NBL EXPERIENCE

Peter Mann made his NBL debut with the Hobart Devils at 24 years of age. He scored eight points in his first game.

In 1983, after the demise of the Launceston Casino City Tigers saw the state without an NBL team, Hobart entered the NBL. The Devils would play their home games from Kingsborough Sports Centre and were coached by Keith Scott, who built a team around three Stanwix brothers, Warren, Brennan and Darren and imports Eric Bailey, Marty Green and Curtis Coleman, who had been a part of the defunct Launceston team in 1980.

Hobart would win their very first game of the season, a 45 point victory over fellow Tasmanian expansion team Devonport (85-40). The offensive firepower of import trio Bailey (25.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals), Green (21.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) and Curtis Coleman (11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals) would put points on the scoreboard, but the league’s newest team struggled to compete against the more talented programs in the competition.

After their initial win, the Devils would lose ten consecutive games until a surprise upset of Nunawading at home (81-73).

Mann would appear in 22 games, averaging 10.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, but Hobart would lose the remaining games for the season. They would finish equal dead last with fellow Tasmania expansion team Devonport, with both team’s recording two wins for the year.

1984
In 1984, Mann averaged 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while the Devils struggled to find wins, finishing with a 4-19 record.

1985
The 1985 season saw Mann average 10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while Hobart managed just two wins for the year. In a game against Sydney, Mann scored the last 5 points in 40 seconds as Hobart came away with the one point victory.

1986
During the 1986 season, Mann averaged 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists and play a key role in helping the Devils record their most successful season to date with 9 wins and 17 losses.

1987
Hobart added high scoring import Paul Stanley (via Melbourne) to the roster, pairing him with Steve Carfino and immediately saw an impact. Stanley (35.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game) led the league in scoring and become the fastest player in NBL history to reach 1,000 career points. His 35.4 points per game is the seventh-best mark in league history for a single year.

He spear-headed a Devils squad that featured good chemistry and a high-powered offense. Carfino (22.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 3.4 steals), Wayne Burden (12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals) and Jerry Dennard (11.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks) rounded out the Devils primary offensive threats, while american coach Dave ‘Doc’ Adkins led Hobart to a 14-win, 12-loss record, the best result ever for the franchise.

Mann, a key part of the Devils success, would average 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds across 25 games.

1988
The Devils season started off on a negative, with many fans disappointed to see star players Steven Carfino (to Sydney) and Paul Stanley allowed to leave the team, and replaced by the import duo of Joe Hurst and Greg Giddings.

While Hurst (31.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks) gave fans a reason to be excited, the high scoring forward earning the league MVP award at seasons end, but Giddings (22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.0 steals) managed only six games as an import point guard, before being replaced by Kelvin Scarborough (21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.5 steals).

Jerry Dennard (11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.8 steals), Wayne Burden (7.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists 1.1 steals) and Murray Shiels (6.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks) were the other key players for the squad as Hobart finished in tenth place (10-14).

In a strange result, although Hurst was named NBL MVP he was left off the All-NBL First team, becoming the only MVP in history to not make the All NBL First team in the same season.

Mann would appear in 24 games, averaging 4.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in what was his final NBL season.

Peter Mann played six seasons the Hobart Devils. He averaged 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 137 NBL games.