2015–16 NBL season
| 2015–16 NBL season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | National Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | October 2015–February 2016 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| TV partner(s) |
|
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Melbourne United |
| Season MVP | Kevin Lisch (Illawarra Hawks) |
| Top scorer | Jerome Randle (Adelaide 36ers) |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Perth Wildcats |
| Runners-up | New Zealand Breakers |
| Finals MVP | Damian Martin |
The 2015–16 NBL season was the 38th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams contested the league. The regular season was played between 7 October 2015 and 14 February 2016, followed by a post-season featuring the top four in late February and March 2016.
During the off-season the Wollongong Hawks reverted to their original name Illawarra Hawks which was last used in 1998.
Australian broadcast rights to the season are held by Fox Sports, in the first year of a five-year deal, with one game per week simulcast on the Nine Network. In New Zealand Sky Sport are the official league broadcaster.
Pre-season
2015 NBL Pre-Season Blitz
A pre-season tournament featuring all eight teams was held on 24–27 September 2015 at Townsville RSL Stadium, Townsville. The winner will receive the third annual Loggins-Bruton Cup.
Melbourne United are pre-season champions.
Regular season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Ladder
| # | Team | Pld | W | L | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | For | Against | % | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne United | 28 | 18 | 10 | 2-3 | L2 | 11-3 | 7-7 | 2,384 | 2,342 | 101.79% | 64.29% |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 28 | 18 | 10 | 3-2 | W1 | 12-2 | 6-8 | 2,391 | 2,266 | 105.52% | 64.29% |
| 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 28 | 17 | 11 | 3-2 | W2 | 11-3 | 6-8 | 2,637 | 2,486 | 106.07% | 60.71% |
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 28 | 16 | 12 | 5-0 | W5 | 11-3 | 5-9 | 2,357 | 2,282 | 103.29% | 57.14% |
| 5 | Adelaide 36ers | 28 | 14 | 14 | 1-4 | L4 | 10-4 | 4-10 | 2,495 | 2,500 | 99.80% | 50.00% |
| 6 | Cairns Taipans | 28 | 12 | 16 | 2-3 | L2 | 11-3 | 1-13 | 2,238 | 2,354 | 95.07% | 42.86% |
| 7 | Townsville Crocodiles | 28 | 11 | 17 | 3-2 | W2 | 8-6 | 3-11 | 2,271 | 2,390 | 95.02% | 39.29% |
| 8 | Sydney Kings | 28 | 6 | 22 | 1-4 | L1 | 5-9 | 1-13 | 2,416 | 2,569 | 94.04% | 21.43% |
Ladder Progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top four.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide 36ers | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | |
| Cairns Taipans | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| Illawarra Hawks | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Melbourne United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| New Zealand Breakers | 5 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |
| Perth Wildcats | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Sydney Kings | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| Townsville Crocodiles | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Finals Series
The 2015–16 National Basketball League Finals were played in late February and March 2016, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final and final series, where the higher seed hosts the first and third games.
Playoff Seedings
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.
Playoff Bracket
| Semi-finals | Grand Final | |||||||||||
| 1 | Melbourne United | 82 | 78 | X | ||||||||
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 91 | 91 | X | ||||||||
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 82 | 68 | 75 | ||||||||
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 76 | 72 | 52 | ||||||||
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 80 | 87 | 89 | ||||||||
| 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 68 | 104 | 74 | ||||||||
Semi-finals
Grand Final
Awards
Player of the Month
| Month | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| October | Chris Goulding | Melbourne United |
| November | Corey Webster | New Zealand Breakers |
| December | Kevin Lisch | Illawarra Hawks |
| January | Jerome Randle | Adelaide 36ers |
| February | Cedric Jackson | New Zealand Breakers |
Coach of the Month
| Month | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| October | Dean Demopoulos | Melbourne United |
| November | Dean Vickerman | New Zealand Breakers |
| December | Rob Beveridge | Illawarra Hawks |
| January | Joey Wright | Adelaide 36ers |
| February | Dean Vickerman | New Zealand Breakers |
Pre-season
- Most Valuable Player (Ray Borner Medal): Stephen Holt, Melbourne United & Markel Starks, Cairns Taipans
Season
- Most Valuable Player (Andrew Gaze Trophy): Kevin Lisch, Illawarra Hawks[1]
- Rookie of the Year: Nick Kay, Townsville Crocodiles[2]
- Best Defensive Player: Kevin Lisch, Illawarra Hawks[3]
- Best Sixth Man: Hakim Warrick, Melbourne United[4]
- Most Improved Player: Clint Steindl, Townsville Crocodiles[5]
- Coach of the Year (Lindsay Gaze Trophy): Shawn Dennis, Townsville Crocodiles[6]
- Referee of the Year: Vaughan Mayberry[7]
- All-NBL First Team:
- All-NBL Second Team:
Finals
- Grand Final Series MVP (Larry Sengstock Medal): Damian Martin, Perth Wildcats
References
- ↑ KEVIN LISCH AWARDED ULTIMATE PRIZE OF MVP
- ↑ CROCS YOUNG GUN NICK KAY WINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- ↑ LISCH DETHRONES MARTIN FOR BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER
- ↑ NBA VETERAN HAKIM WARRICK WINS BEST SIXTH MAN
- ↑ STEINDL TAKES OUT MOST IMPROVED HONOUR
- ↑ SHAWN DENNIS REWARDED WITH COACH OF THE YEAR
- ↑ 2015/16 REFEREE OF THE YEAR – VAUGHAN MAYBERRY
- ↑ RANDLE, LISCH HEADLINE ALL-NBL TEAMS