BIO: Tim Morrissey was born in Wollongong (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Illawarra basketball program. Morrissey received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1982. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (1982, 1983, 1984).

FAMILY: Tim’s brother, Ben Morrissey also played 51 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tim Morrissey made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 17 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

The biggest off-season move by the Hawks in 1981 was the decision to move into their new home venue, Beaton Park Stadium, commonly known as ‘The Snakepit.’

Joey Farrugia, who coached the team during the Hawks’ inaugural season, was reappointed as head coach. The team saw Kevin Becker, Ted Holcomb, and Bob Kubbinga leave, while new imports Michael Jones and Benny Lewis were added. Local talent, 17-year-old rookie Tim Morrissey, also joined the roster, tipped by many to be a future star in the league. Returning players Ray Hannett, Jim Slacke, and captain Gordie McLeod filled out the team’s starting five.

The Hawks’ biggest game in 1981 was perhaps before the season even started when they defeated European powerhouse Partizan in an exhibition game. Riding off a strong preseason, the Hawks’ season began poorly with a 20-point loss to Newcastle (73-93). Although they managed to bounce back with a win against the City of Sydney (92-80), the Hawks struggled to maintain momentum, dropping four straight games between Rounds 3 and 5, including their worst loss of the season to West Adelaide (66-104).

The Hawks were led by Michael Jones (30.5 points), one of the first legitimate big men in the league. Jones’s scoring ability had never been seen from a centre before, as he led the league in scoring and free throw percentage (87.6%) before being voted as the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Their best win came in Round 12 when they upset West Adelaide (108-91), a team that finished the season in the top three. While the Hawks were formidable in their new home (8-3), their away form was disappointing, managing only one win out of ten road games.

Benny Lewis (20.5 points), Jim Slacke (12.7 points), Ray Hannett (8.4 points), and Gordie McLeod (7.5 points) delivered solid seasons, but the Hawks’ inconsistent form, particularly in away games, saw them miss out on a postseason berth.

Illawarra closed the season strongly with a victory over Bankstown (98-86), but despite a few notable wins, their inconsistencies, particularly on the road, resulted in them finishing eighth during the regular season (9-13).

Tim Morrissey (2.3 points) appeared in 15 games this season. Though his contributions were modest, Morrissey provided additional support and depth for the Hawks throughout the season.

1983
Morrissey wasn’t a part of the Hawks roster in 1982, but the teenager returned to the squad in 1983.

The Hawks’ season began on a challenging note, with the departure of team captain Gordie McLeod to the Sydney Supersonics and import Alonzo Weatherly returning to the USA.

McLeod’s exit marked the loss of a long-serving and pivotal figure whose leadership had been a cornerstone for the team.

To fill the gap, the Hawks brought in import Jerry Steurer (23.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 steals) to pair with veteran forward Jim Slacke (11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists).

They also had the services of Michael Jones (32.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists), the former NBL MVP, who returned to the club after a season’s absence and went on to lead both the team and the league in scoring.

Despite the impressive contributions of Jones and the addition of Steurer, McLeod’s absence was sorely felt.

The Illawarra Hawks opened their season with a loss to the Newcastle Falcons (95-113), marking the beginning of an eight-game losing streak.

They finally broke the streak with a narrow victory against Devonport (102-100) in Round 8, which stood as their only road win of the season.

Local talent such as Tim Morrissey (7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game), Simon Cottrell (7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds), and Brett Flanigan (3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists) stepped up their production, but despite these efforts, the Hawks struggled to find cohesion and consistency.

Throughout the season, the team faced several more losing streaks, including a significant stretch where they dropped six consecutive games from March 5 to April 23.

Even with Jones’ league-leading scoring performance, the Hawks could not overcome the challenges on and off the court.

The absence of McLeod’s leadership and playmaking left a void that the team could not fill, resulting in the worst finish in club history.

The Hawks managed only four wins from 22 games, concluding the season with a disappointing 4-18 record.

Tim Morrissey played thirteen seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Illawarra Hawks, Canberra Cannons and Sydney Kings. He averaged 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 322 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.