The Wollongong Hawks’ 2001 NBL Championship: The defining moment of an underdog’s rise
March 15, 2025
Charles Thomas
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 3/10/70
- Place of Birth: Dayton, Ohio (USA)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 194
- Weight (KG): 100
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Eastern Michigan (1987–1991)
- NBL DEBUT: 20/10/00
- AGE AT DEBUT: 30
- LAST NBL GAME: 5/03/04
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 33
- NBL History: Wollongong 2001-02 | Adelaide 2003/04
- Championships: 1
- Wollongong (2001)
BIO: Charles Thomas was born in Dayton, Ohio (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Charles Thomas made his NBL debut with the Wollongong Hawks at 30 years of age. He scored 18 points in his first game.
After missing the playoffs the previous season, Wollongong entered 2000/01 with CJ Bruton (to Sioux Falls), Todd Mundt, Mike McKay, Mark Dalton and Darren Perry gone from the previous season’s rotation.
Head coach Brendan Joyce retained co-captains Glen Saville and Mat Campbell, Melvin Thomas and Matt Garrison, while adding Charles Thomas, Damon Lowery, Axel Dench, Grant Kruger, Matt Shanahan and veteran Ray Borner to build one of the deepest rosters in club history.
Wollongong opened the season at the WIN Entertainment Centre with a 115-97 loss to West Sydney, where Thomas (18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led the backcourt, while Melvin Thomas (25 points and 16 rebounds) and Campbell (17 points) also contributed.
Thomas (16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 steals) gave Wollongong a steady playmaker who could score, create and defend, helping the Hawks build an offence that relied on balance rather than one dominant scorer.
One of his best all-round games came against Brisbane on November 4, where Thomas (22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) made six three-pointers as Wollongong defeated the Bullets 106-79, with Melvin Thomas (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Campbell (15 points) helping the Hawks improve to 3-1.
His best regular-season scoring game came against Melbourne on January 19, where Thomas (30 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) led Wollongong to a 130-99 win at the WIN Entertainment Centre, with Saville (23 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks) and Garrison (22 points and 5 rebounds) helping the Hawks record one of their most complete wins of the season.
Thomas added another strong game against West Sydney on February 16, finishing with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals as Wollongong defeated the Razorbacks 112-84, with Saville (20 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, and 5 steals) and Campbell (19 points and 6 rebounds) also filling the box score.
Melvin Thomas (18.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals) led the Hawks in scoring, while Saville (15.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.1 blocks) became the team’s all-round leader. Lowery (13.6 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals), Dench (13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks), Campbell (12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals) and Garrison (9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds) completed a balanced rotation.
Saville and Melvin Thomas were named to the All-NBL Third Team, Dench won NBL Rookie of the Year and Joyce was named Coach of the Year as Wollongong finished fourth with a 21-7 record, tied with Perth but placed behind the Wildcats on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Wollongong opened the qualifying finals at the WIN Entertainment Centre with a 97-90 overtime win over Perth, with Melvin Thomas (22 points and 13 rebounds), Lowery (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists), Dench (17 points and 7 rebounds), Thomas (10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Campbell (10 points and 5 rebounds) helping the Hawks take game one.
Game two moved to Perth, where Thomas (25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) led Wollongong, while Saville (23 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) also produced strongly before the Wildcats responded with a 106-95 win.
Game three remained in Perth, where Saville (26 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 assists), Lowery (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals), Dench (19 points and 5 rebounds) and Thomas (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Wollongong to a 98-88 upset and the first playoff series victory in club history.
The semifinals opened in Adelaide, where Thomas (17 points and 6 rebounds) made two late free throws to give Wollongong an 84-81 lead before the Hawks held on for an 84-83 win, with Melvin Thomas (18 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Saville (14 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 assists) helping the Hawks win in Adelaide for the first time since 1990.
Game two returned to Wollongong, where Adelaide forced a deciding game with a 111-100 win despite Dench (26 points and 9 rebounds), Melvin Thomas (22 points and 11 rebounds), Saville (17 points and 15 rebounds) and Thomas (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists), with the 36ers taking control by making seven consecutive three-pointers during their fourth-quarter comeback.
Game three at the WIN Entertainment Centre became one of the most controversial finishes in NBL history, with Thomas (5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) helping Wollongong stay in the game before Lowery (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) was fouled on a final-second three-point attempt and made all three free throws to win 109-108. Melvin Thomas (28 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks) shot 13-of-18, Campbell (19 points) made 5-of-6 threes and Garrison (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) also contributed as the Hawks reached their first Grand Final series, while Kevin Brooks (26 points), Paul Maley (21 points) and Mark Nash (20 points) led Adelaide.
The Grand Final opened at the WIN Entertainment Centre against Townsville, where Wollongong won 104-101 behind Melvin Thomas (24 points and 14 rebounds), Campbell (19 points), Thomas (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists), Saville (14 points and 10 rebounds) and Garrison (12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks).
Game two moved to Townsville, where the Crocodiles responded with a 114-97 win despite Lowery (25 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals), Thomas (20 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Melvin Thomas (16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Shanahan (11 points), forcing the championship to a deciding game on back-to-back nights.
Game three saw Wollongong complete its championship run with Melvin Thomas (18 points and 12 rebounds), Saville (18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Dench (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Campbell (10 points and 3 rebounds) supporting Thomas, who finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block and played 45:29 minutes in the 97-94 championship win.
Charles Thomas played four seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Wollongong Hawks and the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5 assists in 136 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 33 | Adelaide | 14-19 (8) | 34 | 1,295.0 | 520 | 156 | 202 | 38 | 118 | 55 | 17 | 93 | 97 | 187 | 459 | 41% | 95 | 266 | 36% | 51 | 66 | 77% | 53% | 51% | 36 |
| 2002-03 | 32 | Adelaide | 16-14 (5) | 33 | 1,242.0 | 601 | 175 | 195 | 36 | 139 | 68 | 19 | 97 | 84 | 193 | 470 | 41% | 92 | 250 | 37% | 123 | 156 | 79% | 55% | 51% | 30 |
| 2001-02 | 31 | Wollongong | 16-14 (4) | 32 | 1,210.0 | 477 | 131 | 144 | 31 | 100 | 60 | 6 | 81 | 91 | 167 | 397 | 42% | 78 | 232 | 34% | 65 | 85 | 76% | 55% | 52% | 38 |
| 2000-01 | 30 | Wollongong | 21-7 (4) | 37 | 1,461.0 | 609 | 177 | 151 | 42 | 135 | 58 | 10 | 118 | 113 | 221 | 488 | 45% | 102 | 259 | 39% | 65 | 79 | 82% | 58% | 56% | 30 | Totals | 136 | 5208 | 2207 | 639 | 692 | 147 | 492 | 241 | 52 | 389 | 385 | 768 | 1814 | 42.3% | 367 | 1007 | 36.4% | 304 | 386 | 78.8% | 56% | 52% | 38 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 33 | Adelaide | 14-19 (8) | 34 | 38.1 | 15.3 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 13.5 | 41% | 2.8 | 7.8 | 36% | 1.5 | 1.9 | 77% | 53% | 51% | 36 |
| 2002-03 | 32 | Adelaide | 16-14 (5) | 33 | 37.6 | 18.2 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 4.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 5.8 | 14.2 | 41% | 2.8 | 7.6 | 37% | 3.7 | 4.7 | 79% | 55% | 51% | 30 |
| 2001-02 | 31 | Wollongong | 16-14 (4) | 32 | 37.8 | 14.9 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 5.2 | 12.4 | 42% | 2.4 | 7.3 | 34% | 2.0 | 2.7 | 76% | 55% | 52% | 38 |
| 2000-01 | 30 | Wollongong | 21-7 (4) | 37 | 39.5 | 16.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 13.2 | 45% | 2.8 | 7.0 | 39% | 1.8 | 2.1 | 82% | 58% | 56% | 30 | Total | 136 | 38.3 | 16.2 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 13.3 | 42.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 36.4% | 2.7 | 7.4 | 78.8% | 56% | 52% | 38 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 38 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Thomas played 36 games in the NBA. He averaged 1.3 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- July 18, 1991: Signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 86% | 97% | 96% | 77% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 38 | 14 | 6 | 3 | ||||||
| Total | 768 | 1814 | 42.3% | 367 | 1007 | 36.4% |
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 22 | Detroit | SG | 36 | 0 | 156 | 48 | 22 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 51 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 42% | 37% | Total | 36 | 0 | 156 | 48 | 22 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 51 | 35% | 2 | 17 | 12% | 10 | 15 | 67% |
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 22 | Detroit | SG | 36 | 0 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 35% | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 42% | 37% | Total | 36 | 0 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 35% | 0.1 | 0.5 | 12% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 67% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Cyprus - ? | Finland - ?
COLLEGE
Thomas played college basketball at Eastern Michigan during the 1987-88 season and stayed with the program through 1990-91, finishing as a four-year letterman under head coach Ben Braun.
In 1987-88, Eastern Michigan went 22-8 overall and 14-2 in Mid-American Conference play, and Thomas appeared as a freshman guard with per-game averages of 0.3 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0.1 assists as the Hurons earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament and secured the program’s first MAC Tournament championship, winning the title game 94-80 over Ohio in Toledo.
As a sophomore in 1988-89, Thomas increased his role and produced 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game as Eastern Michigan finished 16-13 on the floor (later adjusted to 17-12) and played to a 7-9 MAC record (later adjusted to 8-8).
In 1989-90, Thomas posted 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while Eastern Michigan finished 19-13 overall and 8-8 in conference play.
As a senior in 1990-91, Thomas suited up on an Eastern Michigan team that went 26-7 overall and 13-3 in the MAC, winning both the MAC regular season and MAC Tournament titles before advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, and he averaged 10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while ranking second on the team with 55 made three-pointers.
Eastern Michigan recorded the program’s first NCAA Tournament win on March 15, 1991, beating Mississippi State 76-56, then advanced again on March 17, 1991 with a 71-68 overtime win over Penn State, and in the Sweet 16 game versus North Carolina, Thomas’ offensive-rebound putback was noted among key late plays in the closing stretch of Eastern Michigan’s historic run.
Across his Eastern Michigan career, Thomas played in 109 games with 42 starts, helped the program compile an 84-40 record during his four seasons, totaled 710 points and 347 rebounds, finished with 241 assists, and made 116 career three-pointers while shooting 36.1% from three (116-of-321).
In the 1991 NCAA Tournament, Thomas started and scored nine points versus Mississippi State, 11 versus Penn State, and eight against North Carolina, and he received Eastern Michigan’s Most Improved and Defensive Player recognition following the 1990-91 season.
Related
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