Melvin Thomas
July 23, 2020
Axel Dench
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 12/03/76
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: F/C
- Height (CM): 211
- Weight (KG): 110
- Junior Assoc: VIC - Nunawading
- College: Gonzaga
- NBL DEBUT: 20/10/00
- AGE AT DEBUT: 24
- LAST NBL GAME: 13/02/08
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 31
- NBL History: Wollongong 2000-04, 2006-07 | Adelaide 2008
- Championships: 1
- Wollongong (2001)
BIO: Axel Dench was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Nunawading basketball program.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Axel Dench made his NBL debut with the Wollongong Hawks at 24 years of age. He scored 12 points in his first game.
Prior to the start of the 2000/01 season, coach Brendan Joyce changed almost half his roster, adding Dench, Charles Thomas, Damon Lowery, Grant Kruger and Matt Shanahan. Dench would average 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, and go on to win the NBL Rookie of the Year award his first year out of college.
After finishing the regular season in fourth with a club-best 21 wins from 28 games, Wollongong upset Perth in game one of the qualifying finals behind a 22 point, 13 rebound effort from Melvin Thomas, a 19 point effort from Damon Lowery and 17 points and 7 rebounds from Dench to win at home 97–90
The Hawks fell short in game two in Perth, 95–106 with Dench struggling to get going offensively, he finished with only 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. This set up a Game 3, held in Perth, where the Hawks won a major upset thanks to a 26 point, 16 rebound performance from Glen Saville, a 20 point game from Lowery and a 19 point, 5 rebound, 3 assist effort from Dench to win 98–88.
This set up a semi-final matchup with the Adelaide 36ers and their stars Darnell Mee and Kevin Brooks. Dench had one of his worst games of the playoffs, only managing to score five points but due to Melvin Thomas having a 18 point and 13 rebounds as well as Charles Thomas adding 17 points and 6 rebounds, the Hawks squeaked out a narrow 84-83 game win over the 36ers in the series opener. The Hawks would return to Wollongong but lose Game 2, 100–111 despite Dench scoring a season high 26 points. In the deciding game the Hawks would win game three in a nail biter at Wollongong’s WIN Entertainment Centre when Damon Lowery sunk three free throws with no time on the clock, propelling the team into the 2001 NBL Grand Final to face the Townsville Crocodiles. Dench also added 10 points and 3 rebounds in the deciding game
The Hawks went on to face the Townsville Crocodiles in the 2001 NBL Grand Final, winning game one at home 104-101 with Melvin Thomas continuing to lead the way, contributing 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 assists. Dench also added 13 points. Then, the series would shift to Townsville for games two and three and the Crocodiles rebounded at home winning the second game 114–97 after shutting down the Hawks front line with Dench only able to score five points. game three was a gruelling matchup, played the very next day where the blue-collar Hawks snuck out the three-point victory 97-94, Charles Thomas top scoring with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, Melvin Thomas scoring 18 points and hauling in 12 rebounds as Glen Saville contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds to claim the NBL Finals MVP. Dench was also a huge part of the win, scoring 15 points and collecting 11 rebounds. The Hawks 2–1 victory saw them become the first New South Wales club to win a NBL championship.
In 2006 Dench returned from playing overseas in Portugal and signed with the Melborne Tigers in preparation the 2006/07 NBL Philips Championship season. Dench would fill the spot of former Tigers forward Neil Mottram who took up a offer to play in Italy.
Axel Dench played six seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Wollongong Hawks and the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 187 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 32 | Adelaide | 14-16 (9) | 29 | 458.0 | 191 | 113 | 43 | 34 | 79 | 6 | 10 | 50 | 54 | 76 | 189 | 40% | 22 | 65 | 34% | 17 | 29 | 59% | 47% | 46% | 25 |
| 2006-07 | 31 | Melbourne | 25-8 (2) | 38 | 793.0 | 288 | 141 | 54 | 50 | 91 | 10 | 25 | 49 | 98 | 108 | 232 | 47% | 31 | 84 | 37% | 41 | 52 | 79% | 56% | 53% | 21 |
| 2003-04 | 28 | Wollongong | 25-8 (2) | 35 | 797.0 | 373 | 195 | 58 | 74 | 121 | 12 | 25 | 45 | 78 | 144 | 330 | 44% | 52 | 133 | 39% | 33 | 47 | 70% | 53% | 52% | 29 |
| 2002-03 | 27 | Wollongong | 18-12 (4) | 34 | 841.0 | 285 | 173 | 56 | 57 | 116 | 16 | 26 | 51 | 95 | 110 | 241 | 46% | 38 | 88 | 43% | 27 | 38 | 71% | 55% | 54% | 19 |
| 2001-02 | 26 | Wollongong | 16-14 (4) | 17 | 409.0 | 161 | 77 | 26 | 29 | 48 | 9 | 13 | 32 | 56 | 62 | 137 | 45% | 18 | 36 | 50% | 19 | 27 | 70% | 54% | 52% | 17 |
| 2000-01 | 25 | Wollongong | 21-7 (4) | 34 | 1,070.0 | 455 | 218 | 61 | 86 | 132 | 12 | 37 | 90 | 124 | 171 | 366 | 47% | 39 | 85 | 46% | 74 | 102 | 73% | 55% | 52% | 26 | Totals | 187 | 4368 | 1753 | 917 | 298 | 330 | 587 | 65 | 136 | 317 | 505 | 671 | 1495 | 44.9% | 200 | 491 | 40.7% | 211 | 295 | 71.5% | 54% | 52% | 29 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 32 | Adelaide | 14-16 (9) | 29 | 15.8 | 6.6 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 6.5 | 40% | 0.8 | 2.2 | 34% | 0.6 | 1.0 | 59% | 47% | 46% | 25 |
| 2006-07 | 31 | Melbourne | 25-8 (2) | 38 | 20.9 | 7.6 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 6.1 | 47% | 0.8 | 2.2 | 37% | 1.1 | 1.4 | 79% | 56% | 53% | 21 |
| 2003-04 | 28 | Wollongong | 25-8 (2) | 35 | 22.8 | 10.7 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 9.4 | 44% | 1.5 | 3.8 | 39% | 0.9 | 1.3 | 70% | 53% | 52% | 29 |
| 2002-03 | 27 | Wollongong | 18-12 (4) | 34 | 24.7 | 8.4 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 7.1 | 46% | 1.1 | 2.6 | 43% | 0.8 | 1.1 | 71% | 55% | 54% | 19 |
| 2001-02 | 26 | Wollongong | 16-14 (4) | 17 | 24.1 | 9.5 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 8.1 | 45% | 1.1 | 2.1 | 50% | 1.1 | 1.6 | 70% | 54% | 52% | 17 |
| 2000-01 | 25 | Wollongong | 21-7 (4) | 34 | 31.5 | 13.4 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 10.8 | 47% | 1.1 | 2.5 | 46% | 2.2 | 3.0 | 73% | 55% | 52% | 26 | Total | 187 | 23.4 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 8.0 | 44.9% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 40.7% | 1.1 | 2.6 | 71.5% | 54% | 52% | 29 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 29 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Member of 2002 Boomers Squad which failed to qualify for World Championships
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Portugal - FC Barreirense (2004-2005), FC Porto (2005-2006)
Axel Dench played two season in Portugal from 2004-2006. Playing for FC Barreirense during the 2004-05 season he scored a career high 30 points in a professional game as well as 14 rebounds, and 7 assists. He finished the year averaging 14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. During the 2005-06 season he played for FC Porto where he averaged 9 points per game and 4.5 rebounds.
While playing in PortugalDench weighed in at a staggering 119kg to be a more commanding inside presence.
COLLEGE
Dench started in 32 of 33 games in his senior year with Gonzaga.
AWARDS
- NBL Rookie Of The Year (2001)
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
