West Adelaide Bearcats

West Adelaide Bearcats
Established	1946
Former Home Venue	Apollo Stadium, Adelaide
Current Home Venue	Pt. Adelaide Rec Centre, Adelaide
Team Colours	Black, Red and White
NBL Champions	1982
NBL History	1979–1984
ABA History	(1984–present)

The West Adelaide Bearcats are a semi-professional basketball team competing in the Australian Basketball Association.

Competitions

NBL

The West Adelaide Bearcats was a foundation club in the NBL which merged with the Adelaide 36ers in 1985. Founded in 1946, it won the NBL championship 80–74 against the Geelong Cats in 1982. During the 1982 regular season West Adelaide finished first with a 21–5 win/loss record.

One of the Bearcats best players, US-born Al Green won the NBL MVP award that season. Although he won the MVP award he was controversially not named to the All NBL Team. Leroy Loggins, another West Adelaide player and future Brisbane Bullets star was named in that side. West Adelaide also made Grand Final appearances in 1980 and 1983. The club merged with the Adelaide 36ers at the end of the 1984 season, which was the last the Bearcats played in their own right.

ABA

West Adelaide currently competes in the ABA, and is the most successful State League team in South Australia, the club having claimed 14 Central Australian Basketball League men's championships and five women's titles. The club Senior Mens team is currently coached by Paul Bell, assistant coach Brendon Mann and captained by Adam Pearce. The Senior Women's is coached by Vicki Valk and assisted by Reg Granthem.

The Division 2 mens team has rotating leadership throughout the junior players. The Division 3 mens team is currently captained by Peter Keaney. The Division 4 mens team is currently captained by Scott Leaver.

The Bearcats of Today

Peter Ali and David Spear who are both previous players for West and the Adelaide 36ers and also previous coaches of Wests Senior Mens team and are now coaches of the U/18 Div 1 boys. David Spear was the last coach to win a mens title.

The Under 23s (Youth League) is currently coached by Jason Champion but has been romours that another ex-36er Peter Sexton will coach the 2011/2012 season.

Another big name coach David Ingham has been appointed the Under 16s Div 1 coaching spot. Ingham is an old player and has coached the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.

Roster

West Adelaide Bearcats roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. 1.0 !PG Braithwaite, Tristan 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 4.5 !PF Daddow, Rhys 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 5.5 !F/C Dowdell, Jeff 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 2.0 !SG Evans, Ben 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) Fiegert, Hanschen 4.5 !PF Granger, Jamie 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 2.0 !SG Nurse, David 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 1.0 !PG Pearce, Adam 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) 2.5 !G/F Rankin, Paul 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 1.0 !PG Spadavecchia, Anthony 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) 1.0 !PG Spear, Joel 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Thomas, Patrick 6.0 !C Truslove, Blake 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 2.0 !SG Zacharjak, Daniel 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	Head coach Paul Bell Assistant coach(es) Brendon Mann Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player (TP) Training player (I) Import player Injured Roster • updated 14 October 2011

Honour roll

NBL Championships:	1 (1982)
NBL Finals Appearances:	5 (1979–1983)
NBL Grand Final Appearances:	3 (1980, 1982, 1983)
NBL Most Valuable Players:	Ken Richardson (1979), Al Green (1982)
NBL Grand Final MVPs:	Leroy Loggins (1982)
All-NBL First Team:	Ken Richardson (1980), Al Green (1981), Leroy Loggins (1982, 1983)
NBL Best Defensive Player:	Ray Wood (1980, 1981)