2009–10 NBL season

The 2009–10 NBL season was the 32nd season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams contested the league. The 48-minute game switched to a 40-minute game.

2009–10 NBL season
League	National Basketball League
Season	2009–10
Dates	24 September 2009 – 12 March 2010
Teams	8
TV partner(s)	Australia: Fox Sports New Zealand: Māori Television Online: rivusTV
Regular season
Season champions	Perth Wildcats
Season MVP	Corey Williams (Townsville)
Finals
Champions	Perth Wildcats (5th title)
Runners-up	Wollongong Hawks
Semifinalists	Townsville Crocodiles Gold Coast Blaze
Finals MVP	Kevin Lisch (Perth)
Statistical leaders
Points Kirk Penney (New Zealand) 23.2 Rebounds Rick Rickert (New Zealand) 7.1 Assists Julius Hodge (Melbourne) 5.9

Preseason

Pre-season training began for a majority of clubs during the last week of July.

A pre-season tourney, dubbed the NBL Top End Challenge, involving all eight sides was contested during August in Darwin, Northern Territory.

Wollongong Hawks exhibition games

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10 August	Wollongong Hawks	78–59	St. Mary's Gaels	Illawarra Basketball Stadium, Wollongong
				Attendance: 1,100

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14 August	Wollongong Hawks	84–83	Vanderbilt Commodores	Hills Sports Stadium, Sydney
				Attendance: 395

Burger King Breakers Pre-season Tour

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12 August	New Zealand Breakers	90–81	Athletes in Action	Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
				Attendance: 2,200

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13 August	New Zealand Breakers	92–86	Athletes in Action	Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier
				Attendance: 1,750

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15 August	New Zealand Breakers	??–??	Athletes in Action	Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua

Melbourne Tigers exhibition games

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14 August	Melbourne Tigers	79–66	St. Mary's Gaels	Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne

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18 September	Melbourne Tigers	96–90	Gold Coast Blaze	Kilsyth Sports Centre, Melbourne

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19 September	Melbourne Tigers	79–88	Gold Coast Blaze	King Club, Melbourne

Gold Coast Blaze exhibition games

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17 August	Gold Coast Blaze	82–74	St. Mary's Gaels	Carina Basketball Stadium, Brisbane

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18 August	Gold Coast Blaze	85–84	St. Mary's Gaels	The Southport School, Gold Coast

2009 Crocs Pre-season Assault

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16 August	Townsville Crocodiles	104–99	Vanderbilt Commodores	NPA Stadium, Townsville

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28 August	Townsville Crocodiles	81–90	Melbourne Tigers	NPA Stadium, Townsville

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29 August	Townsville Crocodiles	79–92	Melbourne Tigers	Mackay Basketball Stadium, Mackay

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10 September	Townsville Crocodiles	86–89	Cairns Taipans	NPA Stadium, Townsville

2009 Coca-Cola Pre-season Championship

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25 August	Perth Wildcats	73–76	Adelaide 36ers	Craigie Leisure Centre, Perth

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27 August	Perth Wildcats	79–77	Adelaide 36ers	Waroona Recreation & Aquatic Centre, Waroona

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29 August	Perth Wildcats	75–95	Adelaide 36ers	Eaton Recreation Centre, Bunbury

Cairns Taipans exhibition games

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25 August	Cairns Taipans	89–67	Gold Coast Blaze	Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

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26 August	Cairns Taipans	84–77	Gold Coast Blaze	Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

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31 August	Cairns Taipans	88–83	Melbourne Tigers	Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

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1 September	Cairns Taipans	77–87	Melbourne Tigers	Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

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12 September	Cairns Taipans	85–92	Townsville Crocodiles	Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre, Cairns

NBL Top End Challenge

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3 September	Cairns Taipans	78–83	Gold Coast Blaze	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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3 September	Melbourne Tigers	94–100	Wollongong Hawks	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

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3 September	Adelaide 36ers	75–84	New Zealand Breakers	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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3 September	Townsville Crocodiles	85–82	Perth Wildcats	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

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4 September	Adelaide 36ers	78–82	Melbourne Tigers	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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4 September	Gold Coast Blaze	90–107	Wollongong Hawks	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

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4 September	Cairns Taipans	88–77	Perth Wildcats	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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4 September	New Zealand Breakers	102–91	Townsville Crocodiles	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

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5 September	Adelaide 36ers	72–82	Cairns Taipans	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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5 September	Perth Wildcats	79–84	Melbourne Tigers	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

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5 September	Gold Coast Blaze	85–84	Townsville Crocodiles	DBA Stadium, Darwin

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5 September	Wollongong Hawks	94–88	New Zealand Breakers	Marrara Indoor Stadium, Darwin

Wollongong Hawks win Top End Challenge.

Hood Sweeney Pre-season Challenge

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11 September	Adelaide 36ers	93–96	Wollongong Hawks	Whyalla Basketball Stadium, Whyalla

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13 September	Adelaide 36ers	92–78	Wollongong Hawks	Adelaide Arena, Adelaide

Regular season

The 2009–10 regular season took place over 20 rounds between 24 September 2009 and 14 February 2010.

Ladder

Pos	2009–10 NBL season
	Team	Pld	W	L	PCT	Last 5	Streak	Home	Away	PF	PA	PP
1	Perth Wildcats	28	17	11	60.71%	3–2	W2	12–2	5–9	2401	2285	105.08%
2	Wollongong Hawks1	28	16	12	57.14%	3–2	W3	13–1	3–11	2299	2270	101.28%
3	Townsville Crocodiles1	28	16	12	57.14%	3–2	L1	10–4	6–8	2418	2369	102.07%
4	Gold Coast Blaze1	28	16	12	57.14%	3–2	W1	12–2	4–10	2410	2376	101.43%
5	New Zealand Breakers	28	15	13	53.57%	5–0	W6	9–5	6–8	2415	2340	103.21%
6	Melbourne Tigers2	28	11	17	39.29%	1–4	L4	8–6	3–11	2338	2423	96.49%
7	Cairns Taipans2	28	11	17	39.29%	2–3	L2	10–4	1–13	2092	2239	93.43%
8	Adelaide 36ers	28	10	18	35.71%	0–5	L7	7–7	3–11	2353	2424	97.07%

Updated to match(es) played on 14 February 2010. Source: NBL.com.au

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.

¹3-way Head-to-Head between Wollongong Hawks (5-3), Townsville Crocodiles (4-4) and Gold Coast Blaze (3-5).

¹Cairns Taipans won Head-to-Head (3-1).

Finals

Main article: 2010 NBL Finals

The 2009–10 National Basketball League Finals played between 18 February 2010 and 12 March 2010, consisting of two best-of-three semi-finals and final series in which the higher seed hosts the first and deciding third game.

Playoff Seedings

1. Perth Wildcats
2. Wollongong Hawks
3. Townsville Crocodiles
4. Gold Coast Blaze

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of a tie of three or more teams, winning percentage in games played only between those teams will determine order of finish.

Under that system, Wollongong (5–3) will finish second, Townsville (4–4) third and Gold Coast (3–5) fourth.

Playoff bracket

	Semifinals							Grand Final
	1	Perth Wildcats	81	82	X
	4	Gold Coast Blaze	68	78	X
								1	Perth Wildcats	75	63	96
								2	Wollongong Hawks	64	75	72
	2	Wollongong Hawks	87	53	88
	3	Townsville Crocodiles	68	82	76

Season awards

• Most Valuable Player: Corey Williams, Townsville Crocodiles
• Rookie of the Year: Jesse Wagstaff, Perth Wildcats
• Best Defensive Player: Dillon Boucher, New Zealand Breakers
• Best Sixth Man: Erron Maxey, Gold Coast Blaze
• Most Improved Player: Anthony Petrie, Gold Coast Blaze
• Coach of the Year: Gordie McLeod, Wollongong Hawks
• Finals MVP: Kevin Lisch, Perth Wildcats
• All-NBL First Team:
  • Corey Williams – Townsville Crocodiles
  • Kirk Penney – New Zealand Breakers
  • Tywain McKee – Wollongong Hawks
  • Mark Worthington – Melbourne Tigers
  • Shawn Redhage – Perth Wildcats
• All-NBL Second Team:
  • Adam Ballinger – Adelaide 36ers
  • C. J. Bruton – New Zealand Breakers
  • Anthony Petrie – Gold Coast Blaze
  • Adam Gibson – Gold Coast Blaze
  • Ayinde Ubaka – Gold Coast Blaze
• All-NBL Third Team:
  • Julius Hodge – Melbourne Tigers
  • Glen Saville – Wollongong Hawks
  • John Gilchrist – Adelaide 36ers
  • Cameron Tragardh – Wollongong Hawks
  • Larry Davidson – Wollongong Hawks

See also

• 2009–10 NBL squads