BIO: Scott McGregor was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Newcastle basketball program. McGregor received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1994. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Scott McGregor made his NBL debut with the Newcastle Falcons at 20 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

2003/04
West Sydney entered the 2003/04 season with a bold new direction, opting not to re-sign import Willie Farley and veteran foundation duo Derek Rucker and Bruce Bolden. In doing so, they made history as the first team in the modern NBL era to field an all-Australian lineup. With John Rillie returning from his stint in Greece and Sam MacKinnon fully recovered from injury, the Razorbacks finally had a stable core to build chemistry and push for a championship.

Scott McGregor was a key part of this reshaped roster, returning for his second season with the Razorbacks. His versatility as a forward, ability to stretch the floor, and consistent rebounding made him a valuable piece alongside the team’s stars. The 2003/04 season was set to be a breakout year for McGregor, who was looking to make a bigger impact within the Razorbacks’ deep rotation.

West Sydney opened the season in dominant fashion, securing a 119-103 victory over Hunter, with Simon Dwight (26 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Sam MacKinnon (24 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists) both flirting with triple-doubles. McGregor was solid in the season opener, making key contributions on both ends of the floor.

The Razorbacks started the season 3-1 before hitting a rough patch, suffering three consecutive losses, including a tough defeat to Sydney (83-97), where Kings star Matt Nielsen put on a show with 29 points and 8 rebounds. They also fell to Wollongong (81-90) and Victoria (101-106), leaving them at 3-4 and needing to respond.

At a pivotal moment in their season, West Sydney bounced back in dominant fashion, embarking on a season-defining 10-game winning streak. McGregor played an important role during this run, providing efficient scoring and strong rebounding. The streak included key victories over Sydney (97-87), Wollongong (109-105), and Victoria (107-95), helping the Razorbacks climb back into the championship conversation.

John Rillie (20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists) led the way as the team’s primary scorer, while MacKinnon (17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks) and Simon Dwight (15.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.7 blocks) provided elite two-way play. McGregor (13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) rounded out the starting lineup alongside Aaron Trahair (13.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists), while Russell Hinder (9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) and rookie Steven Markovic (8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) provided key contributions off the bench.

However, the team suffered a major setback in February when McGregor sustained a season-ending injury in a 110-99 loss to Wollongong. With his absence, Hinder stepped into the starting five, while Markovic saw an increased role in the rotation. Despite losing McGregor, the Razorbacks maintained their strong form, finishing the regular season with a 22-11 record—good for third place—while setting franchise records for most total wins, home victories, and road triumphs in a season.

West Sydney carried this form into the playoffs, overpowering Cairns in the elimination final (110-88). Trahair (31 points, 4 assists), MacKinnon (28 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks), and Dwight (11 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 blocks) were instrumental in securing a spot in the semifinals.

The Razorbacks then swept Wollongong in the semifinals, opening with a 107-91 win behind Rillie’s 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Dwight (22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and MacKinnon (12 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists) played key roles. Mat Campbell led the Hawks with 20 points.

Game 2 saw an unforgettable performance from Rillie, who erupted for 45 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals, shooting 17-of-26 from the field to lead West Sydney to a 110-95 victory and a berth in the NBL Grand Final.

For the first time, the NBL Grand Final was played as a best-of-five series, with the Razorbacks facing minor premiers Sydney (26-7), led by league MVP Matt Nielsen.

Game 1 belonged to the Kings, who secured a 96-76 win behind a stellar showing from captain CJ Bruton (35 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9-of-16 shooting), while Dwight (23 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks) paced the Razorbacks.

West Sydney responded in Game 2 with a dominant 87-72 victory, locking down defensively while Rillie (18 points) and Trahair (17 points) led the scoring effort to level the series.

In a thrilling Game 3, the Razorbacks took a 2-1 series lead with an 82-80 overtime victory. Rillie (18 points) was a key factor, while Dwight (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks) and MacKinnon (14 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists) provided crucial all-around contributions.

Despite Rillie’s 31-point effort in Game 4, Sydney edged out an 82-77 win, forcing a decisive Game 5—the first ever in NBL Grand Final history.

Before a raucous crowd of 9,609 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, the Razorbacks fought valiantly in Game 5 but ultimately fell short, losing 90-79. Sydney’s defense contained Rillie, holding him to 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Trahair (20 points) and Dwight (18 points) kept West Sydney in the contest. Ebi Ere (25 points) proved to be the difference-maker, delivering a dominant fourth-quarter performance, while Brett Wheeler (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Matt Nielsen (14 points, 12 rebounds) controlled the paint. Nielsen earned Grand Final MVP honours, adding to his regular-season MVP award.

Despite the heartbreak of losing the Grand Final, the 2003/04 season was one of the Razorbacks’ finest. McGregor had been a key contributor before his injury, and his absence was felt during the championship push. Rillie and MacKinnon earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Markovic was named NBL Rookie of the Year.

2004/05
Following their 2004 NBL Grand Final appearance, the West Sydney Razorbacks underwent a major transition. After six seasons in charge, head coach Gordie McLeod was replaced by longtime assistant Mark Watkins, who stepped into the role after receiving player support. Meanwhile, the club’s financial struggles worsened, with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs—who owned the Razorbacks—hit with a $500,000 fine and stripped of all 37 NRL premiership points due to salary cap breaches. This instability played a key role in shaping the Razorbacks’ offseason decisions.

West Sydney faced notable departures in the offseason. Leading scorer John Rillie (to Townsville) and key bench contributors Russell Hinder (to Hunter) and David Pennisi (to Europe) all moved on, while Brad Williams retired. With several core players leaving, the Razorbacks were forced to rebuild heading into the 2004/05 season.

A key returnee for the team was Scott McGregor, who had missed the previous season with a severe injury. His return added much-needed experience and versatility to the frontcourt. Reigning NBL Rookie of the Year Steven Markovic also returned, stepping into a bigger role in the backcourt to help cover Rillie’s departure. The team, which had played with an all-Australian roster the previous season, opted to bring in Nick Horvath (via Duke University) as their new import, with Horvath (20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) immediately becoming their offensive focal point.

Defensively, Simon Dwight (15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 3.2 blocks) remained a dominant presence in the paint, continuing his role as the team’s top shot-blocker. Captain Sam MacKinnon (14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks) continued to provide all-around contributions on both ends of the floor, while McGregor (12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists) played a key role in balancing the team’s offense.

West Sydney’s first game of the season resulted in a 97–120 loss to Perth on October 2, 2004, as the team struggled to find cohesion with their new lineup. Their first victory came in Round 2, with a dominant 106–75 home win over Brisbane on October 10. Shortly after, they secured a 113–111 road win over Brisbane, with Horvath (23 points, 17 rebounds) and McGregor (26 points) leading the way.

However, their momentum quickly stalled as the team entered a four-game losing streak, falling to Melbourne (97–105), Adelaide (85–102), and Perth (90–101). Struggles to replace Rillie’s perimeter shooting became apparent, as the Razorbacks lacked a consistent outside scoring threat beyond Horvath.

The team bounced back in Round 8, securing a 96–82 win over Wollongong, with Horvath (29 points, 14 rebounds) and MacKinnon (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) leading the charge. Another tight contest saw West Sydney defeat Cairns 87–84, with Markovic (18 points, 6 assists) stepping up in the backcourt. Despite these promising results, inconsistency plagued the team throughout the season, as they struggled to string together consecutive wins.

The Razorbacks’ season took a turn for the worse with a seven-game losing streak between January 2 and January 29, 2005. This difficult stretch included a 123–89 blowout loss to Sydney and a 112–85 loss to Sydney on February 19, effectively eliminating them from playoff contention. Defensive struggles and the lack of reliable scoring options beyond Horvath continued to be their biggest weaknesses.

West Sydney found some success late in the season, snapping their losing streak with a 103–76 home win over Hunter on February 2, where McGregor (21 points, 7 rebounds) provided a crucial spark. Another strong performance came on February 11, when they defeated the Hawks 117–95, showcasing one of their most efficient offensive games of the season. Despite these highlights, the team failed to generate enough momentum to salvage their campaign.

The Razorbacks finished the season in ninth place with an 11–21 record, missing the playoffs just one year after making the Grand Final.

Scott McGregor played fourteen seasons across four NBL teams. This included the Newcastle Falcons, West Sydney Razorbacks, Sydney Kings and Gold Coast Blaze. He averaged 10.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 413 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 48th in total games played.
– 37th in total rebounds
– 47th in total assists

Dan Boyce (833 Posts)

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.