# 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.

## 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.

### NBL Top End Challenge

Wollongong Hawks win Top End Challenge.

### Hood Sweeney Pre-season Challenge
## Regular season

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

### Round 1

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 24/09/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 95–75 | Cairns Taipans | North Shore Events Centre | 2,428 | boxscore |
| 25/09/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 94–92 | Perth Wildcats | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,556 | boxscore |
| 25/09/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 79–82 | Townsville Crocodiles | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,562 | boxscore |
| 26/09/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 86–75 | Adelaide 36ers | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,830 | boxscore |

### Round 2

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 30/09/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 86–81 | New Zealand Breakers | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,857 | boxscore |
| 2/10/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 84–78 | Illawarra Hawks | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 1,943 | boxscore |
| 2/10/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 89–91 | Perth Wildcats | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 4,276 | boxscore |
| 3/10/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 80–76 | New Zealand Breakers | Adelaide Arena | 4,671 | boxscore |
| 3/10/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 89–71 | Perth Wildcats | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,114 | boxscore |

### Round 3

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 7/10/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 83–66 | Gold Coast Blaze | Cairns Convention Centre | 2,575 | boxscore |
| 8/10/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 79–74 | Melbourne Tigers | North Shore Events Centre | 3,437 | boxscore |
| 9/10/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 90–89 | Townsville Crocodiles | Adelaide Arena | 4,759 | boxscore |
| 9/10/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 89–84 | Gold Coast Blaze | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |
| 10/10/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 68–103 | Townsville Crocodiles | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,762 | boxscore |
| 10/10/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 71–59 | Cairns Taipans | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,316 | boxscore |

### Round 4

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 14/10/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 98–86 | Melbourne Tigers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,823 | boxscore |
| 16/10/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 101–91 | Gold Coast Blaze | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,963 | boxscore |
| 17/10/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 76–65 | New Zealand Breakers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,696 | boxscore |
| 17/10/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 110–80 | Adelaide 36ers | Challenge Stadium | 4,100 | boxscore |

### Round 5

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 21/10/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 70–81 | Melbourne Tigers | Adelaide Arena | 3,919 | boxscore |
| 22/10/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 92–82 | Townsville Crocodiles | North Shore Events Centre | 2,271 | boxscore |
| 23/10/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 80–63 | Cairns Taipans | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,336 | boxscore |
| 24/10/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 99–77 | Townsville Crocodiles | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,546 | boxscore |
| 24/10/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 69–106 | Adelaide 36ers | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,043 | boxscore |
| 25/10/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 93–90 | Melbourne Tigers | Challenge Stadium | 4,100 | boxscore |

### Round 6

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 28/10/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 77–67 | Cairns Taipans | WIN Entertainment Centre | 2,936 | boxscore |
| 28/10/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 94–88 | Gold Coast Blaze | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,317 | boxscore |
| 29/10/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 99–91 | Adelaide 36ers | North Shore Events Centre | 1,912 | boxscore |
| 30/10/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 94–87 | Melbourne Tigers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,879 | boxscore |
| 31/10/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 87–81 | Cairns Taipans | Adelaide Arena | 5,511 | boxscore |
| 31/10/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 87–80 | Illawarra Hawks | Challenge Stadium | 4,250 | boxscore |

### Round 7

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 4/11/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 92–80 | Melbourne Tigers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 2,876 | boxscore |
| 5/11/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 96–110 | Gold Coast Blaze | North Shore Events Centre | 2,262 | boxscore |
| 6/11/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 89–78 | Illawarra Hawks | Cairns Convention Centre | 4,324 | boxscore |
| 7/11/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 69–93 | Illawarra Hawks | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,815 | boxscore |
| 7/11/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 80–77 | Gold Coast Blaze | Adelaide Arena | 4,883 | boxscore |
| 8/11/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 94–74 | New Zealand Breakers | Challenge Stadium | 4,000 | boxscore |

### Round 8

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 11/11/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 70–85 | Townsville Crocodiles | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,420 | boxscore |
| 12/11/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 83–74 | Perth Wildcats | North Shore Events Centre | 2,106 | boxscore |
| 13/11/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 93–77 | Townsville Crocodiles | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,308 | boxscore |
| 14/11/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 83–76 | Illawarra Hawks | Adelaide Arena | 4,832 | boxscore |
| 14/11/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 79–64 | Cairns Taipans | Challenge Stadium | 4,200 | boxscore |
| 14/11/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 91–98 | Townsville Crocodiles | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,804 | boxscore |

### Round 9

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 18/11/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 77–64 | New Zealand Breakers | Cairns Convention Centre | 2,673 | boxscore |
| 20/11/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 73–85 | New Zealand Breakers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,778 | boxscore |
| 21/11/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 83–86 | Cairns Taipans | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 3,187 | boxscore |
| 21/11/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 84–79 | Perth Wildcats | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,598 | boxscore |

### Round 10

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 25/11/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 59–82 | Adelaide 36ers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 2,945 | boxscore |
| 26/11/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 94–77 | Cairns Taipans | North Shore Events Centre | 2,750 | boxscore |
| 27/11/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 100–88 | Adelaide 36ers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,433 | boxscore |
| 28/11/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 78–82 | Gold Coast Blaze | Challenge Stadium | 4,200 | boxscore |

### Round 11

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 2/12/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 73–64 | Cairns Taipans | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,543 | boxscore |
| 3/12/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 91–93 | Illawarra Hawks | North Shore Events Centre | 1,896 | boxscore |
| 4/12/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 69–68 | Cairns Taipans | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,579 | boxscore |
| 5/12/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 94–89 | Townsville Crocodiles | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |
| 5/12/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 84–87 | Melbourne Tigers | Adelaide Arena | 5,894 | boxscore |

### Round 12

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 9/12/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 80–72 | Adelaide 36ers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 2,930 | boxscore |
| 10/12/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 100–106 | Perth Wildcats | North Shore Events Centre | 2,163 | boxscore |
| 11/12/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 89–74 | Melbourne Tigers | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,105 | boxscore |
| 12/12/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 109–84 | Perth Wildcats | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,567 | boxscore |
| 12/12/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 85–92 | New Zealand Breakers | Adelaide Arena | 4,589 | boxscore |
| 12/12/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 89–79 | Melbourne Tigers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,813 | boxscore |

### Round 13

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 16/12/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 91–81 | Gold Coast Blaze | Adelaide Arena | 4,260 | boxscore |
| 17/12/2009 | New Zealand Breakers | 80–87 | Townsville Crocodiles | North Shore Events Centre | 2,343 | boxscore |
| 18/12/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 71–70 | Illawarra Hawks | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,100 | boxscore |
| 19/12/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 68–77 | New Zealand Breakers | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 3,351 | boxscore |
| 19/12/2009 | Perth Wildcats | 70–82 | Adelaide 36ers | Challenge Stadium | 4,200 | boxscore |
| 20/12/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 88–84 | Illawarra Hawks | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,539 | boxscore |

### Round 14

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 23/12/2009 | Adelaide 36ers | 73–94 | Perth Wildcats | Adelaide Arena | 4,846 | boxscore |
| 26/12/2009 | Melbourne Tigers | 90–88 | Illawarra Hawks | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,439 | boxscore |
| 31/12/2009 | Townsville Crocodiles | 83–74 | Perth Wildcats | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 4,684 | boxscore |
| 31/12/2009 | Gold Coast Blaze | 90–83 | New Zealand Breakers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,872 | boxscore |
| 31/12/2009 | Cairns Taipans | 76–69 | Melbourne Tigers | Cairns Convention Centre | 4,369 | boxscore |
| 31/12/2009 | Illawarra Hawks | 93–88 | Adelaide 36ers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 4,088 | boxscore |
| 2/01/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 87–64 | Cairns Taipans | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,857 | boxscore |
| 2/01/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 91–57 | Illawarra Hawks | Challenge Stadium | 4,168 | boxscore |

### Round 15

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 6/01/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 83–78 | New Zealand Breakers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,353 | boxscore |
| 8/01/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 76–72 | New Zealand Breakers | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |
| 8/01/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 100–89 | Gold Coast Blaze | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 4,072 | boxscore |
| 8/01/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 84–65 | Illawarra Hawks | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,823 | boxscore |
| 9/01/2010 | Cairns Taipans | 66–79 | Gold Coast Blaze | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,851 | boxscore |
| 10/01/2010 | Adelaide 36ers | 72–84 | Perth Wildcats | Adelaide Arena | 5,627 | boxscore |

### Round 16

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 13/01/2010 | Adelaide 36ers | 91–77 | Cairns Taipans | Adelaide Arena | 5,510 | boxscore |
| 14/01/2010 | New Zealand Breakers | 89–94 | Melbourne Tigers | North Shore Events Centre | 2,600 | boxscore |
| 15/01/2010 | Gold Coast Blaze | 104–89 | Adelaide 36ers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,674 | boxscore |
| 16/01/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 86–61 | Cairns Taipans | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |
| 16/01/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 96–75 | Gold Coast Blaze | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,402 | boxscore |
| 16/01/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 89–87 | Adelaide 36ers | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 3,262 | boxscore |

### Round 17

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 20/01/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 93–86 | Townsville Crocodiles | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,077 | boxscore |
| 20/01/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 100–86 | Perth Wildcats | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,943 | boxscore |
| 21/01/2010 | New Zealand Breakers | 103–89 | Adelaide 36ers | North Shore Events Centre | 2,358 | boxscore |
| 22/01/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 73–59 | Illawarra Hawks | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 4,067 | boxscore |
| 23/01/2010 | Cairns Taipans | 87–81 | Townsville Crocodiles | Cairns Convention Centre | 4,123 | boxscore |
| 23/01/2010 | Gold Coast Blaze | 81–95 | New Zealand Breakers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,751 | boxscore |
| 23/01/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 94–78 | Melbourne Tigers | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |

### Round 18

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 27/01/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 95–85 | Adelaide 36ers | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 2,899 | boxscore |
| 27/01/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 86–91 | New Zealand Breakers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,480 | boxscore |
| 30/01/2010 | Adelaide 36ers | 87–88 | Townsville Crocodiles | Adelaide Arena | 6,991 | boxscore |
| 30/01/2010 | Gold Coast Blaze | 99–91 | Melbourne Tigers | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 4,020 | boxscore |

### Round 19

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 3/02/2010 | Cairns Taipans | 79–76 | Perth Wildcats | Cairns Convention Centre | 3,942 | boxscore |
| 4/02/2010 | New Zealand Breakers | 88–60 | Illawarra Hawks | North Shore Events Centre | 1,984 | boxscore |
| 5/02/2010 | Gold Coast Blaze | 86–73 | Perth Wildcats | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 4,588 | boxscore |
| 6/02/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 78–84 | Perth Wildcats | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 3,368 | boxscore |
| 6/02/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 100–88 | Gold Coast Blaze | WIN Entertainment Centre | 3,620 | boxscore |
| 6/02/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 89–76 | Cairns Taipans | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 4,313 | boxscore |

### Round 20

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 10/02/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 102–87 | Adelaide 36ers | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,443 | boxscore |
| 11/02/2010 | New Zealand Breakers | 109–94 | Gold Coast Blaze | North Shore Events Centre | 2,835 | boxscore |
| 12/02/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 94–82 | Melbourne Tigers | WIN Entertainment Centre | 4,268 | boxscore |
| 13/02/2010 | Adelaide 36ers | 79–82 | Illawarra Hawks | Adelaide Arena | 5,973 | boxscore |
| 13/02/2010 | Cairns Taipans | 79–84 | New Zealand Breakers | Cairns Convention Centre | 4,747 | boxscore |
| 13/02/2010 | Melbourne Tigers | 73–91 | Gold Coast Blaze | State Netball and Hockey Centre | 3,500 | boxscore |
| 14/02/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 92–73 | Townsville Crocodiles | Challenge Stadium | 4,423 | boxscore |

## Ladder

| Pos | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte | 2009–10 NBL season vte |
| Pos | 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 Hawks$^1$ | 28 | 16 | 12 | 57.14% | 3–2 | W3 | 13–1 | 3–11 | 2299 | 2270 | 101.28% |
| 3 | Townsville Crocodiles$^1$ | 28 | 16 | 12 | 57.14% | 3–2 | L1 | 10–4 | 6–8 | 2418 | 2369 | 102.07% |
| 4 | Gold Coast Blaze$^1$ | 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 Tigers$^2$ | 28 | 11 | 17 | 39.29% | 1–4 | L4 | 8–6 | 3–11 | 2338 | 2423 | 96.49% |
| 7 | Cairns Taipans$^2$ | 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.
$^1$3-way Head-to-Head between Wollongong Hawks (5-3), Townsville Crocodiles (4-4) and Gold Coast Blaze (3-5).
$^1$Cairns Taipans won Head-to-Head (3-1).

## 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

* Perth Wildcats
* Wollongong Hawks
* Townsville Crocodiles
* 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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Perth Wildcats | 81 | 82 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | Gold Coast Blaze | 68 | 78 | 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 | 2 | Wollongong Hawks | 64 | 75 | 72 |
| 3 | Townsville Crocodiles | 68 | 82 | 76 | | | | | |

### Semi-finals

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 18/02/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 81–68 | Gold Coast Blaze | Challenge Stadium | 4,400 | boxscore |
| 19/02/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 87–68 | Townsville Crocodiles | WIN Entertainment Centre | 4,451 | boxscore |
| 23/02/2010 | Gold Coast Blaze | 78–82 | Perth Wildcats | Gold Coast Convention Centre | 3,699 | boxscore |
| 24/02/2010 | Townsville Crocodiles | 82–53 | Illawarra Hawks | Townsville Entertainment Centre | 3,499 | boxscore |
| 27/02/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 88–76 | Townsville Crocodiles | WIN Entertainment Centre | 4,451 | boxscore |

### Grand Final

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Boxscore |
| 5/03/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 75–64 | Illawarra Hawks | Challenge Stadium | 4,600 | boxscore |
| 9/03/2010 | Illawarra Hawks | 75–63 | Perth Wildcats | WIN Entertainment Centre | 5,786 | boxscore |
| 12/03/2010 | Perth Wildcats | 96–72 | Illawarra Hawks | Challenge Stadium | 4,700 | boxscore |

## 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