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.

Stephen Hoare joined the North Melbourne Giants for his rookie season, the champions from the previous season. Under head coach Brett Brown key players Darryl McDonald, Paul Rees, Pat Reidy, Larry Sengstock, Rod Johnson, John Stelzer, Darryl Pearce and Mark Leader all returned to defend their championship.

The Giants title defence hit a major set back during the pre-season, when a back injury ruled import Paul Maley out for the season. Brown needed to find a big time recruit in a very short timeframe and struck gold when he signed former Houston Rocket forward Chris Jent, who had won an NBA championship only a few months before joining the team. Brown described Jent as the only player in the league who could “defend a point guard, play interior defence and break somebody down off the dribble”.

On April 22, when Jent dropped 33 points, ten rebounds, and six assists in his NBL debut, it marked the first time a reigning NBA champion had played in the league. In September, Jent exploded for 46 points against Canberra, nailing seven from 14 from downtown and adding seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks before fouling out.

Hoare played sparingly as a rookie, appearing in five games and finishing with 7 points in 13 minutes. He shot 3-of-7 from the field, made his only three-point attempt, added 2 steals and had a season high of 3 points in North Melbourne’s 102–86 win over Hobart on July 7, giving the Giants a young frontcourt piece at the end of the bench while they chased another Grand Final.

North Melbourne finished the regular season in third place at 18–8, behind Perth and South East Melbourne, after ending the year on a five-game winning streak and posting a 10–3 road record.

Jent (25.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, 1.9 steals) and Pat Reidy (20.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals) led the Giants offensively, while McDonald (17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 3.8 steals) controlled the offence and terrorised opposition gaurds, leading the NBL in assists and steals.

Paul Rees (14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and, 1.5 blocks), Rod Johnson (11.5 points and 2.9 rebounds), Larry Sengstock (5.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, Darryl Pearce (5.7 points) and Mark Leader (4.6 point) formed the rest of Brown’s main rotation.

McDonald was selected to the All-NBL Team after leading the league in assists and steals, while Sengstock retired as the only player at the time to have won five championships, a mark later eclipsed by both CJ Bruton and David Stiff, who have six championships.

The Giants opened the quarterfinals by defeating Brisbane 115–105 on the road, then returned home and bundled out the Bullets with a 130–99 win in game two.

North Melbourne opened the semifinals with a 98–77 win over South East Melbourne before the Magic forced a deciding game with a 98–79 win at Melbourne Park. Game three saw the Giants return to the Grand Final with a 107–92 road win over the Magic, ending South East Melbourne’s season after they had survived Illawarra in three games during the quarterfinals.

The Giants stunned the Wildcats in the opening game of the Grand Final in front of a capacity crowd at the Perth Entertainment Centre, winning 104–97.

With their backs against the wall, the Wildcats travelled to Melbourne hoping to even up the series. Trailing 53–45 at half-time, Perth ramped up its defensive effort to take the win 97–88. Captain Andrew Vlahov later revealed the team was motivated by the fact that the Giants organisation had already made celebratory preparations in anticipation they would win Game 2.

Perth’s defensive effort continued in game three, holding the Giants to 15 points in the first quarter while scoring 30 themselves. The Wildcats limited leading scorer Jent to 5/14 shooting and forced the entire team to shoot 38% from the field (29/77 shots).

The Wildcats were led by James Crawford’s 32 points (shooting at 83%), 10 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots, as Perth blitzed the Giants 108–88 and Andrew Vlahov was named MVP of the series.

McDonald averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 3.4 steals per game across the playoff run as North Melbourne reached the Grand Final for a second year in a row, but the Giants’ repeat bid ended in a three-game Grand Final loss to Perth.

The 1995 season became the Giants’ final NBL Grand Final appearance before the club dissolved in 1998, while Hoare’s rookie season ended with limited minutes on a runner-up team built around one of the league’s deepest veteran rotations.

1996
After falling one series short of back-to-back titles, North Melbourne entered 1996 with Brett Brown still in charge and most of its Grand Final roster intact, losing only Mark Leader (retired) and import Chris Jent, who exited after delivering one of the greatest one and done season’s in NBL history.

The Giants replaced them by bringing Paul Maley back into the line-up after back problems had wiped out his 1995 season, while Boomers forward Tonny Jensen was added to a group that still featured Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Rod Johnson, Larry Sengstock, John Stelzer, Matthew Shanahan and Hoare.

For Hoare, it was another learning year at North Melbourne, with the 20-year-old still being used in a development role on a veteran-heavy team while also juggling commitments with the Australian Under 23 squad.

Hoare appeared in 10 games and finished with 18 points in 30 minutes. He shot 7-of-12 from the field, 2-of-5 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, adding 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, with a season high of 6 points.

North Melbourne again leaned on its established core, with Pat Reidy (20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals) leading the team in scoring, while Darryl McDonald (17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10.0 assists, and 3.9 steals) earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team and led the league in assists again. Paul Maley (17.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals) gave the Giants another frontcourt scorer after missing the previous yea, while Tonny Jensen (14.6 points), Paul Rees (14.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks), and Rod Johnson (9.1 points and 1.3 steals) rounded out the Giants other key contributors.

The Giants found themselves in a tight regular season where only two games separated third place and eighth place, eventually finishing seventh with a 15–11 record.

North Melbourne’s quarterfinal match-up came against crosstown rivals South East Melbourne, who had built a deep rotation around Tony Ronaldson, Mike Kelly, John Dorge, Andrew Parkinson and Sam Mackinnon.

Game one saw the Magic make the first move, with Parkinson scoring a season-high 19 points as South East Melbourne handed North Melbourne a 82–96 loss.

The Giants’ season ended in game two, with Ronaldson scoring 25 points as South East Melbourne completed the sweep, defeating North Melbourne 87–77.

1997
With Tonny Jensen (to Newcastle), Larry Sengstock (retired) and Paul Maley (back injury) all out of the previous season’s rotation, North Melbourne entered 1997 with Brett Brown trying to keep the Giants in the title picture while the club’s budget tightened.

The Giants retained Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Rod Johnson, Matthew Shanahan and Stephen Hoare, while Brown added Mike Mitchell (via Brisbane), David Stiff (via Hobart) and Andrew Goodwin (via Gold Coast) after the collapse of the Gold Coast Rollers and Hobart Devils created a chance to find experienced talent at short notice.

Brown cleverly tried to make the most of his team budget by playing the entire season with the league minimum of 11 players, keeping North Melbourne competitive despite the club no longer having the same depth it had carried during its 1994 title run and 1995 Grand Final season.

Hoare’s third NBL season was still spent outside the Giants’ regular rotation, but he appeared in 12 games and finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists in 68 total minutes.

He shot 6-of-17 from the field, 3-of-11 from three-point range and 1-of-2 at the free-throw line, while adding 3 steals and recording a season high of 5 points.

Another setback that hurt the Giants was when Paul Rees (4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds) suffered a severe knee injury that kept him out for the majority of the season, only to return and break his wrist against the Bullets in the second last round of the season.

Behind leading scorer Pat Reidy (20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals) and star Darryl McDonald (17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.9 assists, and 3.3 steals) leading the league in both assists and steals, the Giants had enough talent to remain among the league’s stronger teams.

Mike Mitchell (15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals), David Stiff (13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Rod Johnson (10.8 points and 2.3 rebounds), Andrew Goodwin (10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds) and Matthew Shanahan (7.7 points and 2.1 rebounds) formed the rest of Brown’s main group.

North Melbourne finished the regular season in third place with a 18-12 record, going 9-6 at home and 9-6 on the road behind South East Melbourne and Melbourne.

The Giants opened the elimination finals at the AIS Arena, dropping game one to Canberra 104–93 and immediately putting their season on the line.

Rees was able to return for the playoffs and his presence changed the look of the Giants’ frontcourt, with North Melbourne answering in game two by defeating Canberra 108–98 at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre.

The deciding game saw the Giants take control of the series, defeating Canberra 102–75 to advance to the semifinals against the Melbourne Tigers.

Melbourne entered the series behind league MVP Andrew Gaze and a frontcourt led by Mark Bradtke, giving the Giants a difficult match-up against a team that had become the form side of the competition.

Game one saw Melbourne defeat North Melbourne 107–99 on the Giants’ home court, with Bradtke playing all 48 minutes and recording 25 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park where North Melbourne was eliminated 112–105, with Bradtke again playing all 48 minutes and finishing with 26 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists.

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 being eliminated by Sydney in the 2002/03 playoffs, Melbourne entered 2003/04 with Marcus Timmons (to Cairns), Greg Blake (to Victoria), Matt Rueter and Nathan Taylor exiting the team. Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Stephen Hoare, David Smith, Neil Mottram, Daryl Corletto and Luke McMillan all returned from the previous season’s group, while Lindsay Gaze added Darryl McDonald (via Victoria), Dave Thomas (via Canberra), David Donaldson and import Thalo Green.

Melbourne opened the season with wins over Hunter (105-77), Brisbane (97-88) and Perth (116-99), before suffering their first loss to Sydney (90-101). The Tigers then continued to swing between quality wins and rough losses, beating New Zealand (108-97) and Adelaide (111-99), but also dropping games to Wollongong (76-105), Adelaide (89-118) and Sydney (83-92).

Hoare (9.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) appeared in 30 games and produced the strongest all-round season of his career to that point, finishing second on the team in assists and third in rebounding while playing a key role next to Bradtke, Thomas and Gaze.

His best recorded regular-season performance came in Melbourne’s 78-75 win over New Zealand on 12 December, where he grabbed 10 rebounds, while another strong rebounding game (9 rebounds) came in the 126-117 road win over Townsville on 31 January as Melbourne built its late-season push.

A five-game winning run late in the season, including wins over Cairns (97-89), Brisbane (116-107), Townsville (126-117), Perth (95-87) and West Sydney (109-94), pulled Melbourne clear in the playoff race. A loss to Townsville (98-102) slowed the run, but wins over Adelaide (123-111) and Hunter (107-91) helped the Tigers finish fifth (20-13).

Gaze (21.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) and Copeland (18.5 points and 3.2 assists) led Melbourne’s offence, while Bradtke (15.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) was selected to the All-NBL First Team.

Other key contributors included Thomas (15.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals), McDonald (7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.6 steals), who won the NBL Best Sixth Man award, Green (7.6 points) and Smith (4.6 points).

Melbourne opened the playoffs against Adelaide at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, defeating the 36ers 111-107 in the elimination finals.

The quarterfinals moved to Brisbane, where the Bullets ended Melbourne in a do or die elimination game (101-112) at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

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.