BIO: Dan Clausen was born in Omaha, Nebraska (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Dan Clausen made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 25 years of age. He scored 30 points in his first game.

In 1984, Clausen averaged 30.5 points, 18 rebounds, and 1.7 assists as the 36ers finished with a record of 16-7 and in sixth place during the regular season.

PERTH WILDCATS
1985
Jay Brehmer became the Wildcats’ fourth coach in four seasons when he joined the team in 1985, bringing with him a number of fresh faces to the squad. Clausen and fellow import Roland Brooks joined the team, as did local talent Adam Brennan and Sandy Caldwell, who would both play key roles as rookies. Perth began the season by winning their first three games in a row, taking a number of team’s by surprise in the process. Once the team began playing opponents on the road, however, they quickly fell back to earth and sat on 4 wins and 4 losses only a month later.

The team was led by Dan Clausen who racked up big numbers in every statistical category. He led the team in points (25.7 ppg), rebounds (15.7 rpg) and blocks (2.4 bpg) while ranking second in assists (3.4 apg), steals (1.4 spg), making him a clear choice for the club MVP award. Roland Brooks (23.2 points and 10.0 rebounds) and Mike Ellis (17.7 points and 6.0 assists) supported Clausen admirably but Perth’s inability to win outside of Western Australia (compiling a 4-9 record on away games) they finished the season in eighth place, falling well short of making the NBL playoffs. The Wildcats finished with a 13–13 record, which at the time, was the best record in Wildcats history.

1986
Perth started the season with five wins and five losses before losing import Roland Brooks (18.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals) to a season-ending injury.

During the 1986 season, local businessman Bob Williams was invited to attend a game by the state government. Williams agreed and, after one game, liked what he saw and signed on as the club’s major sponsor. His company ‘Interstuct’ appeared across the front of the team’s uniform. At the end of the 1986 season, Bob Williams was called to a meeting by the WA state government. Williams was told that the WABF was bankrupt and that there was to be no Government assistance. Unless Bob Williams bought the licence from the state government, the Wildcats would cease to exist in the NBL. Williams left the meeting not only as the major sponsor but as the Wildcats, and the NBL’s first private owner and president of the WABF.

Losing Brooks, the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder, proved too much to recover from, resulting in Perth struggling to be competitive against the rest of the league and finishing in twelfth place (8–18).

The team was led by Dan Clausen (21.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 2.1 assists), captain Mike Ellis (16.2 points and 6.6 assists) as the Wildcats finished the year with a 8–18 record and in 12th place.

BRISBANE BULLETS
1989
Brisbane entered the 1989 NBL season dealing with the loss of two key scorers—Shane Heal (to Geelong) and import Emery Atkinson (to Canberra). To help fill the void, the Bullets brought in American import Winston Crite and guard Greg Giddings, hoping to maintain their offensive edge.

Dan Clausen returned to Australia after two years abroad, agreeing to join the Bullets for the 1989 season. However, he managed to appear in only one game before suffering a season-ending injury, failing to register a stat during his lone appearance.

Leroy Loggins (22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks) once again led Brisbane in scoring and defensive output but, for the first time since 1981, was left off the All-NBL First Team. Winston Crite (20.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) posted strong individual numbers but didn’t establish the same dynamic with Loggins seen with past imports.

Larry Sengstock (12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Ron Radliff (12.0 points, 3.1 assists) remained steady contributors, while Robert Sibley (15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds) emerged with a breakout season in an expanded role.

Despite solid individual campaigns, Brisbane ended the year with an 11–13 record, finishing eighth and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1983.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
1990
36ers long time assistant coach Don Shipway was appointed coach of the team for the 1990 NBL season which saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since 1983 when they finished 9th with a 11–15 record, the club’s first ever losing season.

It was also the year Mark Davis replaced Darryl Pearce as captain of the team, a role he would hold until the end of 1996. 1990 also saw the final year for former captain and local favourite Peter Ali who retired from playing at the end of the season after 279 games, 141 of them with the 36ers since 1985.

Clausen, who struggled to return to form after his injury, would average 1.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game for the season.

Dan Clausen played five seasons in the NBL. He averaged 20.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 97 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 49th in total blocks
– 6th in rebounds per game.
– 19th in blocks per game.

Dan Boyce (835 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.