1985 New Zealand NBL season
LeagueNew Zealand NBL
SportBasketball
Number of teams10
Regular season
  Minor premiersAuckland
Top scorerRonnie Joyner (Ponsonby)
Playoffs
ChampionsWellington
  Runners-upAuckland

The 1985 NBL season was the fourth season of the National Basketball League. Two new teams entered the league in 1985, expanding the number of teams from eight to ten. 1984 Conference Basketball League (CBL) champions New Plymouth were promoted to the NBL for the 1985 season, while 1984 CBL runners-up Palmerston North were readmitted to the league after being demoted following their last place finish in 1982.[1]

The mid-1980s was considered the league's halcyon period,[2] with Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington the benchmark teams. The 1985 Final was one of the league's most memorable, with Wellington and Auckland facing off against each other for the third straight year. The game was televised live and most were expecting Auckland to revenge their 1984 defeat after garnering two 20-point wins over Wellington during the regular season. The game was a thriller, having to be sent into overtime after the scores were locked at 100 a piece after four quarters.[2] Saints legend Kenny McFadden went on to hit the winning three-point shot at the buzzer in the extra period to claim a 114–111 win and back-to-back championships.[3]

Final standings

# Team
Wellington
Auckland
3 Canterbury
4 Hamilton
5 Palmerston North
6 Nelson
7 Ponsonby
8 New Plymouth
9 Centrals
10 Napier

Season awards

  • Most Outstanding Guard: Tyrone Brown (Palmerston North)[1]
  • Most Outstanding NZ Guard: Tony Smith (Hamilton)
  • Most Outstanding Forward: Ronnie Joyner (Ponsonby)
  • Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre: Stan Hill (Auckland)
  • Scoring Champion: Ronnie Joyner (Ponsonby)
  • Rebounding Champion: Willie Burton (Palmerston North)
  • Assist Champion: Kenny McFadden (Wellington)
  • All-Star Five:

References

  1. 1 2 "2005 League Handbook" (PDF). Basketball.org.nz. pp. 32–36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 Romanos, Joseph (28 June 2012). "Wellingtonian Interview: Kenny McFadden". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "1988 Final-Wellington Exchequer Saints vs Truth North Shore-Intro". YouTube.com. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
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