Trevor Mathew
July 23, 2020
Richard Smith
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth:
- Place of Birth: Launceston (TAS)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 218
- Weight (KG): 115
- Junior Assoc: TAS - Launceston
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 21/02/81
- AGE AT DEBUT: 0
- LAST NBL GAME: 28/06/81
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 0
- NBL History: Launceston 1981
- Championships: 1
- Launceston Casino City (1981)
BIO: Richard Smith was born in Launceston (TAS).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Richard Smith made his NBL debut with the Launceston Casino City Tigers on 21/2/1981. He scored 18 points in his first game.
In 1981, coach Rex Johnstone would be replaced by Max Pike, who looked to increase the size and strength of the team by replacing import guard Curtis Coleman with Smith. The move making Launceston the tallest team in the competition at a time where there was no three-point line.
A starting five that consisted of national team guard Ian Davies (22.8 points), imports Cliff Martin (20.5 points), Jim Ericksen (17.0 points), Richard Smith (13.7 points) and local guard Trevor Mathew (7.9 points)
Launceston had delivered their best result during the regular season, sitting in fifth place with one game to play. Some late heroics from Ian Davies got the team up for a win in the dying seconds of the last game and the team snuck into fourth position (14-8) and secured a place in the semifinals.
In what was an unusual way to start the postseason St Kilda, who finished on top of the regular season ladder (17-5), chose to forgo their chance at a three-peat to compete in the 1981 Club World Cup, elevating fifth placed Brisbane into the playoffs as their replacement. This also saw Launceston became the top seed in finals series which consisted of single-game semi-finals and a single-game Grand Final.
Launceston went on to defeat Brisbane (71-69) in a nail-biter with Tigers captain Jim Ericksen (23 points) and Ian Davies (18 points) and Bullets star import Leroy Loggins (31 points) going bucket for bucket at the offensive end.
On the other side of the semifinal bracket the underdogs came away victorious, with Nunawading Spectres eliminating the West Adelaide Bearcats (74-71). Al Green top scored for Adelaide with 20 points and Rob Mayberry scored 27 for Nunawading.
The Grand Final was played the next day at the Apollo Entertainment Centre in Adelaide with both teams contesting their first ever Grand Final. Launceston went on to thrash Nunawading (75-54) with Cliff Martin (25 points) and Ian Davies (18 points) leading the team in scoring. The win saw the Tigers become the first Tasmanian side to ever win a championship in an Australian national sporting league. Mayberry (16 points) finishing as the Spectres top scorer.
Richard Smith played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.6 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists in 24 NBL games.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0 | Launceston | 14-8 (2) | 24 | 0.0 | 328 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 131 | 263 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 66 | 93 | 71% | 53% | 50% | 35 | Totals | 24 | 0 | 328 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 131 | 263 | 49.8% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 66 | 93 | 71.0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0 | Launceston | 14-8 (2) | 24 | 0.0 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.8 | 3.9 | 71% | 53.4% | 50% | 35 | Total | 24 | 0.0 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 49.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 71.0% | 54% | 50% | 35 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
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