NICKNAME/S: Sneaky

BIO: Stephen Hoare was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Bulleen basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Stephen Hoare made his NBL debut with the North Melbourne Giants at 19 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Hoare joined the Giants for his rookie season, a team looking to defend their 1994 championship. North Melbourne were coached by Brett Brown, who in his third season with the club, was able to return with almost the entire title roster intact, with Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Paul Maley, Larry Sengstock, Rod Johnson, Darryl Pearce, Mark Leader and John Stelzer all onboard. The Giants’ title defence hit a major setback however, when Maley (back injury) was ruled out for the year, forcing Brown to find a late replacement before North Melbourne signed former Ohio State forward Chris Jent (via Houston Rockets), who had won the 1994 NBA championship only months earlier.

North Melbourne opened the season on April 22 against Gold Coast, where Jent (25.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 steals) immediately justified the late move, becoming the first reigning NBA champion to play in the NBL and finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists as the Giants defeated the Rollers 118-97.

Hoare (1.4 points across 5 games) made his NBL debut on May 21 in Adelaide, playing 3:13 minutes as North Melbourne defeated the 36ers 112-85 behind Reidy (26 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals), McDonald (25 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks), Jent (15 points and 8 rebounds) and Rees (8 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks).

Hoare’s best regular-season game came in Hobart on July 7, where he made his only three-point attempt and finished with 3 points and 2 steals in 48 seconds as North Melbourne defeated the Devils 102-86, with Jent (34 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks) and Reidy (32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) leading the Giants.

North Melbourne closed the regular season in Brisbane on September 16, where Jent (31 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block), McDonald (26 points, 8 rebounds, 15 assists, and 9 steals), Reidy (26 points) and Rees (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Giants to a 122-109 win, closing on a five-game winning streak and finishing third with a 18-8 record.

Jent led North Melbourne in scoring and earned All-NBL Third Team honours, while Reidy (20.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals), McDonald (17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 3.8 steals), Rees (14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks), Johnson (11.5 points), Sengstock (5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds), Pearce (5.7 points) and Leader (4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds) formed Brown’s main rotation.

North Melbourne swept Brisbane in the quarterfinals, then defeated South East Melbourne in three games to reach a second straight Grand Final. The series opened in Perth, where Jent (29 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals), Johnson (21 points and 3 assists), Reidy (21 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and McDonald (18 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) powered North Melbourne to a 104-97 win, while James Crawford (24 points and 9 rebounds) led Perth. The Wildcats responded in game two behind Andrew Vlahov (29 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists), winning 97-88 before game three returned to Perth, where Crawford (32 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 5 blocks) powered a 108-88 win and Vlahov was named Grand Final MVP. Hoare failed to appear in any playoff games as Perth won 108-88.

1996
After falling one win short of back-to-back championships, North Melbourne returned most of its roster for Brett Brown’s fourth season. Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Paul Maley, Rod Johnson, Larry Sengstock, Matthew Shanahan, John Stelzer and Stephen Hoare all remained in place, while Mark Leader and Darryl Pearce retired and Chris Jent (to New York Knicks) exited after his one-season stint with the Giants. Australian Boomers guard Tonny Jensen (via Townsville) joined the roster, while Maley returned from the back injury that had ruled him out for the entire 1995 season.

North Melbourne opened the season in Sydney on April 12 without Hoare playing, losing 102-97 to the Kings despite Maley (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals), McDonald (16 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, and 2 steals) and Reidy (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) keeping the Giants close.

Hoare (1.8 points) made his first appearance four days later, playing 1:31 minutes as North Melbourne defeated Melbourne 105-85 at Melbourne Park. McDonald (20 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) recorded a triple-double, while Reidy (27 points and 10 rebounds), Jensen (28 points) and Rees (17 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks) helped the Giants claim their first win of the season.

Hoare (5 points) scored his first points against Canberra on April 20 as North Melbourne continued its early-season run, with McDonald (19 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals) and Reidy (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) leading the Giants.

Hoare’s best game of the season came against Geelong on May 10, where Hoare (6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 3:11 minutes as North Melbourne defeated the Supercats 133-103. McDonald (24 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 7 steals), Reidy (22 points), Maley (19 points and 5 rebounds) and Rees (14 points and 8 rebounds) led the Giants in the win.

For Hoare, it was another learning year at North Melbourne, with the 20-year-old used in a development role on a veteran-heavy team while also juggling commitments with the Australian Under 23 squad. He appeared in 10 games and finished with 18 points in 30 minutes, shooting 7-of-12 from the field, 2-of-5 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.

Reidy (20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring, while McDonald (17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3.9 steals) again led the NBL in assists, earned All-NBL First Team honours, won the Good Hands Award and was named NBL All-Star Game MVP. Maley (17.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals) returned strongly after missing the previous season, Jensen (14.6 points) gave the Giants another perimeter scorer, while Rees (14 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks), Johnson (9.1 points and 1.3 steals), and Shanahan (5 points) rounded out Brown’s rotation as North Melbourne finished seventh with a 15-11 record in a tight ladder where only two games separated third place and eighth.

The quarterfinals opened at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where South East Melbourne defeated North Melbourne 96-82 behind Andrew Parkinson (19 points). Rees (28 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Reidy (19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) led the Giants, while Hoare played 1:51 minutes as the Magic took control of the series.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Tony Ronaldson (25 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Mike Kelly (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led South East Melbourne to an 87-77 win and completed the sweep. Hoare did not play in the 87-77 loss.

1997
Tonny Jensen (to Newcastle), Larry Sengstock (retirement) and Paul Maley (back injury) exited North Melbourne as Brett Brown tried to keep the Giants competitive while the club’s budget tightened. Brown retained Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Rod Johnson, Matthew Shanahan, Stephen Hoare and John Stelzer, then added Mike Mitchell (via Brisbane), David Stiff (via Hobart), Andrew Goodwin (via Brisbane), Matthew Reece (via Newcastle) and Cameron Jackson as the Giants carried the league minimum of 11 players.

After sitting out North Melbourne’s opening win over Sydney, Hoare (1.3 points across 12 games) made his first appearance the next night at the AIS Arena, hitting a three-pointer and finishing with 3 points in 2:22 minutes as the Giants defeated Canberra 97-83.

Hoare remained outside Brown’s main rotation, appearing in 12 games and finishing outside Brown’s main rotation, appearing in 12 games the regular season with 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in 68 total minutes. His best late-season stretch came against Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, where he logged 7:33 minutes in a 117-96 win over the Kings, then added 1 point, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in a 92-90 win over Brisbane, before finishing with 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in a 106-102 loss to Perth that closed the regular season.

A major setback came when Rees suffered a severe knee injury that kept him out for most of the season, only to return late and break his wrist against Brisbane in the second-last round. Reidy (20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring, while McDonald (17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 3.3 steals) led the NBL in assists and steals as the Giants finished third with a 18-12 record.

Mitchell (15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals), Stiff (13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Johnson (10.8 points), Goodwin (10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds), Shanahan (7.7 points) and Rees (4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds) filled out the main rotation, while Hoare remained a depth forward across the back end of the bench.

The elimination finals opened at the AIS Arena, where Canberra defeated North Melbourne 104-93, with Hoare grabbing 2 rebounds in 4:32 minutes. Game two moved to the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where Rees returned for the playoffs and North Melbourne answered with a 108-98 win, with Hoare delivering his best game of the season with 5 points and 4 rebounds in 11:55 minutes.

Game three stayed in Melbourne, where North Melbourne closed the series with a 102-75 win behind Stiff (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks), while Hoare added 2 points in 10:39 minutes as the Giants moved into the semifinals.

The semifinals opened against Melbourne, where Bradtke (25 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks) played all 48 minutes for the Tigers, while Stiff (24 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) kept North Melbourne in touch before Melbourne took game one 107-99. Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Bradtke (26 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists) again played all 48 minutes as Melbourne completed the sweep on its way to the NBL championsip, with Hoare not appearing in the 112-105 loss.

A little 90's Nth Melb Giants v Sydney Kings.. Enjoy!! pic.twitter.com/3VdqfONAJN— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) May 14, 2023

WEST SYDNEY RAZORBACKS
1998/99
After spending a season without a NBL contract, Hoare signed with West Sydney for the Razorbacks’ first NBL season, joining a new franchise launched by general manager Robbie Cadee and coached by Gordie McLeod.

With no returning roster from a previous season, McLeod built the expansion team around first signing Derek Rucker (via Townsville), veteran forward Bruce Bolden (via Sydney), John Rillie (via Adelaide), Simon Dwight (via Canberra), Ernest Nzigamasabo, Greg Blake, Ben Thompson, Leigh Carlson, Grant Keys, Stephen Ryan and Hoare.

The Razorbacks opened their NBL history with a 103-97 win over Sydney on the Kings’ home floor, giving the new club an immediate cross-town rivalry and a first-game win to build from.

West Sydney followed that with a 104-89 road win over Canberra before suffering its first loss against Newcastle (87-89), where Hoare contributed 6 points in one of his early appearances for the club.

The Razorbacks then created one of the biggest early stories of their debut season by becoming the first team in NBL history to complete the Doomsday Double, defeating Adelaide (112-95) and Perth (98-95) on consecutive road nights.

Hoare’s role was still off the bench, but he became a more regular part of the rotation than he had been with North Melbourne, appearing in 13 games and finishing with 73 points, 56 rebounds and 20 assists in 294 minutes.

His best recorded games included a 9-rebound performance against Melbourne on 4 December, a 6-point game against Newcastle on 16 October, and a 7-point, 6-rebound and 2-assist game against Newcastle on 18 December.

In a 19 November game against Victoria, Hoare also recorded 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block, showing his ability to add small contributions across multiple areas in limited minutes.

Rucker (20.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.6 steals) captained the team and drove the Razorbacks’ offence, while Rillie (17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.2 steals) provided perimeter scoring and finished as the league’s top three-point shooter at 47.5%.

Bolden (15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds) added veteran scoring off the bench and won the NBL Best Sixth Man award, while Dwight (14.7 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks) anchored the defence and led the NBL in blocked shots.

Nzigamasabo (9.2 points and 5.8 rebounds), Greg Blake (6.7 points), Hoare (5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds) and Ben Thompson (4.3 points) gave McLeod additional depth around the club’s four main scorers.

Despite those highlights, the Razorbacks struggled to hold momentum away from home, with losses to Wollongong (91-100), Victoria (73-101) and Melbourne (90-109) making it difficult to remain in the playoff race.

One of the season’s stronger home moments came against Sydney, where West Sydney held the Kings to just 72 points in a 78-72 win at the Whitlam Centre.

The Razorbacks finished their final regular season stretch with wins over Perth (104-88), Wollongong (92-77) and losses to Melbourne (94-106), Townsville (113-118) and Sydney (91-98), landing in eighth spot on the ladder (12-14), missing the playoffs.

1999/00
After missing the playoffs in their debut season, West Sydney entered 1999/00 with Gordie McLeod retaining most of the Razorbacks’ first-year core. Derek Rucker, John Rillie, Simon Dwight, Bruce Bolden, Greg Blake, Stephen Hoare, Ben Thompson, Leigh Carlson, Grant Keys and Stephen Ryan all returningfrom the club’s inaugural roster. Ernest Nzigamasabo was not retained and Cheikh Ya Ya Dia (via Aguada) replaced him in the frontcourt. Greg Blake (via Newcastle) was the only other major addition to the team.

The Razorbacks opened the season with wins over Brisbane (98-82), Victoria (104-78) and Perth (95-85), giving West Sydney a 3-0 start and early momentum in its second year in the league.

Hoare (5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds) appeared in 31 games and became a more regular bench piece during his second season with West Sydney. His best recorded performances included a 10-rebound and 2-block game in a loss to Victoria (81-100) on 9 December, a 7-point and 6-rebound game against Sydney on 29 December, and a season-high 18 points in a win over Cairns (94-67) on 6 January where he shot 6-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point range.

West Sydney also produced one of the biggest moments in the young club’s history during round 11, defeating Sydney 88-81 at the Sydney SuperDome in front of a NBL-record crowd of 17,803.

The team’s form was still uneven, with a road loss to Brisbane (86-101), a setback against Perth (102-113), a 19-point defeat against Victoria (81-100) and a heavy loss to Canberra (94-121) stopping the Razorbacks from climbing higher on the ladder.

Rucker (20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals) again led the Razorbacks’ offence and finished as the NBL leader in free-throw percentage at 91.8%.

Other key contributors included Rillie (18.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals), Dwight (14.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks), Dia (13 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks), and Bolden (11.5 points and 5 rebounds).

West Sydney finished sixth (12-16), securing the first playoff berth in team history. The Razorbacks opened the elimination finals at the Whitlam Centre against Perth, defeating the Wildcats 91-80 in game one.

Game two moved to Perth, where the Wildcats responded with a 99-88 win to level the series.

The deciding game was played at the Perth Entertainment Centre, where the eventual champion Wildcats eliminated West Sydney 82-74.

MELBOURNE TIGERS
2000/01
After missing the Grand Final in 1999/00, Melbourne entered 2000/01 with Bennett Davison (to Europe) leaving the team and Warrick Giddey limited by injury. Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Daniel Egan and Brett Jefferies all returned from the previous season’s main group, while Lindsay Gaze added David Smith (via North Melbourne), Stephen Hoare (via West Sydney) and Nathan Taylor (via Victoria). Phil Handy was signed as the import replacement for Davison.

The Tigers opened the season by winning five of their first eight games, with Hoare beginning his first season in Melbourne after two years with West Sydney.

Hoare (5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds) appeared in 25 games during his first year with the Tigers, giving Melbourne another frontcourt option behind Bradtke and Egan while he worked into a new role in Lindsay Gaze’s rotation.

Around this time, Handy (10.1 points) joined Giddey on the injury list and missed eight games, leading Melbourne to sign Jason Sedlock (3.7 points) as an injury replacement during Handy’s absence.

At the mid-way point of the season, Melbourne received the bonus of long-serving guard Lanard Copeland gaining Australian citizenship and qualifying as a local player. To take advantage of the extra import spot, the Tigers added former Townsville star Clarence Tyson (3.4 points and 4.3 rebounds) for the remaining 14 games.

The constant changes made it difficult for Melbourne to settle, even with Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke still giving the Tigers one of the league’s strongest veteran cores. Gaze (29.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists) finished as the league’s leading scorer, while Bradtke (21.3 points and 14.1 rebounds) led the NBL in rebounding and was selected to the All-NBL First Team. Copeland (20.9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists) continued to score buckets on the wing, while Egan (11.5 points and 6.4 rebounds), and Smith (8 points) rounded out the primary rotation.

Gaze was also named to the All-NBL Second Team, giving Melbourne two All-NBL selections despite the team falling short of the postseason.

With Melbourne entering their final ten games, they sat just outside the top six and with Lindsay Gaze trying to balance the incoming talent with the Tigers’ existing core, they went on a five-game losing streak to drop out of the playoff race. A three-game winning streak to end the season came too late, and Melbourne finished seventh (13-15), missing the playoffs by three wins. It became one of only two seasons in Hoare’s 17-year NBL career where his team missed the finals.

2001/02
After missing the playoffs for the first time since 1988, Melbourne returned with Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Daniel Egan, David Smith, Stephen Hoare, Nathan Taylor, Brett Jefferies and Warrick Giddey all a part of the roster, while Lindsay Gaze added rookie Daryl Corletto and import Marcus Timmons (via Perth), who replaced Phil Handy (to West Sydney).

Timmons (16.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals) slotted straight back into the team and gave Melbourne another frontcourt scorer, while Copeland (25.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists) was also in strong form after recently gaining Australian citizenship and hoping to earn selection to the Boomers squad.

With Melbourne sitting on 9 wins and 5 losses, Gaze (19.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) suffered an ankle injury three minutes into a game against Townsville, which the Tigers lost 98-100. Gaze went on to miss twelve games, and Melbourne went 7 wins and 9 losses in his absence, dropping from the top of the ladder to fifth place.

Hoare (9.3 points and 5.1 rebounds) appeared in all 36 games and produced the strongest season of his career to that point, giving Melbourne a consistent frontcourt piece behind Bradtke and Timmons. His best performance came in a win over Cairns where he delivered 33 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 13-of-15 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line.

Bradtke (22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, 1.3 blocks) led the NBL in rebounding for a sixth time and was selected to the All-NBL First Team and named NBL MVP. Hoare also finished third in voting for the 2002 NBL Best Sixth Man award .

Although Gaze was not fully healed, he returned to the court to help the Tigers finish sixth (16-14), setting up a Qualifying Finals match-up against crosstown rivals Victoria, who had finished first with a 21-9 record.

Victoria took game one 113-107, despite Hoare producing 20 points and 13 rebounds in one of the best playoff games of his career.

Game two saw Melbourne answer with a 107-105 win, behind Copeland (41 points, 5 assists and 2 steals), who shot 14 from 27 from the field, and Timmons (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists).

Game three stayed with Melbourne, as Copeland (37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Timmons (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks) helped the Tigers beat Victoria 103-97 and move into the semifinals.

Melbourne opened the semifinals at home against fifth placed West Sydney and defeated the Razorbacks 114-93, behind Timmons (36 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals) and Bradtke (21 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists, 2 steals).

Game two moved to Sydney, where West Sydney levelled the series with a 125-109 win at the State Sports Centre.

Game three stayed at the State Sports Centre, where West Sydney eliminated Melbourne 115-103.

2002/03
After coming within a game of the Grand Final the previous season, Melbourne lost both Daniel Egan (to Brisbane) and Warrick Giddey (retired) but saw it’s core group of Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Marcus Timmons, David Smith and Stephen Hoare all return. To fill the roster gaps, coach Lindsay Gaze added Neil Mottram (via Perth), Greg Blake (via Frankston) and import Matt Rueter, who had been playing in the state league.

Melbourne opened the season with a 105-111 loss to Perth, with Hoare recording 5 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in his first game of the season.

The Tigers started slowly (2-4) before finding their rhythm with a four-game winning streak that pushed them back into the top six by round 10. During that run, Hoare produced one of his best regular season games in a 103-92 win over Canberra, finishing with 14 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block.

Hoare also added 12 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in a road loss to Sydney (87-95), then followed with 9 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block as Melbourne defeated Brisbane (113-90).

Melbourne then lost Gaze (22.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists) to a knee infection that saw him miss four games, with the Tigers winning once and losing three times while David Smith (5.3 points) was inserted into the starting lineup. When Gaze returned, he was visibly unfit and several kilograms lighter, and the Tigers had also dropped out of the playoff picture again after losing Bradtke for six games with back and hamstring issues.

Copeland (18 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals) and Bradtke (17.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks), who led the NBL in rebounding despite missing time, would step up in Gaze’s absence, alongside Timmons (13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals) and Mottram (10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds).

Hoare went on to finish second in voting for the 2003 NBL Best Sixth Man award, continuing his climb from bench forward into one of Melbourne’s most reliable rotation pieces.

Heading into the last round, the Tigers (14-14) needed an extra win to avoid losing sixth spot on the ladder to West Sydney (12-16), who held the head-to-head advantage against Melbourne. They defeated Illawarra (108-99) to lock in a playoff spot, but then lost to Townsville (104-106) to finish the regular season sixth (15-15).

Melbourne faced first placed Sydney (22-8) in the qualifying finals and lost the opening game (89-101), with the Kings led by Shane Heal (25 points), Kavossy Franklin (19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists) and David Stiff (18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks).

Game two saw Bradtke (21 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals) and Kings import Chris Williams (32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks) battle inside in one of the best head-to-head playoff matchups of the season. Although Williams did it all that night, the Tigers locked down Heal (14 points) and Franklin (16 points), while Gaze (25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists) and Copeland (22 points and 5 assists) helped Melbourne win 108-104.

With the series returning to Sydney, the Kings outclassed the Tigers in game three (114-89), with Williams (25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks) continuing his unstoppable form as Sydney won by 25 points. The Kings locked down Melbourne’s Big Three of Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke, who were limited to only 34 points combined, with Stephen Hoare top scoring for Melbourne with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

2003/04
After Sydney eliminated Melbourne from the 2002/03 qualifying finals, Marcus Timmons (to Cairns), Greg Blake (to Victoria), Matt Rueter and Nathan Taylor exited the team. Head coach Lindsay Gaze retained Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Stephen Hoare, David Smith, Neil Mottram, Daryl Corletto and Luke McMillan, while adding Darryl McDonald (via Victoria), David Donaldson and import Thalo Green (via Rockhampton).

Melbourne opened the season at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on October 1, where Hoare (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) helped the Tigers defeat Hunter 105-77, with Gaze (30 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Copeland (19 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) leading the other scorers as Melbourne outscored the Pirates 38-16 in the third quarter.

After Melbourne began the season with three consecutive wins, Dave Thomas (via Canberra) joined the Tigers and made his debut against West Sydney in the team’s fourth game.

Hoare (9.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across 30 games) produced the strongest all-round season of his career to that point, finishing second on Melbourne in assists and third in rebounding while becoming an important frontcourt playmaker next to Bradtke and Thomas.

Hoare’s season-high scoring game came at the North Shore Events Centre on October 19, where he finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block as Melbourne defeated New Zealand 108-97, with Copeland (26 points and 5 assists) and Gaze (21 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals) helping the Tigers collect their fourth win from five games.

His best all-round performance came against Adelaide on November 8, where Hoare finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block as Melbourne won 111-99 at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, with Gaze (25 points) and McDonald (18 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) leading the other Tigers.

Hoare produced another strong performance against cross-town rival Victoria on December 31, finishing with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block, while Gaze (29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Copeland (16 points) provided support before the Giants defeated Melbourne 116-111 in overtime.

Gaze (21.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 35 games) and Copeland (18.5 points and 3.2 assists across 35 games) were Melbourne’s two leading offensive players, while Bradtke (15.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 32 games) led the NBL in rebounding and earned All-NBL First Team honours. Thomas (15.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals across 30 games), McDonald (7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 34 games), who won the NBL Best Sixth Man award, and Green (7.6 points across 34 games) provided the other main support.

Melbourne completed the regular season in Newcastle on February 29, where Hoare (6 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped the Tigers defeat Hunter 107-91, with Gaze (18 points and 6 assists) and Bradtke (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) securing fifth place with a 20-13 record.

The elimination final opened at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, where Hoare (10 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists) helped Melbourne recover from a ten-point halftime deficit and defeat Adelaide 111-107. Gaze (31 points), Bradtke (25 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Thomas (23 points and 3 steals) led the scoring, while Martin Cattalini (31 points) and Dusty Rychart (27 points) starred for Adelaide, with Hoare helping contain Cattalini after he scored 25 points in the first half.

The quarterfinals moved to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Stephen Black (24 points) led the Bullets to a 112-101 win despite Copeland (23 points), Gaze (20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) and Thomas (12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) keeping Melbourne within reach. Hoare (12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) played 36:25 minutes in the loss.

2004/05
After being eliminated by Brisbane in the quarterfinals, Melbourne entered 2004/05 with David Smith, Thalo Green, David Donaldson and Luke McMillan exiting the team. Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Dave Thomas, Darryl McDonald, Stephen Hoare, Daryl Corletto and Neil Mottram all returned from the previous season’s group, while Lindsay Gaze added David Stiff (via West Sydney), Greg Blake (via Victoria), Glen Barlow and Gerard Leonard as the Tigers tried to keep an aging roster in the playoff picture.

Melbourne opened the season with a road loss to Wollongong (88-96), then steadied the next night with a 99-96 win over Cairns at the State Netball Hockey Centre.

Hoare (9.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) appeared in 34 regular season games and continued to play one of the most complete roles on the roster, finishing second on the team in rebounding and leading Melbourne in assists while being selected to the 2004/05 NBL All-Star Game.

His best recorded regular-season game came against Townsville on 9 October, when he finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds in a 112-95 win as Gaze scored 28 points and Dave Thomas added 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Hoare also had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a 112-103 win over Hunter on 18 December, then had 15 points in a 102-86 road win over Perth on 8 January and pulled down 14 rebounds in a 102-100 win over Brisbane on 11 February.

With Melbourne’s roster aging rapidly, import Rashad Tucker (via Perth) was added mid-season after beginning the season with the Wildcats. Tucker had been released due to poor attitude, but upon arriving in Melbourne didn’t show any signs of this and played with the team’s second unit.

The Tigers remained difficult to beat at home, going 12-4 at the State Netball Hockey Centre, but struggled on the road (5-11), dropping late games to Perth (101-102) and Brisbane (91-104) before finishing sixth (17-15) after a three-way tie with Brisbane and Perth was decided on head-to-head results.

Gaze (20.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) played his last NBL season at 39 years of age, remaining one of the league’s most potent scorers even in his final season.

Bradtke (17.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks), who was selected to the All-NBL Team, Thomas (16.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals), Copeland (13.1 points), McDonald (7.5 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals), Corletto (7 points), Stiff (6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds) and Tucker (5.8 points) rounded out the regular rotation.

The postseason also became the final stretch for Gaze and his father Lindsay, who had decided to retire together at season’s end, while Bradtke (to Brisbane) and Copeland (to Brisbane) would also move on once Melbourne’s run was over.

Melbourne opened the elimination finals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre against Perth, defeating the Wildcats 108-88 behind Gaze (23 points) and Bradtke (22 points and 14 rebounds), while Tony Ronaldson (27 points) and Rosell Ellis (16 points and 10 rebounds) starred for Perth.

The Tigers’ season ended two nights later at the Townsville Entertainment Centre, where Townsville defeated Melbourne 112-100.

2005/06
In 2005, the Tigers were forced into rebuilding mode as Mark Bradtke (to Brisbane), Lanard Copeland (to Brisbane), Andrew Gaze and his father Lindsay (retired) all exited the team. Dave Thomas, Darryl McDonald, Rashad Tucker, David Stiff, Stephen Hoare, Daryl Corletto and Neil Mottram all returned as assistant Al Westover took over as head coach. Other additions to the club were Tom Greer, Braith Cox and Matt O’Hea to round out the roster.

By a stroke of luck, Australian Boomers centre Chris Anstey (via UNICS Kazan) had decided he wanted to return to play in Australia after three seasons in Europe, and began talking to the Tigers, who were now the only NBL team in Melbourne. Only six months after moving on from the ‘Gaze Era’ the team was once again an NBL powerhouse.

The Tigers opened the season with a huge win over Wollongong at home (102–61), then reeled off wins against Perth (115-105), Brisbane (85-83) and Perth again (91-73) to start the season 4-0 before suffering their first loss to Sydney (88-95).

Hoare (9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds) appeared in 37 games and remained one of Melbourne’s most reliable bench pieces, adding 2.5 assists per game while filling a frontcourt role behind Anstey, Thomas and Tucker.

Hoare’s best game came in a 112-86 win over West Sydney on 16 October, where he delivered 21 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists as Melbourne bounced back from a loss to Sydney the night before and recorded its sixth win of the season.

Anstey (22.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 blocks) went on to lead Melbourne in scoring, rebounds, blocks and minutes played, and was named the Philips Most Valuable Player of the 2005/06 Philips Championship season.

Tucker (15 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists) became the primary benefactors of the exits of Gaze and Copeland, moving into the starting line-up and becoming the team’s second option on offence after struggling for minutes the previous season. Tucker showcased what he could deliver in a 35-point haul in a win over Perth (115-105), his former club.

Other key contributors included Thomas (16.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals), McDonald (13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2.2 steals), Corletto (11.2 points), Mottram (8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds) and Stiff (7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds).

Additionally, McDonald led the NBL in assists and steals and was named All-Star Game MVP. Thomas and McDonald were both named to the All-NBL Second Team, Westover was named Coach of the Year and Hoare won the NBL Best Sixth Man award.

The Tigers finished their season with the best record in franchise history (25-7), including an almost unbeatable home record (15-1), but still finished second behind Sydney (26-6).

With Melbourne and Sydney earning automatic entry to the semifinals, the Tigers awaited the winner of the play-in tournament and faced Perth after the Wildcats eliminated Brisbane and Wollongong.

Melbourne opened the semifinals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre with a 94-78 win over Perth, taking control of the series behind Anstey (28 points and 11 rebounds) and Tucker (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals), while Redhage (17 points and 9 rebounds) was Perth’s best.

Game two moved to Challenge Stadium, where Melbourne defeated Perth 106-101 in overtime behind Anstey (29 points and 6 rebounds), Thomas (18 points) and Tucker (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists), while Bailey (30 points) and Burston (17 points) led Perth. Hoare also grabbed the rebound after Tucker’s missed free throws and put up a off-balance shot as time expired, forcing overtime before Melbourne swept the Wildcats and moved into the Grand Final.

The Grand Final series opened in Sydney, where Anstey (24 points and 12 rebounds) and Thomas (23 points) led Melbourne, while Smith (20 points) was strong for Sydney as the Tigers took game one 100-93.

Game two moved to Melbourne and proved even tighter, with Anstey (30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Thomas (23 points and 13 rebounds) leading the Tigers, while Barlow (22 points) and Smith (16 points) kept Sydney close before Melbourne won 103-99 in overtime.

Game three saw Melbourne complete the sweep against the defending triple-champion Kings, with Anstey (16 points and 10 rebounds), Thomas (13 points) and McDonald (13 points) leading the Tigers, while Smith (20 points) and Bruton (15 points) were best for Sydney in a 88-83 win that delivered Melbourne its third championship.

2006/07
After winning the 2005/06 championship, Melbourne entered 2006/07 with Neil Mottram, Braith Cox and Gerard Leonard exiting the previous season’s group. Chris Anstey, Dave Thomas, Rashad Tucker, Stephen Hoare, Darryl McDonald, Daryl Corletto, David Stiff and Tom Greer all returned from the title team, while Al Westover added Nathan Crosswell (via Cairns), Axel Dench (via FC Porto) and Liam Norton.

The season began under mild controversy when the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority announced Tucker and Perth’s David Bailey had returned positive tests from in-competition samples. Both were fined $5,000, and Bailey was axed by the Wildcats shortly after. The Tigers instead chose to stand by the US guard, with Melbourne majority owner Seamus McPeake stating, “We’ve given him a severe warning, and we have notified him of a breach of contract, but I think he’s had his punishment. A second offence is a automatic two-year suspension, so if he wants to continue his career, he can’t offend again”.

Melbourne opened its title defence by unfurling its championship pennant and defeating Singapore (113-102), with Tucker and Anstey both scoring 24 points and Hoare recording 17 points after making all seven of his field goal attempts.

The Tigers started the season strongly and looked set to repeat as champions in 2007, but Brisbane’s incredible off-season recruitment drive changed the shape of the title race. The Bullets, who had finished sixth the season prior, added CJ Bruton, Ebi Ere, Dusty Rychart and Dillon Boucher to play alongside Sam MacKinnon and Mark Bradtke on a roster considered by many to be the greatest in NBL history.

Hoare (12.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists) delivered his best statistical season to date, appearing in 39 games and providing Melbourne another reliable frontcourt passer and scorer next to Anstey, Thomas and Tucker.

Anstey (19.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks) led Melbourne in scoring and rebounds and the entire league in blocked shots, while Thomas (16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals) produced another quality season and was selected to the All-NBL First Team.

Other key contributors included Tucker (14.2 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists), McDonald (10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals), Corletto (10.4 points), Crosswell (7.8 points), Stiff (7.6 points and 3.8 rebounds) and Dench (7.6 points and 3.7 rebounds).

Hoare also won the NBL Best Sixth Man award for the second straight season, while McDonald was named to the All-NBL Third Team and Melbourne had six players average double figures, giving opposition teams problems with any of Anstey, Thomas, Tucker, Hoare, McDonald or Corletto able to carry the offence on any given night.

Brisbane and Melbourne were clear title favourites from start to finish, with Brisbane finishing first (28-5) and Melbourne finishing second (25-8).

With Melbourne earning automatic entry to the semifinals, the Tigers waited for Cairns after the Taipans advanced through the play-in tournament.

Game one saw Melbourne defeat Cairns 100-87 at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, with an unlikely hero in Axel Dench (18 points) leading the Tigers in scoring as Anstey (5 points) struggled to find the basket and stay out of foul trouble.

Game two moved to Cairns, where Melbourne withstood a huge game from Taipans import Darnell Mee (23 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks), who racked up 13 points in the third quarter. The Tigers answered with a balanced attack as Anstey (16 points and 9 rebounds), Hoare (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists), Tucker (15 points and 12 rebounds), Corletto (15 points), McDonald (10 points) and Crosswell (10 points) all reached double figures in a 95-87 win.

The Grand Final series opened in Brisbane, where Thomas (19 points) and Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds) finished with big numbers, but the Bullets proved too strong in a 98-95 win. Stephen Black (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Brisbane, while MacKinnon (18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists) narrowly missed a triple-double.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where Anstey (31 points and 8 rebounds) helped the Tigers even the series with a 105-91 win, while Corletto (18 points) was prolific and Hoare was prominent on the glass with 13 rebounds.

Game three shifted back to Brisbane, where 7,539 Bullets fans watched Brisbane take control of the series with a 113-93 win. Black (22 points) and MacKinnon (19 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals) led the Bullets, while Brisbane’s frontline kept reigning MVP Anstey (9 points) off the scoreboard.

MacKinnon would be named Finals MVP, making history as the first player ever to win a NBL championship, season MVP, Grand Final MVP and Best Defensive Player all in the same year.

Game four was do-or-die for Melbourne and the Tigers held a slight lead at half-time (52-51), but Brisbane reeled off a 15-27 run in the third quarter before closing out the championship. McDonald (17 points and 4 assists) and Tucker (17 points and 12 rebounds) were best for Melbourne, while CJ Bruton (22 points and 7 assists) and Dusty Rychart (21 points) came up big as Brisbane defeated Melbourne 103-94.

2007/08
After falling to Brisbane in the 2006/07 Grand Final, Melbourne entered 2007/08 with Rashad Tucker (to Cairns), Axel Dench, Liam Norton and Braith Cox exiting the team. Chris Anstey, Dave Thomas, Stephen Hoare, Darryl McDonald, Daryl Corletto, David Stiff, Nathan Crosswell and Tommy Greer all returned from the previous season’s group, while Al Westover added David Barlow (via Sydney), Martin Müürsepp (via Estonia), Adrien Sturt, Matt O’Hea, Derrick McDonald and Boden Westover.

The Tigers opened the season with a 117-94 road win over Singapore, then returned to Melbourne and defeated Wollongong (100-88), with Hoare recording 10 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal in the Tigers’ first home game of the season.

Hoare (10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists) remained one of Melbourne’s most reliable frontcourt pieces, his best game coming in a 105-96 road win over Singapore on 17 October, where he scored 20 points and grabbed 2 rebounds alongside Barlow (17 points) and Anstey (15 points and 14 rebounds).

Hoare also had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in Melbourne’s 99-82 win over Cairns on 10 October, one of the early wins that helped the Tigers start the season unbeaten through their first five games.

Melbourne later moved on from Müürsepp (9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds) after 14 games and added Sean Lampley (via Spain) in December, with Lampley debuting against the South Dragons and quickly giving the Tigers another scoring option.

Lampley’s arrival helped Melbourne absorb the roster change, and he soon delivered 24 points in a 112-108 road loss to Brisbane, before scoring a game-high 27 points in a 98-89 win over Cairns in his first start for the club.

Anstey (21.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, winning the NBL Most Valuable Player award, Defensive Player of the Year, earning All-NBL First Team honours and later claiming Grand Final MVP.

Barlow (16.6 points and 4.9 rebounds), Lampley (16 points and 6.5 rebounds) and Thomas (11 points and 5.8 rebounds) rounded out the team’s primary scorers. Corletto (9 points), Crosswell (7.3 points and 4.4 assists), McDonald (7.3 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 steals) and Stiff (4.6 points) contributing off the bench.

The Tigers finished second with a 22-8 record, but Sydney’s 27-3 season kept Melbourne from finishing on top of the ladder for a third straight year. With Melbourne and Sydney earning automatic entry to the semifinals, the Tigers awaited Brisbane after the Bullets eliminated New Zealand. Melbourne opened the semifinals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre with a 116-98 win over Brisbane, with Lampley (17 points) and Barlow (17 points) leading the Tigers, while Anstey (14 points and 6 rebounds) and Thomas (14 points and 6 rebounds) gave Melbourne balance. Brisbane was led by CJ Bruton (29 points) and Dusty Rychart (20 points and 11 rebounds).

Game two moved to Brisbane, where Melbourne completed the sweep with a 115-112 overtime win behind Anstey (26 points and 13 rebounds), Thomas (26 points) and Lampley (23 points and 7 rebounds), while Bruton, Ebi Ere and Craig Bradshaw each scored 19 points for the Bullets.

The Grand Final series opened in Sydney, where the Kings took game one 95-74 behind Mark Worthington (35 points), while Barlow (14 points) and Anstey (12 points) were Melbourne’s best.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where the Tigers answered with a 104-93 win behind Barlow (24 points), Lampley (21 points) and Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds), while Dontaye Draper (17 points), Isiah Victor (14 points) and Worthington (13 points) led Sydney.

Game three shifted back to Sydney, where Melbourne won 89-87 behind Anstey (27 points and 15 rebounds), Barlow (16 points) and Thomas (14 points), while Worthington (22 points), Ian Crosswhite (18 points) and Jason Smith (16 points) led the Kings. Lampley also hit a crucial late three as the Tigers held off Sydney’s comeback to take a 2-1 series lead.

Game four returned to Melbourne, where Sydney produced the biggest last-quarter comeback in NBL Grand Final history to win 90-87, with Victor (23 points and 9 rebounds) and Draper scoring 8 points in the fourth quarter, while Anstey (33 points and 8 rebounds) carried the Tigers.

Game five was played in Sydney and doubled as Darryl McDonald’s final NBL game, with Anstey (21 points and 12 rebounds) and Thomas (21 points) leading Melbourne, while Worthington (17 points) and Victor (16 points and 8 rebounds) were best for Sydney as the Tigers won 85-73 and secured the 2008 NBL championship.

2008/09
After winning the 2007/08 championship, Melbourne entered 2008/09 having lost Darryl McDonald and David Stiff (both retired), Sean Lampley (released) and Dave Thomas (to Cairns). While the Tigers core group of Chris Anstey, David Barlow, Stephen Hoare, Nathan Crosswell, Daryl Corletto and Tommy Greer all returned, coach Al Westover added Ebi Ere (via Brisbane), Sam Mackinnon (via Brisbane), Rod Grizzard (via Singapore) and Daniel Johnson (via Pepperdine University) to bolster the roster.

The season was shaped by instability across the league, with Brisbane folding after the 2007/08 season and Ere forced to find a new team after the Bullets’ financial demise. Ere had committed to play for the South Dragons, then exited his deal for a shot at the NBA, and when he returned to Australia the Dragons had already replaced him with Tremmell Darden, opening the door for Melbourne to add him to its title defence.

Melbourne opened the season with a 112-102 road win over the Sydney Spirit, then added a 92-76 home win over Gold Coast before dropping road games to New Zealand (111-120) and Cairns (77-101) during an uneven start.

Hoare (8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists) appeared in 37 games and delivered his best game in a 108-95 road win over Perth on 29 November, where he finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block, shooting 9-of-13 from the field.

Hoare also had 15 points and 9 rebounds in a 98-107 loss to the South Dragons on 13 December, then added 11 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a 91-109 loss to Adelaide on 27 December.

Melbourne made further changes during the season, with Mackinnon ruled out after 13 games, Melbournes front office would released Rod Grizzard (13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds) after 19 games and replace him with former Tigers Dave Thomas (via Cairns) and Luke Kendall (via Perth).

Ere (20.7 points and 4.9 rebounds) led Melbourne in scoring and together with Chris Anstey (18.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks) earned All-NBL First Team honours.

Other key contributors included Barlow (14.9 points and 5.6 rebounds), who was named to the All-NBL Third Team, Mackinnon (8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals), Thomas (8.4 points and 7.3 rebounds), and Kendall (8 points).

The Tigers finished second (20-10), behind the South Dragons (22-8), setting up the possibility of a all-Melbourne Grand Final series if both clubs survived the semifinals.

With Melbourne and South earning automatic entry to the semifinals, the Tigers awaited New Zealand after the Breakers defeated Adelaide 131-101 in the elimination finals.

Melbourne opened the semifinals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre with a 117-99 win over New Zealand, riding hot outside shooting behind Kendall (25 points), Ere (23 points) and Barlow (23 points and 14 rebounds), while CJ Bruton (22 points) and Kirk Penney (19 points) led the Breakers.

Game two moved to the North Shore Events Centre, where Melbourne defeated New Zealand 103-97 behind Ere (26 points), Barlow (19 points) and Anstey (16 points), while Bruton (22 points), Phill Jones (21 points) and Penney (19 points) led the Breakers as the Tigers swept the series and moved into the Grand Final for the fourth straight year.

The Grand Final series opened at Hisense Arena, where the Dragons defeated the Tigers by double digits (93–81) after holding Melbourne to 36 points in the second half. Mark Worthington (23 points) top-scored for the Dragons, while Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds) led the way for the Tigers.

After leading by 14 points midway through the final quarter of game two, the Tigers fought off a late comeback by the Dragons to win on the Tigers’ home court (88-83). Barlow (26 points) and Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds) finished as Melbourne’s best, while Donta Smith (18 points and 6 rebounds) top-scored for the Dragons.

In game three, the series became front-page news after a clash between Anstey and Dragons backup point guard Rhys Carter. The incident saw Anstey charged with “striking – with elbow” after the altercation with Carter in the third quarter before being ejected from the match, along with Dragons forward Mika Vukona, who was involved in the subsequent on-court melee. The game was a bloodbath after Anstey’s ejection, with the Dragons hammering the defending champions 84-67 behind Smith (18 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists).

After the NBL tribunal decided it wouldn’t suspend any players for the melee, game four saw Carter (17 points), who copped the brunt of Anstey’s anger in game three, come back with a big game, but Anstey (31 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists) erupted for Melbourne, propelling the Tigers to a 108-95 win and setting up a fifth and final game to decide the NBL championship.

Game five saw 9,000 fans pack Hisense Arena to witness the Dragons beat the Tigers by 21 points (102-81) and become NBL champions. Darden (31 points) was the key for the Dragons, scoring 21 points in the final quarter, and Smith (21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists) did the rest, almost notching up a triple-double. Worthington and Vukona were able to limit the impact of Anstey (12 points and 3 rebounds), while Ere and Barlow (16 points each) were the only Tigers players able to make a impact as Smith was named Finals MVP after averaging 18.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists over the five-game series.

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES
2009/10
After being eliminated by the South Dragons in the 2008/09 semifinals, Townsville’s roster underwent a major overhaul, choosing not to re-sign Rosell Ellis, Daniel Egan, Anthony Susnjara and club legend John Rillie (to New Zealand). Corey Williams, Brad Williamson, Russell Hinder, Kelvin Robertson, Michael Cedar and Cameron Tovey all returned, while coach Trevor Gleeson added Stephen Hoare (via Melbourne), Peter Crawford (via Perth), local guard Chris Cedar and import Rolan Roberts to give the Crocs a new look.

Townsville opened the season on the road, defeating Gold Coast (82-79) behind Williams (15 points), Cedar (15 points) and Hoare (13 points), while James Harvey (24 points) led Gold Coast.

Hoare (7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds) appeared in 31 games during his first season with Townsville, adding veteran leadership to the team. Hoare’s best game for the Crocs came against his former club on 30 October, when he scored 16 points and added 3 rebounds as Townsville defeated Melbourne (94-87).

He also grabbed 8 rebounds in a 101-91 win over Gold Coast on 16 October, then remained part of Gleeson’s rotation as Townsville pushed into a crowded top-four race.

Townsville became one of the form teams in the competition through January, running up four straight wins and beating fellow pacesetters Perth and Gold Coast as the Crocodiles moved into the top half of the ladder.

The Crocodiles closed the regular season with a 102-87 win over Adelaide, before losing their final game to Perth (73-92). Townsville finished tied with Wollongong and Gold Coast at 16-12, but was seeded third under the NBL’s three-way head-to-head tiebreaker, behind Wollongong and ahead of Gold Coast.

Williams (18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals) led Townsville in scoring, was selected to the All-NBL First Team and was named NBL Most Valuable Player.

Other key contributors included Williamson (10.1 points), Crawford (10 points), Hinder (9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds), Roberts (9.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks), and Cedar (8.5 points). Hoare was also awarded Townsville’s Players Player award at the end of the season.

Townsville opened the semifinals against Wollongong at the WIN Entertainment Centre, where the Hawks defeated the Crocodiles 87-68 behind Tragardh (26 points and 7 rebounds) and Davidson (17 points, 9 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 assists, and 3 steals).

Game two moved to Townsville, where the Crocodiles responded with an 82-53 win behind Williams (23 points), Hinder (16 points) and Tovey (15 points), while Rhys Martin (15 points) and Tragardh (11 points and 5 rebounds) led Wollongong.

Game three returned to Wollongong, where the Hawks defeated Townsville 88-76 behind a balanced attack that had five players score between 12 and 16 points, with Gruber (15 points and 5 rebounds) making a key impact. Williams (27 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) was not enough for Townsville.

GOLD COAST BLAZE
2010/11
After being eliminated by Perth in the 2009/10 semifinals, Gold Coast jettisoned the majority of their line-up saying goodbye to Mika Vukona (to New Zealand), Ayinde Ubaka (to Cairns), Craig Bradshaw (to Europe), Tyson Demos (to Wollongong), import Erron Maxey and the retiring Greg Vanderjagt and Pero Cameron. Joey Wright rebuilt the team by adding Mark Worthington (via Melbourne), Stephen Hoare (via Townsville), Tom Garlepp (via Adelaide), rookies Jason Cadee (via AIS) and Shaun Gleeson (via Gold Coast Gliders) and completing the roster with imports Ira Clark and James Maye.

Hoare (6.3 points and 6 rebounds) would fill the role left from Vukona, adding veteran leadership and hard-nosed play. His best recorded all-round game came in a 78-82 road loss to Melbourne on 4 December, where he finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists against his former club. Hoare also grabbed 10 rebounds in a 62-71 loss to Townsville on 28 January, battling Luke Schenscher (20 points) on the glass.

He later delivered one of Gold Coast’s biggest late-season moments in a 82-81 road win over Melbourne on 20 March, drilling the game-winning mid-range jumper with 24 seconds remaining and grabbing a team-high 9 rebounds, while Clark (23 points) led the Blaze and Corey Williams (25 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the Tigers.

The Blaze season wsa then derailed by Maye (7.5 points and 3 rebounds), unable to deliver what was needed and being replace by Darryl Hudson (8.5 points) after 2 games.

Then, Gold Coast were hit hard by injuries, with Petrie (15 points and 8.3 rebounds) sidelined for all but three games, captain Harvey (14.8 points and 3.7 rebounds) missing almost half the season, and Worthington (16.8 points and 7 rebounds) being limited to 20 games.

Gold Coast tried to recover by adding Ater Majok (via Perth) on a short-term injury replacement deal after Worthington went down. Majok later departed before the end of the season, seeking opportunities in the United States ahead of the 2011 NBA Draft, and later Luke Kendall (via Sydney), who joined as another short term replacement in February.

Clark (17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) quickly became a fan favourite with his above-the-rim play, while Worthington delivered another strong individual campaign despite also missing eight games.

Gold Coast stayed in touch with the playoff race for much of the season, but the Blaze’s postseason hopes faded late as they managed only two wins from their final five games.

The late stretch included a 68-80 loss to Wollongong, a 81-102 loss to Perth, the 82-81 win over Melbourne, and a 101-102 overtime loss to Adelaide where Gibson (20 points and 7 assists), Clark (19 points and 8 rebounds) and Hoare (11 points and 11 rebounds) led the Blaze, while Rhys Carter (20 points), Brad Hill (17 points), Jacob Holmes (14 points and 12 rebounds) and Daniel Johnson (15 points and 9 rebounds) carried the 36ers.

The Blaze then closed the season at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with a 96-79 win over Sydney, as Harvey (29 points), Gibson (20 points and 5 assists) and Clark (16 points and 7 rebounds) led Gold Coast, while Trey Gilder (20 points), Julian Khazzouh (14 points) and Ben Madgen (13 points) were best for the Kings.

Clark and Adam Gibson (13 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists) were both named to the All-NBL Second Team, and while Chris Goulding (11.8 points), Hudson (8.5 points), Garlepp (5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds), and Cadee (3.8 points) all tried valiantly throughout the season the talent level was never there. At seasons end Hoare was awarded Gold Coast’s Players Player award in 2011.

Gold Coast finished sixth (13-15), making it one of only two seasons in Hoare’s 17-year NBL career where his team missed the finals.

2011/12
Gold Coast entered what would become its final NBL season after Ira Clark, Darryl Hudson, James Maye, Pero Vasiljevic, Ater Majok, Shaun Gleeson, Luke Kendall and Jaydan Tom left the roster, returning to the court with Mark Worthington, Anthony Petrie, James Harvey, Adam Gibson, Chris Goulding, Stephen Hoare, Tom Garlepp, Jason Cadee and Brendan Teys.

Coach Joey Wright added imports Will Hudson and Mike English, looking to return the Blaze to the playoffs after an injury-filled season the year prior.

Gold Coast opened the season with an 87-102 home loss to New Zealand on 7 October, with the veteran forward providing 6 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists alongside Worthington (28 points and 5 rebounds), Gibson (14 points and 6 assists) and Hudson (18 points and 4 rebounds), while Thomas Abercrombie (25 points) and Gary Wilkinson (21 points and 9 rebounds) led the Breakers.

This would be the only game for Mike English (0 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals across 1 game), who returned to the United States to attend to personal matters, with the Blaze replacing him with Adris De León (via Puerto Rico), who made his debut against Townsville in round four.

After Gold Coast dropped its first two games, Hoare (4.5 points and 3.8 rebounds) delivered his best game of the season in an 83-58 road win over Illawarra on 21 October, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

Goulding (16 points), Petrie (13 points and 5 rebounds), Gibson (11 points, 6 assists and 5 steals), Cadee (11 points and 4 assists) and Hudson (11 points and 7 rebounds) all delivered strong games to give the Blaze their first win of the season.

Hoare delivered another strong game in a 78-87 loss to Cairns on 2 December, finishing with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist as De León (17 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals) made an instant impact, while Jamar Wilson (23 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) and Alex Loughton (20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals) led the Taipans.

On 29 January, Hoare (6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block) gave Gold Coast another strong bench game in a 76-49 revenge win over Cairns, while Worthington (17 points and 7 rebounds), Gibson (10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals), De León (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals) and Petrie (10 points and 5 rebounds) carried the scoring in the Blaze’s biggest defensive game of the year.

Gold Coast closed the regular season by beating New Zealand 94-71 on 25 March, with Hoare (3 points and 4 rebounds) contributing off the bench as Goulding (20 points and 4 rebounds), De León (14 points and 4 assists), Worthington (13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists), Garlepp (10 points) and Hudson (10 points and 5 rebounds) led the Blaze into a third-place finish with a 17-11 record.

De León (16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals) and Worthington (14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds) were the Blaze’s strongest offensive threats during the season, with Gibson (11.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists), Petrie (10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds), Hudson (9.5 points and 6 rebounds), Harvey (10.5 points across 8 games), Goulding (7.6 points) and Cadee (5.2 points) all playing key roles around them.

Hoare’s veteran play was recognised with another Players Player award for 2012, while other end-of-season awards saw Worthington earn All-NBL First Team selection, Gibson named to the All-NBL Second Team and De León make the All-NBL Third Team.

Once into the playoffs, Gold Coast faced Perth in the semifinals, opening the series at Challenge Stadium where the Wildcats defeated the Blaze 85-70 despite De León (23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists) and Petrie (20 points and 8 rebounds) leading Gold Coast.

Hoare (2 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist) added frontcourt minutes, while Jesse Wagstaff (16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists), Luke Nevill (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks), Kevin Lisch (12 points, 7 assists and 2 steals) and Shawn Redhage (12 points and 5 rebounds) led Perth.

Game two moved to Gold Coast, where the Blaze kept the series alive with a 72-70 win behind De León (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals), Petrie (12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals), Worthington (11 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists), Hudson (11 points and 6 rebounds) and Goulding (11 points).

Hoare (2 rebounds) played 14 minutes, while Damian Martin (14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals), Matthew Knight (14 points and 9 rebounds), Redhage (11 points) and Lisch (10 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists) kept Perth close.

Game three returned to Perth, where Redhage (19 points), Lisch (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Wagstaff (14 points) ended Gold Coast’s playoff run, while De León (20 points, 4 assists and 3 steals), Worthington (11 points and 7 rebounds), Petrie (9 points and 5 rebounds), Goulding (7 points and 6 rebounds) and Hoare (4 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist) made solid contributions in an 88-67 loss.

This playoff appearance would also become Gold Coast’s final NBL run, with the club entering voluntary administration in May before its owners later withdrew from the league after being unable to satisfy Basketball Australia’s licensing and funding requirements for 2012/13, including financial terms around a $1 million guarantee, with the Blaze’s exit also bringing Hoare’s 17-year NBL career to a close.

Stephen Hoare played eighteen seasons across five NBL teams. This included the North Melbourne Giants, West Sydney Razorbacks, Melbourne Tigers, Townsville Crocodiles and Gold Coast Blaze. He averaged 8.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 502 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 16th in total games played.
– 34th in total rebounds
– 45th in total assists