Perth Lynx
The Perth Lynx are an Australian women's professional basketball team in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Based in Perth, Western Australia, the Lynx are the only team representing the state in the WNBL.[1] After being owned and operated by Basketball Western Australia from 2001 to 2015, the team's license was transferred to the Perth Wildcats and their chairman and owner Jack Bendat for five years. In March 2020, the club's license was transferred back to Basketball Western Australia.
Perth Lynx | |
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Leagues | WNBL |
Founded | 1988 |
History | Perth Breakers 1988–2001 Perth Lynx 2001–2010; 2015–present West Coast Waves 2010–2015 |
Arena | Bendat Basketball Centre |
Capacity | 2,000 |
Location | Perth, Western Australia |
Team colors | Red and black |
CEO | Rob Clement |
Head coach | Ryan Petrik |
Team captain | Vacant |
Ownership | Basketball Western Australia |
Championships | 1 (1992) |
Website | wnbl.basketball/perth/ |
History
The franchise debuted in the WNBL in 1988 as the Perth Breakers. After withdrawing midway through their second season in 1989, the Breakers returned to action in 1990. The team appeared in the WNBL finals every year between 1991 and 2000 except 1997, winning a championship in 1992 under coach Tom Maher. They also reached grand finals in 1993 and 1999.
In 2001, the franchise came under the ownership of Basketball Western Australia. As a result, the team was rebranded as the Perth Lynx.[2] In 2010, another rebrand saw the team become the West Coast Waves. In Basketball WA's 14 seasons of operations, the team failed to make a finals appearance.
In April 2015, the team's license was purchased by the Perth Wildcats and their chairman and owner Jack Bendat. The team was subsequently rebranded back to the Perth Lynx moniker.[3][4] In their first season under Wildcats management, the Lynx qualified for the finals for the first time since 2000.[5] They went on to reach the 2016 grand final, their first since 1999, where they lost to the Townsville Fire.[6]
In 2017/18, a 14-game win streak saw the Lynx clinch their maiden minor premiership.[7] However, they lost their final four games of the season to bow out of the finals.[8]
In March 2018, the licence agreement with the Wildcats was extended.[9]
In March 2020, the licence was transferred back to Basketball WA.[10][11]
Season-by-season records
Season | Standings | Regular season | Finals | Head coach | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | PCT | ||||
Perth Breakers | ||||||
1988 | 9th | 6 | 16 | 27 | Did not qualify | Dave Hancock |
1989 | Withdrew midseason | Dave Hancock | ||||
1990 | 8th | 10 | 14 | 42 | Did not qualify | Don Sheppard |
1991 | 3rd | 15 | 7 | 68 | Won Semi-final (North Adelaide, 82–72) Lost Preliminary Final (Hobart, 74–61) |
Don Sheppard |
1992 | 1st | 17 | 3 | 85 | Won Semi-final (Melbourne, 54–52) Won Grand Final (Dandenong, 58–54) |
Tom Maher |
1993 | 3rd | 12 | 6 | 67 | Won Semi-final (Dandenong, 83–68) Won Preliminary Final (Adelaide, 68–66) Lost Grand Final (Sydney, 65–64) |
Guy Molloy |
1994 | 4th | 12 | 6 | 67 | Won Semi-final (Sydney, 62–58) Lost Preliminary Final (Melbourne, 74–64) |
Guy Molloy |
1995 | 4th | 12 | 6 | 67 | Lost Semi-final (Melbourne, 60–39) | Guy Molloy |
1996 | 4th | 11 | 7 | 61 | Won Qualifying Final (Brisbane, 95–62) Won Semi-final (Bulleen, 75–58) Lost Preliminary Final (Adelaide, 87–55) |
Guy Molloy |
1997 | 8th | 5 | 13 | 28 | Did not qualify | Murray Treseder |
1998 | 3rd | 8 | 4 | 67 | Lost Semi-final (AIS, 84–70) | Murray Treseder |
1998–99 | 2nd | 14 | 7 | 67 | Lost Semi-final (AIS, 81–62) Won Preliminary Final (Adelaide, 67–46) Lost Grand Final (AIS, 88–79) |
Murray Treseder |
1999–00 | 4th | 11 | 10 | 52 | Lost Semi-final (Bulleen, 61–60) | Murray Treseder |
2000–01 | 7th | 4 | 17 | 19 | Did not qualify | James Crawford |
Perth Lynx | ||||||
2001–02 | 7th | 4 | 17 | 19 | Did not qualify | Rick Morcom |
2002–03 | 7th | 6 | 15 | 29 | Did not qualify | Rick Morcom |
2003–04 | 8th | 0 | 21 | 0 | Did not qualify | Murray Treseder |
2004–05 | 8th | 1 | 20 | 5 | Did not qualify | Craig Friday |
2005–06 | 7th | 4 | 17 | 20 | Did not qualify | Paul O'Brien |
2006–07 | 7th | 3 | 18 | 14 | Did not qualify | Paul O'Brien |
2007–08 | 10th | 5 | 19 | 21 | Did not qualify | Joe McKay |
2008–09 | 9th | 4 | 18 | 18 | Did not qualify | Joe McKay |
2009–10 | 9th | 2 | 20 | 9 | Did not qualify | Joe McKay / Vlad Alava |
West Coast Waves | ||||||
2010–11 | 8th | 8 | 14 | 36 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2011–12 | 9th | 2 | 20 | 9 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2012–13 | 9th | 4 | 20 | 17 | Did not qualify | Kennedy Kereama |
2013–14 | 9th | 1 | 23 | 4 | Did not qualify | Kennedy Kereama |
2014–15 | 8th | 4 | 18 | 18 | Did not qualify | Kennedy Kereama |
Perth Lynx | ||||||
2015–16 | 2nd | 16 | 8 | 67 | Won Semi-final (Townsville, 91–72) Lost Grand Final (Townsville, 0–2) |
Andy Stewart |
2016–17 | 3rd | 15 | 9 | 62 | Lost Semi-final (Dandenong, 1–2) | Andy Stewart |
2017–18 | 1st | 15 | 6 | 71 | Lost Semi-final (Melbourne, 0–2) | Andy Stewart |
2018–19 | 4th | 13 | 8 | 62 | Lost Semi-final (Canberra, 0–2) | Andy Stewart |
2019–20 | 5th | 8 | 13 | 38 | Did not qualify | Andy Stewart |
Regular season | 242 | 418 | 36.6 | 2 Minor Premierships | ||
Finals | 11 | 17 | 39.2 | 1 WNBL Championship |
Source: Year By Year
Players
Current roster
Perth Lynx roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Updated: 8 November 2020 |
Notable former players
Tina Christie
Fiona Robinson
Michele Timms
Tully Bevilaqua
Carly Wilson, (2006–2008)
Angela Marino, (2006–07)
Melissa Marsh, (2001–2005, 2006–2014)
Rohanee Cox, (1998–2003, 2011–12)
Betnijah Laney, (2015–16)
Tessa Lavey, (2015–2017)
Sami Whitcomb, (2015–2018)
Courtney Williams, (2017–18)
Antonia Farnworth, (2012–2019)
Asia Taylor, (2018–19)
Ariel Atkins, (2019–20)
Honour roll
![](../I/Perth_Lynx_banners_9.jpg.webp)
WNBL Championships: | 1 (1992) |
WNBL Finals appearances: | 13 (1991–96, 1998–2000, 2016–2019) |
WNBL Grand Final appearances: | 4 (1992, 1993, 1999, 2016) |
WNBL Grand Final MVPs: | Tanya Fisher (1992) |
WNBL All-Star Five: | Michele Timms (1991, 1992, 1994), Gina Stevens (1996, 1999), Deanna Smith (2006, 2009), Carly Wilson (2007), Sami Whitcomb (2016, 2017, 2018), Courtney Williams (2018), Asia Taylor (2019) |
WNBL Coach of the Year: | Tom Maher (1992), Guy Molloy (1995), Andy Stewart (2016, 2018) |
WNBL Defensive Player of the Year: | Robyn Maher (1992), Tully Bevilaqua (1995, 1996, 1997, 2000) |
WNBL Top Shooter: | Gina Stevens (1996), Deanna Smith (2006), Sami Whitcomb (2017), Asia Taylor (2019) |
Retired numbers: | 4 – Tina Christie, 13 – Melissa McClure, 14 – Melissa Marsh, 41 – Tully Bevilaqua |
Source: Perth Lynx Achievements
References
- "History of the WNBL". WNBL.com.au. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- "Perth Wildcats purchase WNBL license". NBL.com.au. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- "Perth Wildcats purchase WNBL license". NBL.com.au. 16 April 2015. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- Rynne, Nick (16 April 2015). "Wildcats creating waves with Lynx". Yahoo.com. The West Australian. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- Robinson, Chris (27 February 2016). "Perth Lynx coach Andy Stewart confident his side can match it with ladder-leading Townsville Fire". PerthNow.com. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- "LYNX SMASH FIRE, QUALIFY FOR GRAND FINAL". PerthLynx.com. 28 February 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
- "CLINICAL LYNX CLINCH FIRST PLACE". PerthLynx.com. 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- O'Donoghue, Craig (6 January 2018). "Perth Lynx call for WNBL change after semifinal heartbreak against the Melbourne Boomers". TheWest.com.au. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- O'Donoghue, Craig (7 March 2018). "Jack Bendat keen on helping Perth Lynx break WNBL title drought after extending the club's licence". TheWest.com.au. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- "PERTH LYNX TO ENTER NEXT PHASE OF GROWTH". wnbl.basketball/perth. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020.
- "MEDIA RELEASE – PERTH LYNX". basketballwa.asn.au. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020.