BIO: Mark Nash was born in Launceston (TAS) and began playing basketball as a fourteen year old for Kingborough District, in Tasmania. He was recruited by the Hobart Devils at the start on the 1996 season.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Mark Nash made his NBL debut with the Hobart Devils at 18 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

Hobart entered 1994 with a revamped roster under head coach Bill Tomlinson, parting ways with Andrew Svaldenis, David Close, Neil Turner, Justin Cass, Wayne McDaniel, Donald Whiteside, and Jim Havrilla, while bringing in Lamont Middleton (via St. John’s University), Calvin Talford (via East Tennessee State), Darren Perry (via South East Melbourne), Darren Smith (via State League), and Marco Van Buuren (via Gold Coast).

The season began with a loss to Brisbane (103-116), but Calvin Talford stole the show, delivering one of the greatest individual performances in NBL history. Playing all 48 minutes, he erupted for 50 points (15-19 FG, 5-7 3PT, 15-19 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, giving Devils fans something to cheer about despite the defeat.

Talford (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) later competed in the NBL Dunk Competition at the All-Star Game, finishing as runner-up to Brett Rainbow and becoming a fan favorite across the league.

Other key contributors for the season included Anthony Stewart (18.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5 assists) and veteran Wayne McDaniel (15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists), both delivering solid numbers.

This season also saw Mark Nash make his NBL debut, appearing in one game for Hobart and recording 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Unfortunately, the season quickly unraveled, as Hobart struggled to compete with the league’s top teams. Darren Perry (9.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals) was solid but struggled with injuries carried over from his time with the Magic. Middleton was released after seven games, and the team brought in Keith Nelson (21.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks), who led the league in shot-blocking but did little to change the Devils’ win-loss record.

Hobart finished with a 2-24 record, the second-worst single-season mark in NBL history. Despite the team’s overall struggles, the Devils recorded their only two wins against Gold Coast (90-88) and Perth (93-92) but suffered several close losses, including narrow defeats to Canberra (101-107), Newcastle (97-114), and Townsville (92-93). The lack of depth and reliance on individual performances ultimately doomed their season.

1998
After finishing fifth with a 15-15 record and being swept by Perth in the 1997 elimination finals, Brisbane entered 1998 having been eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs for four consecutive seasons. The Bullets released head coach David Ingham and brought Brian Kerle back to the club after he had previously coached Brisbane to championships in 1985 and 1987. Mike McKay (to Canberra), Dwayne McClain, Mark Dalton (to Wollongong), Robert Sibley, Leonard White, Toby Zaremba and Bruce Hamilton departed, while captain Leroy Loggins, Steve Woodberry, Rodger Smith, John Szigeti, Ben Thompson and Aaron Honeyman returned. Kerle added import Chuck Kornegay, Mark Nash, CJ Bruton (via Indian Hills CC), Ryan Stolberg and Ben Castle.

The high cost of playing home games at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, combined with falling attendances, also led the Bullets to shift their home schedule to the smaller 4,000-seat Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Nash returned to the NBL after spending the previous season in the state league, having previously played with Hobart.

Brisbane opened the season at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre against defending champion Melbourne on January 30, where Nash (6 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist) helped the Bullets win 105-97. Woodberry (32 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Loggins (27 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Brisbane.

Nash (9.8 points and 8.2 rebounds across 34 games) finished second on Brisbane in rebounding and appeared in every one of the Bullets’ 30 regular-season games and all four playoff games.

His best regular-season performance came against Townsville at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on March 20, where Nash (18 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) made 8-of-13 shots. Loggins (39 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Bruton (18 points and 2 steals) provided the other major contributions, but Derek Rucker (51 points) made 19-of-26 shots and 11 three-pointers as the Suns defeated Brisbane 116-98.

Woodberry (26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals across 34 games) appeared in every Brisbane game, produced the highest-scoring NBL season of his career to that point, led the league in free-throw percentage at 92.2 percent and earned All-NBL First Team honours. Loggins (17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 26 games) remained another major scoring option, while Kornegay (16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 32 games) gave Kerle an interior presence. Bruton (15.4 points, 4 assists, and 1.8 steals across 34 games) immediately became a key part of the backcourt and Thompson (6.3 points across 13 games) provided further scoring depth.

Brisbane closed the regular season against Adelaide at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on June 7, where Nash (12 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals) recorded another double-double. Woodberry (24 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 block) produced a triple-double and Bruton (15 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) provided further support, while John Rillie (19 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Adelaide. The Bullets won 101-89 to finish fourth with a 16-14 record, claiming home-court advantage over Melbourne after winning the head-to-head series 2-1.

Nash’s highest-scoring game of the season came in the opening game of the elimination finals against Melbourne at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Nash (20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) made seven of eight field goals and all five of his three-point attempts as Brisbane defeated the Tigers 93-80. Woodberry (24 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) and Kornegay (15 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks) also produced major performances, while Andrew Gaze (34 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Melbourne.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Nash (16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) recorded a double-double as Brisbane overwhelmed the defending champions 114-81. Loggins (27 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Woodberry (21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led the Bullets, while Lanard Copeland (22 points) and Mark Bradtke (20 points) were Melbourne’s leading scorers. The sweep moved Brisbane beyond the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

The semifinals matched Brisbane with minor premier South East Melbourne, which had finished the regular season 26-4. Game one returned to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, where Nash (4 points and 5 rebounds) played 26 minutes as Woodberry (46 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) produced the highest-scoring game of his NBL career and Kornegay (19 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) controlled the glass. Tony Ronaldson (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Mike Kelly (25 points) led the Magic to a 106-98 victory.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Nash (2 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 27 minutes as Woodberry (28 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and Bruton (15 points and 5 assists) led Brisbane. Sam Mackinnon (30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Ronaldson (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led South East Melbourne to a 90-84 victory, completing the semifinal sweep and ending Brisbane’s season one round short of the Grand Final.

1998/99
During the offseason, the Bullets made several roster changes, signing import Thaddeus Delaney to replace the departing Chuck Kornegay. Brisbane also added Ben Knight and Matthew Shanahan, who were both left without a roster spot following the Giants/Magic merger, as well as Phil Doherty, who left Perth in search of more playing time.

Steve Woodberry (27.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.1 steals) delivered the best season of his career, winning the 1999 NBL MVP. Leroy Loggins (18.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals) continued to defy age at 41 years old, but beyond them, the Bullets’ roster lacked depth. Delaney (11.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks) put up solid numbers but failed to live up to expectations. Veteran Rodger Smith (6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists) contributed defensively, while 23-year-old Mark Nash (8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) provided support where possible. However, when that’s the kind of production coming from the supporting cast, it meant Brisbane needed a big night from Woodberry and Loggins just to stay competitive.

Brisbane finished the season 13-13, securing fifth place and a qualifying finals matchup against the Melbourne Tigers, who eliminated the Bullets in two straight games.

Nash played in 28 games, averaging 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.

1999/00
The team was unable to retain imports Chuck Kornegay (Spain) and Steve Woodberry (Sydney), both departing for lucrative overseas deals. By the 1999/00 season, Leroy Loggins (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game) was finally beginning to show signs of slowing down. His numbers had dropped to career lows across the board, signaling that the Bullets had to start planning for life after Leroy.

Head coach Brian Kerle brought in his son Simon Kerle and Jason Cameron (both via Townsville) along with Brendan Mann (via Canberra) to develop a local core around the team’s existing young talent, Phil Doherty and Mark Nash. Rod Johnson (via Newcastle) was also signed to add veteran leadership, while imports Kelvin Price and Sheldon Quarles rounded out the roster.

Despite being 42 years old, Loggins (15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals) remained a key part of Brisbane’s offense, continuing to log 29 minutes per game. Kerle (14.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) contributed where he could, while Price (12.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Quarles (11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) failed to meet expectations. With less overall talent than the previous season, Brisbane struggled, finishing with a 7-21 record and missing the playoffs—marking only the third time in Loggins’ 20-season NBL career that he did not feature in the postseason.

Mark Nash played 27 games, averaging 6.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2000/01
The 2000/01 season was one 36ers fans would rather forget. The team scraped into the playoffs with a 16-12 record, finishing sixth on the ladder despite ending the regular season on a four-game losing streak.

Led offensively by captain Brett Maher (20.9 points, 5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals), import Kevin Brooks (19.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) returning from his one-year stint with Sydney, and Darnell Mee (18.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks), who would go on to win his third straight NBL Best Defensive Player award, the 36ers had the talent to contend but lacked consistency.

A key offseason move was the addition of Mark Nash (9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) from the Brisbane Bullets. He quickly became an integral part of the starting lineup, providing versatility, hustle, and defensive intensity, filling the gaps left by Maher, Brooks, and Mee, and giving the team a much-needed glue guy.

Despite their late-season struggles, the 36ers pulled off a stunning first-round upset, eliminating the first-placed Victoria Titans in the Qualifying Finals. Adelaide dropped Game 1 at home (96-101) but rebounded in Game 2 on the road (96-83) before clinching the series in Melbourne (115-103) to advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-final series against Wollongong started with a heartbreaking Game 1 loss (83-84) at home after Charles Thomas’ foul on Mee in the final moments was ignored, followed by Melvin Thomas’ clear foul on David Stiff as he grabbed a rebound also going uncalled. Adelaide responded with a dominant Game 2 win (111-100) on the road, forcing a Game 3 decider at The Sandpit.

The series finale became an instant NBL classic, featuring huge shots and momentum swings, before a controversial final-second foul call on Darnell Mee sent Damon Lowery to the free-throw line after the buzzer. With the game and the series on the line, Lowery hit all three free throws, handing Wollongong a 109-108 victory and ending Adelaide’s season in the cruelest possible way.

Mee and Brett Maher fought hard, while Brooks (26 points, 63% shooting) hit two massive three-pointers in the final quarter to keep the 36ers in the fight. Paul Maley, in what turned out to be his final NBL game, gave everything in his last outing before retiring due to injury. Mark Nash had a standout performance, throwing down a spectacular driving dunk through traffic and making big plays in crunch time.

The loss signaled the end of an era, with longtime club legend Mark Davis retiring after 482 games, leaving as Adelaide’s all-time leader in rebounds (5,200), points (8,752), and blocks (301). Meanwhile, Darnell Mee was named to the All-NBL First Team but was lost to salary cap constraints, bringing his four-year tenure with the club to an end.

Despite flashes of brilliance, the 36ers’ season ended in heartbreak, leaving fans wondering what could have been.

2000/01
Following a semi-final exit in 2001, Adelaide 36ers head coach Phil Smyth made significant changes to the roster. Longtime imports Kevin Brooks and Darnell Mee, as well as veteran forwards Paul Maley (34 years old) and Mark Davis (40 years old), were not re-signed as the team shifted towards a younger core.

Smyth traveled to the Long Beach Summer League in the United States, where he scouted and signed 26-year-old Willie Farley, a high-scoring shooting guard he believed could replace Mee. Unlike previous seasons, the 36ers opted for just one import, increasing the responsibility of local talent Brett Maher, David Stiff, Paul Rees, Rupert Sapwell, and Mark Nash. The team also introduced Oscar Forman and Jacob Holmes, two up-and-coming players eager to prove themselves.

The revamped lineup quickly found success, with Farley (25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) emerging as an offensive powerhouse. He finished as the second-leading scorer in the NBL, behind Brisbane’s Randy Rutherford. His scoring ability meshed well with Brett Maher (21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists), while David Stiff (12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists) and Paul Rees (10.2 points and 7.2 rebounds) anchored the frontcourt. Mark Nash (7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) played an important role as a versatile forward, stepping up in key moments.

Adelaide started the season 6-4, staying in playoff contention. Midseason, the Cairns Taipans released import Matt Garrison due to financial struggles, and the 36ers moved quickly to sign him. Garrison, a key part of Wollongong’s 2001 NBL Championship run, added another layer of depth. Garrison (10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) was a key contributor as Adelaide finished the regular season third (17-13).

The playoffs began with a dominant sweep of Wollongong in the Qualifying Finals. The 36ers stunned the defending champions with a 107-90 victory at WIN Entertainment Centre, led by Farley (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Sapwell (19 points and 11 rebounds), and Maher (16 points and 6 assists). They closed out the series at home with a 101-95 victory, with Farley (33 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Maher (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) sealing the win. Nash (7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds) played a key role, providing defensive versatility and rebounding.

In the semi-finals, Adelaide faced Victoria and delivered a Game 1 upset (99-92) on the road, fueled by Farley (25 points and 4 rebounds) and Maher (23 points and 8 rebounds). The Titans responded in Game 2, winning 86-81 in Adelaide, limiting Farley (24 points) and Maher (15 points) while Nash (6 points and 7 rebounds) battled on the glass.

Back at home for Game 3, Adelaide bounced back with a 103-92 victory, securing a Grand Final spot behind Farley (33 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists), Maher (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists), and Rees (16 points and 9 rebounds). Nash (7 rebounds and 4 assists) made timely plays on both ends.

Adelaide reached its sixth NBL Grand Final, taking on the West Sydney Razorbacks, who were making their first-ever championship appearance. The 36ers started strong, winning Game 1 (106-97) at Adelaide Arena, led by Farley (34 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals) and Maher (25 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds), while Nash (8 points and 5 rebounds) provided hustle and perimeter defense.

Game 2 saw West Sydney even the series, thanks to a dominant performance from Simon Dwight (20 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 blocks) and John Rillie (28 points, 7-of-12 from three). The Razorbacks edged out a 103-100 win at the State Sports Centre, despite Farley (24 points and 8 rebounds) and Maher (25 points and 7 assists) keeping Adelaide in the fight.

With the championship on the line, the 36ers delivered one of the most dominant performances in NBL Grand Final history. They shot a record-breaking 19-of-31 from three-point range (61.2%) and posted 125 points—the most in Grand Final history. Nash (18 points, 4-of-6 from three-point range) stepped up in the deciding game, adding crucial outside shooting alongside Farley (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Maher (30 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists). Adelaide crushed the Razorbacks 125-107, securing their fourth NBL championship.

Maher was named Finals MVP, averaging 26.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.3 steals over the three-game series

Mark Nash played twelve seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Hobart Devils, Brisbane Bullets and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 7.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 313 NBL games.