Everette Stephens on playing for the Newcastle Falcons and Geelong Supercats during the 1990s
June 17, 2023
Daren Rowe
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 16/05/65
- Place of Birth:
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 202
- Weight (KG): 85
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Montana State (1983–1985)
- NBL DEBUT: 21/04/89
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 24/09/94
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 29
- NBL History: Geelong 1989-90, 1994
- Championships: 0
- None
NBL EXPERIENCE
Daren Rowe made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 23 years of age. He scored 32 points in his first game.
After finishing winless in 1988 and facing the possibility of folding, the Geelong basketball club was rescued by a group of local businessmen who injected much-needed financial support into the organisation. As part of the relaunch, the team was rebranded from the “Cats” to the “Supercats” and began the 1989 NBL season with a new identity, renewed purpose, and a significantly overhauled roster.
Former Eastside Melbourne coach Barry Barnes was appointed head coach after being replaced by Brian Goorjian.
Barnes quickly began shaping the roster, including luring promising guard Shane Heal to Geelong. Heal, who had just won NBL Rookie of the Year with Brisbane in 1988, joined his former mentor for his second season in the league. Alongside Heal, the Supercats added naturalised big man Jim Bateman from Illawarra, hoping to inject scoring and rebounding into the frontcourt.
The team’s import duo for the season was composed of Daren Rowe and Aubrey Sherrod, replacing the outgoing Sam Foggin and Leonard Mitchell. Both Rowe and Sherrod brought instant scoring punch and became the focal point of the Supercats’ offense—Rowe (23.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks) led the team offensively, while Sherrod (22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.0 steals) provided similar firepower on the wing.
Bateman (17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) also impressed in his first season with Geelong, and Heal (14.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists) stepped up as one of the country’s best young point guards.
Other key contributors included Ray Shirley (10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds), Bruce Hultgren (7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds), and Bruce Hope (6.1 points and 2.8 assists), while future core piece Andrew Parkinson (4.4 points) contributed in a limited bench role.
Despite the influx of talent and improved chemistry, the Supercats faced an uphill battle throughout the season. With so many new pieces, it took time to gel, and the lack of depth hurt them against stronger rosters. Still, they managed to win five games—breaking a two-year winless streak—and finished the 1989 campaign with a 5–19 record. While not enough to reach the playoffs, the improvement was significant, particularly considering the off-court turmoil that had plagued the franchise just a year prior.
1990
For the second year in a row, coach Barry Barnes was forced to build a new-look roster at the Supercats. John Dorge (via Brisbane) and Vince Hinchen (via Westside Melbourne) were added to the roster. The season didn’t start well for the Supercats. Although Vaughns (17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks) put up good numbers across four games, Geelong started the year 0-4 and Vaughns was released. This opened the door for explosive point guard Bobby Locke to join the team, who dropped 50 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals in his first NBL game. While the addition of Locke brought a new level of excitement for Supercats fans, the team wasn’t able to turn things around, losing the next three games before finally notching up a win against the Adelaide 36ers.
With Locke (31.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.4 steals) leading the team in scoring, 19-year-old Shane Heal (22.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists) delivering career highs in points, rebounds and assists and Daren Rowe (18.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.4 steals and 3.2 blocks) leading the league in blocks, Geelong were able to win more games this season (11) than they had totaled in the previous two seasons combined (5).
1994
In 1994 Rowe averaged 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, and helped guide the Supercats to a 7-19 record in 1994.
Daren Rowe played three seasons the Geelong Supercats. He averaged 19.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 62 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 21st in steals per game.
– 22nd in blocks per game.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 29 | Geelong | 7-19 (11) | 12 | 377.0 | 177 | 86 | 39 | 24 | 62 | 24 | 11 | 63 | 47 | 58 | 142 | 41% | 8 | 17 | 47% | 53 | 73 | 73% | 50% | 44% | 24 |
| 1990 | 25 | Geelong | 11-15 (10) | 26 | 1,071.0 | 475 | 261 | 129 | 83 | 178 | 63 | 84 | 94 | 93 | 192 | 380 | 51% | 9 | 30 | 30% | 82 | 123 | 67% | 54% | 52% | 25 |
| 1989 | 24 | Geelong | 5-19 (13) | 24 | 981.0 | 554 | 280 | 73 | 101 | 179 | 58 | 36 | 102 | 106 | 214 | 439 | 49% | 11 | 24 | 46% | 115 | 149 | 77% | 54% | 50% | 35 | Totals | 62 | 2429 | 1206 | 627 | 241 | 208 | 419 | 145 | 131 | 259 | 246 | 464 | 961 | 48.3% | 28 | 71 | 39.4% | 250 | 345 | 72.5% | 54% | 50% | 35 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 29 | Geelong | 7-19 (11) | 12 | 31.4 | 14.8 | 7.2 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 11.8 | 41% | 0.7 | 1.4 | 47% | 4.4 | 6.1 | 73% | 50% | 44% | 24 |
| 1990 | 25 | Geelong | 11-15 (10) | 26 | 41.2 | 18.3 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 6.8 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 7.4 | 14.6 | 51% | 0.3 | 1.2 | 30% | 3.2 | 4.7 | 67% | 54% | 52% | 25 |
| 1989 | 24 | Geelong | 5-19 (13) | 24 | 40.9 | 23.1 | 11.7 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 8.9 | 18.3 | 49% | 0.5 | 1.0 | 46% | 4.8 | 6.2 | 77% | 54% | 50% | 35 | Total | 62 | 39.2 | 19.5 | 10.1 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 6.8 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 7.5 | 15.5 | 48.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 39.4% | 0.5 | 1.1 | 72.5% | 54% | 50% | 35 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 35 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Slovenia - Helios (1993–1994)
Rowe joined Helios for the 1993–94 FIBA Korać Cup season, playing his first season in Slovenia.
Rowe appeared in two European Cup Radivoj Korac games for Helios and averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 40.0 minutes, finishing the tie with 41 total points, 19 rebounds, seven assists and nine steals while shooting 16-of-31 on two point field goals and 9-of-11 at the line.
Helios drew 84–84 with ABB on September 29, 1993 in Domžale, with Rowe producing 25 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and seven steals in 40 minutes, then Helios lost 89–78 to ABB on October 6, 1993 in Leuven, with Rowe posting 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 40 minutes, alongside Helios teammates Wade Arnot Gugino, Walter Jeklin, Dušan Kovačič, Dušan Trifunović and Radovan Trifunović in that Korac Cup campaign.
COLLEGE
Rowe played college basketball at Montana State from 1983–1985. Montana State’s 1983–84 season finished with a 14–15 overall record and a 7–7 mark in Big Sky play under head coach Stu Starner.
Montana State’s 1984–85 season finished with an 11–17 overall record and a 7–7 mark in Big Sky play under head coach Stu Starner.
A national preseason publication previewing Montana State entering 1984–85 identified Rowe as a returning sophomore and referenced him alongside senior guard Norman Luckett as part of the team’s returning group.
AWARDS
- 1x NBL Blocks Leader
Related
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