Hobart Devils

The Hobart Devils are a defunct professional basketball team that competed in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). Based in Hobart, Tasmania, the team was the only representative from the state of Tasmania for the majority of its tenure, but was one of three teams (the Geelong Supercats and the Gold Coast Rollers being the other two) that had their NBL licenses revoked by the league directors in 1996 due to financial difficulties. While not the first time teams had folded in the league, the sudden departure of the Devils, Supercats and Rollers signified that the NBL's successful era (between the late 1980s and early 1990s) was truly over.

Hobart Devils
NicknameTassie Devils
LeaguesNBL
Founded1983
Dissolved1996
HistoryHobart Devils
1983–1986, 1996
Hobart Tassie Devils
1987–1995
ArenaKingborough Sports Centre (1983–89)
Derwent Entertainment Centre (1989–96)
Capacity1,800 (Kingborough)
5,400 (DEC)
LocationHobart, Tasmania
Team colorsGreen, Red, Yellow, White
Championships0

The club played out of the Kingborough Sports Centre from 1983 to 1988. From the 1989 NBL season they then moved into the larger (5,400-seat) and more modern Derwent Entertainment Centre where they stayed until folding in 1996. The move into the new arena gave the club a larger venue, but the Tassie Devils left their "magic" at Kingborough, where they had been very hard to defeat always in the role of the underdog in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and these three years played before sell-out crowds in the cozy 1,800-seat arena. During Devils home games the home court arena was often referred to as the "Devils Den" by local TV commentators. The Devils enjoyed their most successful, and only winning season in NBL competition, in 1987 notching a 14-win, 12-loss league record. That team featured good chemistry and a high powered offense, it included key players Steve Carfino, Paul Stanley, Jerry Dennard, Wayne Burden, Peter Mann, Rick Hodges and was coached by American Dave "Doc" Adkins and led by club president, Tasmanian Wayne Monaghan.

The club was known as Hobart Tassie Devils from 1987 to 1995, but reverted to Hobart Devils in its final season.

Imports in the Devils side included: (1983) Eric Bailey, Curtis Coleman, (1984) Eric Bailey, Danny Adamson (cut mid season, replaced with Aaron Douglas), (1985) Curtis Coleman, Ollie Johnson, (1986) Jeff Acres, Steve Carfino, (1987) Steve Carfino, Paul "Spike" Stanley, (1988) Greg Giddings (cut mid-season, replaced with Kelvin Scarborough, "Jumpin'" Joe Hurst, (1989) Joe Hurst, Kevin van Veldhuizen (cut mid-season, replaced with Paul Stanley), (1990) Dan Krebs, Steve Phyfe, (1991) Jason Reese, Wayne Engelstad, (1992) Anthony Welch, Ken McFadden (both cut), replaced by Joe Hurst, Donald Whiteside, (1993) Donald Whiteside, Jim "Magilla the Gorilla" Havrilla (cut, replaced by Mike Kelly), (1994) Calvin Talford, Lamont Middelton (cut, replaced by Keith Nelson), (1995) Jerome Scott, Andre Moore, (1996) Jerome Scott, Jonathon Roberts

Other players of note included: Wayne "Big Mac" McDaniel, Gordie McLeod and Cal Bruton.

Honour roll

NBL Championships: None
NBL Finals Appearances: None
NBL Grand Final Appearances: None
NBL Most Valuable Players: Joe Hurst (1988)
NBL Grand Final MVPs: None
All-NBL First Team: Steve Carfino (1986, 1987)
NBL Rookie of the Year: Justin Cass (1990)
NBL Most Improved Player: Andrew Svaldenis (1992)
NBL Best Defensive Player: None
NBL Top Point Scorer: Paul Stanley (920 pts; 1987)
NBL Coach of the Year: None

Season by season

Season Division League Regular season Post-season
FinishPlayedWinsLossesWin %
Hobart Devils
1983 1 NBL 8th 22 2 20 .091 Did Not Qualify
1984 1 NBL 6th 23 4 19 .174 Did Not Qualify
1985 1 NBL 14th 26 2 24 .077 Did Not Qualify
1986 1 NBL 11th 26 9 17 .346 Did Not Qualify
Hobart Tassie Devils
1987 1 NBL 7th 26 14 12 .538 Did Not Qualify
1988 1 NBL 9th 24 10 14 .417 Did Not Qualify
1989 1 NBL 10th 24 8 16 .333 Did Not Qualify
1990 1 NBL 12th 26 8 18 .308 Did Not Qualify
1991 1 NBL 12th 26 8 18 .308 Did Not Qualify
1992 1 NBL 11th 24 9 15 .375 Did Not Qualify
1993 1 NBL 13th 26 6 20 .231 Did Not Qualify
1994 1 NBL 14th 26 2 24 .077 Did Not Qualify
1995 1 NBL 14th 26 4 22 .154 Did Not Qualify
Hobart Devils
1996 1 NBL 12th 26 8 18 .308 Did Not Qualify
Regular season record35194257.268
Playoff record000

As of the end of the 1996 season

*Note: In 1983 and 1984, the NBL was split into Eastern and Western divisions during the regular season.

References

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