BIO: Matt Zauner was born in Albury (NSW).

FAMILY: Matt’s brother, Brendan Zauner also played 11 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Matt Zauner made his NBL debut with the Canberra Cannons at 19 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

In his rookie season, Zauner averaged 1.0 points and 1.4 rebounds, and helped Canberra finish the year in sixth place finish with a record of 11-13.

1993
In 1993, Zauner averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds, and helped guide the Cannons to a ninth-place finish during the regular season with a 12-14 record. The Cannons did not offer him a contract to return in 1994 and Zauner spent the year playing in the state league competition before getting the chance to play with the Gold Coast Rollers in 1995. During a rebuilding season for the Rollers where they managed just five wins for the season, Zauner averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds for the year.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
1996
1996 was a breakout season for Zauner who averaged 15.7 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Illawarra Hawks. Despite Zauner’s rapid improvement the Hawks struggled, finishing in tenth place with a 9-17 record.

1997
Illawarra entered 1997 after finishing tenth with a 9-17 record and missing the playoffs the previous season. Leading scorer and rebounder Marcus Timmons (to Melbourne), who would help the Tigers win the championship, departed alongside Andre LaFleur (not re-signed), Greg Hubbard (retired) and Chuck Harmison (retired), who moved into the Hawks’ general manager role. Terry Johnson, Glen Saville, Mat Campbell, Dene MacDonald and Marc Brandon returned under head coach Brendan Joyce, while Eric Cooks (via Ballarat), Lachlan Armfield (via Newcastle), Jason Brettell (returning after a season out of the NBL) and young imports Bryan Edwards and Clayton Ritter were added.

Illawarra opened the season at Beaton Park on April 12, where Matt Zauner (14 points and 9 rebounds) made all five of his field-goal attempts, but the Hawks lost 112-96 to Newcastle. Ritter (25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) and Johnson (23 points and 2 steals) led Illawarra in scoring, while David Simmons (22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) was Newcastle’s best.

Zauner (12.9 points and 7.5 rebounds across 30 games) appeared in every game, was named Hawks captain to start the season and led Illawarra in rebounding. After a strong start to the year he was selected for his first NBL All-Star Game and, with free agency approaching at the end of the season, had become ‘hot property’ around the league. Illawarra wanted to retain him, while Zauner wanted to test his market value, with a contract dispute between him and Joyce resulting in the Hawks captain being benched for a stretch after the All-Star break.

Zauner’s best game came against Townsville at Beaton Park on May 31, where Zauner (31 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 assists) made 11-of-22 shots and all nine free throws while committing only one turnover, but the Crocodiles defeated Illawarra 126-97. Edwards (19 points and 4 assists) and Johnson (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) provided support, while Derek Rucker (29 points and 6 assists) led Townsville.

Five days later, Zauner (20 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) produced another strong all-round performance against North Melbourne, making 10-of-18 shots as Illawarra lost 104-90 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Edwards (27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Campbell (16 points) provided the main support, while Mike Mitchell (20 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led the Giants.

Edwards (18.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals across 13 games) provided plenty of individual production but was not the fit Joyce needed at point guard and was replaced midway through the season by Dylan Rigdon (mid-season replacement). Rigdon (19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists across 15 games) gave Illawarra stronger point guard play following his arrival.

Ritter (23.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 28 games) led Illawarra in scoring, produced two 40-point games and won the Hawks’ team MVP award, while Saville (13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across 30 games) continued his development and was also selected for the NBL All-Star Game. Johnson (9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds across 30 games), Cooks (8.9 points and 6.5 rebounds across 29 games) and Campbell (8.7 points across 30 games) provided the remaining support.

Illawarra missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season and finished 11th with a 7-23 record, closing the year at Beaton Park on September 27 with a 115-90 win over Brisbane.

1998
After finishing 11th with a 7-23 record in 1997 and missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the Hawks entered 1998 with Brendan Joyce remaining as head coach. Dylan Rigdon and Terry Johnson (to Newcastle) departed, while Clayton Ritter, Eric Cooks, Mat Campbell, Matt Zauner and Glen Saville returned. Joyce signed defensive-minded import guard Elliot Hatcher and added Cameron Dickinson (via Sydney), Mark Dalton (via Brisbane), Justin Withers (via Sydney) and Matthew Oyston. The 1998 campaign was the NBL’s final winter season and the last for the Hawks name at Beaton Park’s Snakepit before moving to the Wollongong Entertainment Centre for 1998/99.

Zauner entered the season after being named Hawks captain and leading the team in rebounding the previous year, when he averaged 12.9 points and 7.5 rebounds and earned his first NBL All-Star Game selection. With free agency approaching, Illawarra wanted to retain him while Zauner wanted to test his market value, with a contract dispute between him and Joyce resulting in the Hawks captain being benched for a stretch after the All-Star break. Zauner ultimately re-signed and returned to the starting five in 1998, although Ritter took over as captain.

Zauner (2.8 points across 31 games) saw his role reduced significantly, with Ritter and Cooks receiving the majority of Wollongong’s frontcourt minutes. After being one of the Hawks’ primary frontcourt players across the previous two seasons, he was used primarily in a limited role during 1998, appearing in 29 regular-season games and both elimination finals.

Zauner’s best game came against South East Melbourne at Dandenong Stadium on January 31, when he made 3-of-4 field goals and finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes. Saville (24 points and 6 rebounds) and Hatcher (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Wollongong, while Tony Ronaldson (28 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) was South East Melbourne’s best as the Magic won 105-87.

His highest-scoring game came against South East Melbourne at Melbourne Park on May 6, where Zauner (10 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist) made 4-of-7 field goals in just over 21 minutes. Hatcher (18 points) and Ritter (13 points and 8 rebounds) led the Hawks, while Mike Kelly (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) was South East Melbourne’s best as the Magic won 116-73.

Ritter (24.6 points and 8.1 rebounds across 32 games) led Wollongong in scoring and rebounding, won the club MVP award and earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Hatcher (19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.7 steals across 32 games) finished second on the team in scoring and led the Hawks in steals, while Campbell (12.6 points across 32 games), Cooks (11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds across 32 games), Saville (10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 32 games), Dickinson (6.4 points across 31 games) and Dalton (5 points and 3.2 rebounds across 24 games) provided the remaining support. Illawarra doubled its win total from seven to 14, finished sixth with a 14-16 record and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Illawarra opened its elimination series against Perth at Beaton Park on June 12, where Zauner (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) played just under seven minutes. Campbell (27 points and 5 rebounds) and Saville (11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks) led the Hawks, while Scott Fisher (37 points) was Perth’s best as the Wildcats won 95-85 in the final NBL game played at the Snakepit.

Game two moved to Challenge Stadium, where Zauner went scoreless without a rebound in 2:49. Hatcher (34 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals) and Ritter (17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) led Wollongong, while Fisher (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Perth to a 120-97 victory, completing the 2-0 sweep and eliminating the Hawks in the first round.

Zauner and Hatcher were not retained for 1998/99, with Wollongong recruiting David Andersen (via AIS) to replace Zauner in the frontcourt.

1998
Zauner chose to resign with the Hawks at the end of the year and returned to the team’s starting five in 1998. The Hawks fielded a much improved roster, re-signing star Clayton Ritter and pairing him with defensive minded guard Elliot Hatcher. With Ritter and veteran forward Eric Cooks receiving the majority of minutes in the frontcourt Zauner saw fewer opportunities than in previous years and as a result averged only 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds for the year. The Hawks would double their wins from the previous year, improving from seven wins to 14 to finish in sixth place. In the elimination finals the Hawks would go on to face the Perth Wildcats, losing back to back games before being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round.

After two year hiatus Zauner returned to the NBL for the 2001 season, averaging 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Brisbane Bullets who during a rebuilding season finished the year with a 4-24 record.

Matt Zauner played seven seasons across five NBL teams. This included the Canberra Cannons, Gold Coast Rollers, Wollongong Hawks, Illawarra Hawks and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 151 NBL games.