eastside Melbourne Spectres to form a new NBL franchise: the South East Melbourne Magic. With the Spectres having come within one game of a championship the previous season, head coach Brian Goorjian was retained to lead the newly formed club. Only two Saints players were carried over—Andrew Parkinson and Andrej Lemanis—joining a proven Spectres core that included Bruce Bolden, Tony Ronaldson, Darren Lucas, Scott Ninnis, and Darren Perry

To finalise the Magic’s inaugural roster, import Milt Newton was recruited alongside John Dorge, who arrived from Geelong after leading the NBL in blocked shots in 1991. With a reputation for elite defence, length, and tactical discipline under Goorjian, the Magic entered the 1992 campaign with optimism. Their debut year was quickly coined “One Magic Year” by the media as the team stormed out to win six of their first seven games

While Newton (15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.6 steals) was productive across the first seven games, but the Magic made a bold move by releasing him and signing former LA Clippers guard Rob Rose. From that point forward, the Magic were nearly unstoppable. They finished the regular season with a 20–4 record, including a perfect 12–0 home record. Head coach Brian Goorjian was named NBL Coach of the Year for the first time, and the Magic entered the postseason as the No.1 seed

Andrew Parkinson (12.1 points, 2.1 rebounds per game) embraced his bench role with impact, providing instant offence and reliable perimeter shooting. One of the top-scoring reserves league-wide, Parkinson’s spacing complemented the starting group, particularly backing up Rose in smaller lineups. His hustle and scoring touch added another layer to an already stacked rotation

🏀 THROWBACK THURSDAY 💫

Did you believe in Magic? How could you not with this old tune! Before the days of @SEMelbPhoenix we had the South East Melbourne Magic. Do you remember how many NBL Championships Magic had to their name? Read more – https://t.co/OezFZFpFDS #HoopsAtHome pic.twitter.com/mQfmy7kiG4

— Basketball Victoria (@Basketball_Vic) April 16, 2020

The Magic opened the playoffs by sweeping the Canberra Cannons in two games. In the semifinals, they took care of the North Melbourne Giants in straight sets. Parkinson delivered 13 points in just 18 minutes in Game 1 of that series, continuing to provide efficient scoring as the Magic cruised into the Grand Final. Awaiting them was their crosstown rival, the Melbourne Tigers, led by MVP candidate Andrew Gaze (33.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists) and explosive import Lanard Copeland (28.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists)

Game 1 of the Grand Final series was a disaster for the Magic. Starting point guard Darren Perry suffered a torn ACL just 11 minutes into the game, ruling him out for the rest of the series and the next nine months. Melbourne took full advantage of the disruption. Copeland erupted for 34 points, 7 assists, and 3 blocks, while Gaze added 26 points in a dominant 116–98 win. Despite the team’s struggles, Parkinson was one of the few bright spots for South East Melbourne, catching fire from long range. He hit 4-of-10 from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting in 32 minutes, providing the Magic with crucial scoring in Perry’s absence

With their backs against the wall, the Magic responded emphatically in Game 2. Darren Lucas stepped into the starting five and delivered a season-high 19 points, while Scott Ninnis held Copeland to 14 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Parkinson contributed 9 points in 15 minutes, shooting just 2-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-7 from deep, but his defensive effort and floor spacing helped the second unit maintain momentum during key stretches. Rob Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) took over the majority of the playmaking role and Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks) filled the stat sheet as the Magic ran away with a 115–93 win to even the series at 1–1

Game 3 proved to be one of the most intense deciders in NBL history. The Magic’s defence was relentless from the opening tip. Gaze was limited to 18 points on 5-of-19 shooting, while Copeland managed 24 but was kept from taking over late. Parkinson added 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 critical steals in 13 minutes, giving the Magic crucial second-unit energy. Rose was once again superb under pressure, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, while Bolden added 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks. John Dorge—who led the league in blocks during the season—contributed 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the decider, anchoring the interior. The Magic sealed a 95–88 victory to claim their first-ever NBL championship in their debut season

Bruce Bolden was named NBL Finals MVP and received the award from visiting NBA Commissioner David Stern, who had flown to Australia and was courtside for the title-clinching game. It was a fitting end to one of the most remarkable debut seasons in Australian basketball history.

—The team got off to a strong start to the year, winning six of their first seven games but felt a change was needed and released Newton, replacing him with LA Clippers guard Rob Rose. From there, the Magic rarely missed a beat, winning all 12 of their home games and losing only four games for the regular season. Parkinson would average 12.1 points and 2.1 rebounds for the season.

In the playoffs, the Magic made short work of both the Canberra Cannons and North Melbourne Giants, setting up a NBL Grand Final against their crosstown rival Melbourne Tigers (15-9), who had finished third.

In game one of the series, South East Melbourne’s starting point guard Darren Perry suffered a torn ACL and would miss the next nine months due to injury and the remainder of the Grand Final. The injury rattled the Magic, with the Tigers guards Lanard Copeland (34 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks) and Andrew Gaze (26 points) capitalising, taking home a 18 point win (116-98).

In game two, the Magic backcourt stepped up in Perry’s absence with Darren Lucas (19 points) finishing with a season-high and Scott Ninnis locked down Copeland (14 points), who had single-handed won the opening game for the Tigers, forcing him to shoot a poor 6 of 19 from the field. Parkinson added 9 points while Robert Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals) controlled the point guard spot at the offensive end and Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks) dominated inside, giving the Magic a 115-93 win to even up the series.

The Tigers had been taken by surprise by the Magic’s ability to bounce back without Perry, and although Melbourne battled valiantly in game three, the Magic seemed to have won the mental game with the previous victory. Once again, the Magic backcourt stepped up, this time forcing Gaze (18 points) into a horrible 5/19 shooting night and holding Copeland (24 points) below his season average. Parkinson contributed 4 points, and the Magic ground out a 95-88 win in the deciding game. The Magic’s import duo of Rose (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks) and Bolden (21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks) were at their very best and at the conclusion of the game Bolden was awarded the NBL Finals MVP award by NBA Commissioner David Stern who was visiting Australia at the time.

1993
Andrew Parkinson delivered a steady scoring punch for the South East Melbourne Magic during their 1993 title defence, playing in 29 of the team’s 30 games and providing consistent production off the bench. With the core of the championship-winning roster returning under coach Brian Goorjian—aside from the departures of Scott Ninnis and injuries to John Dorge (missed 16 games) and Darren Perry (returned in Round 10 from an ACL tear)—Parkinson played an important supporting role throughout the season.

The versatile guard/forward averaged 11.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.5 steals per game, offering reliable perimeter shooting and offensive balance alongside stars Bruce Bolden (21.6 points, 12.6 rebounds), Tony Ronaldson (20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds), Robert Rose (18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists) and Darren Lucas (14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds).

Parkinson opened the season in strong fashion, dropping 18 points (7-of-17 FG, 4-of-12 3PT) in the Magic’s 106–86 win over Canberra on opening night, helping establish the team’s offensive depth early. While often operating in a sixth-man role, Parkinson remained one of the league’s top perimeter threats and showed an ability to stretch the floor and punish rotations.

The Magic powered through the regular season with a 20–6 record, including a dominant 12–1 home mark at Melbourne Park, finishing second on the ladder. Parkinson was a key part of the team’s balanced scoring attack and contributed valuable minutes behind the Magic’s core starters.

In the quarterfinals, South East Melbourne swept Adelaide in two games to advance to the semi-finals against the Melbourne Tigers. Parkinson had a quiet showing in Game 1, finishing with 3 points in just under 10 minutes as the Magic were outplayed 89–72. However, he made a strong impact in Game 2, delivering 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three, while also adding 2 steals in just 20 minutes off the bench. His scoring provided a crucial boost as the Magic fought to extend their season in a shootout.

Despite Parkinson’s efforts—and strong performances from Rose (25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists), Bolden (14 points, 12 rebounds), and Lucas (19 points)—the Magic fell just short, losing 108–106 as Lanard Copeland’s 32 points and Bradtke’s dominance inside (21 points, 9 rebounds) sealed the series for the Tigers.

1994
After losing to crosstown rivals, the Melbourne Tigers head coach Brian Goorjian decided the Magic needed to go younger and chose not to re-sign veteran guards, Darren Perry and Robert Rose, replacing them with younger talent. 18-year-old Sam MacKinnon and Rupert Sapwell, who had just returned from playing college basketball, were added to the roster, and Adonis Jordan, who had led the Kansas Jayhawks to the 1993 NCAA Final Four only six months prior, became the Magic’s sole import.

Jordan (19.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.6 steals) would lead the team in scoring and assists, alongside frontcourt duo Tony Ronaldson (19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) and Bruce Bolden (16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals) doing the damage inside. Parkinson would also add 14.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists during the season and Sam MacKinnon (5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8) would also make a immediate impact, earning his way into the team’s regular rotation (19.2 minutes per game) and delivering one of the greatest seasons ever by a 18-year-old which made him a easy choice for the league’s Rookie Of The Year Award.

In a interesting nod to the future, due to injury the Magic replaced him with state league star Mike Kelly who would become a major part of the Magic roster in 1997.

South East Melbourne was unbeatable at home all season (11-2) butcould never replicate that on the road, losing half their away games and finishing third on the ladder (18-18).

In the postseason, South East swept Perth in two games to set up a semi-finals matchup against crosstown rival North Melbourne. The Giants delivered a major upset in game one, convincingly defeating the Magic (108-87). In game two, it was much closer. In fact, the game was only decided in the final minute (76-79), and if Adonis Jordan hadn’t missed a three-point heave at the buzzer (many thought he could have made a extra pass to a open David Graham for a better shot), the Magic might have been able to force a third game. Instead, the South East Melbourne’s season came to a end.

1995
1995
Brian Goorjian’s youth movement continued in 1995. After moving on from star import Robert Rose the season prior, veteran big man Bruce Bolden would not be offered a chance to return (he would move on to sign with the Sydney Kings), with his replacement coming in the form of young 7-footer Chris Anstey from the Melbourne Tigers.

Anstey’s move to the Magic was one of huge controversy when Melbourne coach Lindsey Gaze appealed the signing via the NBL tribunal. The NBL decided that Anstey could not leave the Tigers and would have to play for Melbourne as long as the Tigers could match the contract, which they did.

After some extremely creative salary tweaking where Magic CEO Graham McNaney and Goorjian convinced all of the Magic players to sign for less so they could offer Anstey a larger contract (which also fit within the NBL salary cap) that the Tigers couldn’t match. Once Anstey had signed with the Magic, all of the team’s players were reinstated to their previous contracts.

After the Anstey deal was done, the Magic rounded out the roster by adding Nunawading junior Jason Smith, re-signing import Adonis Jordan and pairing him with Richard ‘Scooter’ Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Unfortunately, Barry (14.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals) didn’t quite make the impact in the NBL that his father had in the NBA and was shown the door after four games. Goorjian chose to elevate 23-year-old development player Shane Bright (0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) for the remaining games instead of bringing in another import, aiming to give his young local core of MacKinnon, Anstey and Smith as much playing time as possible.

The Magic went on to finish second on the ladder (18-8), with Tony Ronaldson (21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steals) leading the team in scoring and Jordan (20.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 steals) leading the Magic in assists.

Additionally, 33-year-old big man John Dorge (16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 3.0 blocks) turned the clock back and delivered a breakout season, leading the league in blocked shots. Dorge’s improved play saw him selected to the All-NBL first team at the end of the season while backup guard Darren Lucas (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals) took home the league’s Best Defensive Player award.

In the postseason, the Magic lost game one of their quarterfinal matchup with the Illawarra (108-113), then returned to Melbourne to win both games two (92-89) and three (93-75). Moving onto the semi-finals, South East Melbourne would face North Melbourne and saw their season end early thanks to losses in both games one (77-98) and game three (92-107).

Andrew Parkinson would appear in 32 games for the Magic, averaging 13.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists).

1996
In 1996 Parkinson averaged 7.9 points and 1.4 rebounds as the Magic’s primary scorer off the bench. He was effective in his role and helped guide the Magic to a second place finish on the ladder with a 19-7 record. The Magic then got revenge on the North Melbourne Giants who had ended their season in 1995, eliminating them easily in two straight games in the quarter-finals. Parkinson added 19 points in game one and 6 points in Game 2.

The Magic then eliminated the Adelaide 36ers in two straight games, Parkinson was limited by the 36ers during the series, scoring only 7 points in game one and 3 points in game two but it was enough to help propel the Magic past Adelaide and onto a Grand Final matchup with crosstown rival the Melbourne Tigers.

The Tigers would claim Game 1, limiting the impact of Parkinson (who scored 6 points) as Andrew Gaze delivered his best game of the series, scoring 35 points and collecting 8 rebounds. The Magic would then bounce back and win game two (88-84) in front of a Grand Final record crowd of 15,064 at the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, which still stands as Melbourne’s highest-attended NBL game ever.

In the third and deciding game the Magic delivered the final blow a 30 point blowout victory, 107-70 with Parkinson contributing 9 points.

The 1996 NBL Grand Final series drew a aggregate attendance record of 43,605 (average 14,535), the largest crowd ever for a three game NBL series. Magic guard Mike Kelly was awarded the Finals MVP award after averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.3 steals across the three game series.

1997
After winning the championship in 1996, the South East Melbourne Magic entered the 1997 season with most of their roster intact, making just a few strategic changes. Brian Tolbert arrived as the new import guard, replacing Billy McCaffrey, while promising 18-year-old Frank Drmic stepped into the rotation in place of retiring defensive stalwart Darren Lucas. These adjustments did little to disrupt the Magic’s momentum, as the team enjoyed its most successful regular season ever, finishing atop the NBL ladder with a franchise-best 22–8 record.

South East Melbourne thrived on exceptional balance, featuring five players averaging double-figure scoring, with only four points separating the highest from the fifth-highest scorer. Veteran leader Tony Ronaldson (16.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) provided steady scoring and playmaking, while rising stars Sam MacKinnon (15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) and Chris Anstey (13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.8 blocks) anchored the team’s frontcourt. Defensive specialist Mike Kelly (12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 steals) was again pivotal in setting the defensive tone, claiming his second straight NBL Best Defensive Player award. Andrew Parkinson (5.7 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists), a reliable veteran shooter off the bench, added key perimeter depth, while coach Brian Goorjian received league-wide recognition, being named NBL Coach of the Year.

As the top seed, the Magic received a first-round playoff bye before facing the fourth-seeded Perth Wildcats, who had previously defeated Brisbane. In Game One of their semi-final matchup, South East Melbourne claimed a 92–82 road victory behind dominant performances from Anstey (19 points, 16 rebounds, 5 steals) and Ronaldson (18 points). Returning home for Game Two, the Magic intensified their defense even further, overwhelming Perth in a 96–69 blowout, with MacKinnon starring with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.

South East Melbourne then advanced to the Grand Final, setting up a highly anticipated rematch against their fierce rivals, the Melbourne Tigers. The Tigers had transformed into a formidable squad mid-season after acquiring Marcus Timmons, embarking on a franchise-record 13-game winning streak during the regular season, which extended to 15 by the Grand Final series. Melbourne carried this momentum into Game One, dominating the Magic 111–74 behind stellar performances from Lanard Copeland (29 points, 4 rebounds), Timmons (24 points, 9 rebounds), and Andrew Gaze (23 points, 9 assists). The Magic’s offense faltered, notably Anstey, who was held to just 6 points.

In response, Coach Goorjian adjusted his tactics for Game Two, inserting veteran centre John Dorge into the starting lineup to add physicality and create space for Anstey. This change paid dividends, as Anstey delivered a postseason-best performance (21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) in an 84–78 Magic victory, ending the Tigers’ remarkable 17-game winning streak and forcing a decisive third game for the second consecutive season.

The deciding Game Three began evenly, but the Tigers seized control with a decisive second-quarter run. Despite Ronaldson’s game-high 26 points, Melbourne effectively neutralised Anstey (8 points), and the Magic struggled to regain their rhythm. The Tigers ultimately captured their second NBL title with a 93–83 victory. Lanard Copeland (26 points) earned Finals MVP honours, averaging an impressive 27.6 points and 3.3 rebounds (56% shooting) throughout the series.

While Copeland’s scoring was pivotal, the Tigers highlighted the decisive late-game contributions of forward Warrick Giddey, whose impact transcended his modest stat line (0 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block). Giddey’s key moments—a hard foul breaking MacKinnon’s nose, a momentum-turning block on Drmic, and a bruising mid-court screen on Mike Kelly—were instrumental in securing Melbourne’s championship triumph.

A great Australian sporting rivalry!! pic.twitter.com/qVrlKwROkN

— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) March 21, 2023

1998
After falling short in the grand final, South East Melbourne coach Brian Goorjian looked to rekindle some of the ‘Magic’and replace import guard Brian Tolbert with Billy McCaffrey, who led the Magic to the 1996 championship. Goorjian also blossoming big man Brett Wheeler (via Adelaide) to the squad as a replacement for the NBA departure of Chris Anstey.

The team would win their first six games in a row before a loss to Brisbane that also saw the team release McCaffrey (10.3 points and 2.9 assists) after realising he was not quite the same player as he was in 1996. Former NBA guard Clinton McDaniel (17.4 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals) would replace him and go on to lead the league in steals.

Tony Ronaldson (18.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists) who had led the team in scoring since 1994 did so yet again, while 20-year-old Frank Drmic (14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds) had a breakout season, gaining interest from multiple NBA teams. Alongside Ronaldson, McDaniel and Drmic, Parkinson would average 3.8 points, 1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists and the Magic would finished on top of the ladder, recording the third best regular season record of all-time (26-4). Only Adelaide in 1986 (24-2) and Geelong in 1984 (21-2) being able to top it. As a result, Brian Goorjian took home his third Coach of the Year award and Mike Kelly was named the defensive player of the year for the second straight season.

The Magic received a first-round bye thanks to finishing in first place, then faced off against Brisbane in the semi-finals.

The Magic would swiftly eliminate the Steve Woodberry led Bullets in two straight games to reach the NBL Grand Final for the third season in a row, this time going head to head with the Adelaide 36ers.

In game one of the Grand Final series, second seed Adelaide (19-11) delivered the initial blow (100-93) on the back of first-year import Kevin Brooks (24 points and 8 rebounds). Amazingly, game one of the Grand Final was only the second time the 36ers had defeated the Magic since the Eastside Melbourne Spectres and Southern Melbourne Saints had merged to form the Magic in 1992.

The 36ers, who had started the season off slowly, had really found their form come the Grand Final and, in game two, obliterated the Magic, who at that point had lost only one home game for the season, at Melbourne Park 90-62. The 36ers held the Magic to less than 15 points in three of the game’s quarters. Brooks (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks) and Martin Cattalini (20 points and 6 rebounds) were brilliant for the 36ers in a game decided by turnovers and free throws, with South East Melbourne finishing with 26 turnovers and 6 of 8 from the free throw line to Adelaide’s 14 turnovers and 25 of 33 from the stripe.

The win saw Adelaide capture their first NBL championship since 1986 with Kevin Brooks being named Grand Final MVP in what was to be the last NBL season played during the winter months. This season also saw the end of the South East Melbourne Magic, who merged with the North Melbourne Giants the following year to become the Victoria Titans. With the Titans combining two NBL rosters many of the older Magic players Dorge (aged 36) and Parkinson (aged 31) would be left without a roster spot and retire at seasons end.

Andrew Parkinson played ten seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Geelong Supercats, and South East Melbourne Magic. He averaged 10.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assists in 265 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (836 Posts)

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.