Hawke's Bay Hawks Explained

Hawke's Bay Hawks
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League:NZNBL
History:Napier Sunhawks
1983–1985
Hawke's Bay Hawks
1986–1998; 2000–2019; 2021–
Arena:Pettigrew Green Arena
Location:Napier, Hawke's Bay,
New Zealand
Colours:Black, grey, orange
Sponsor:Taylor Corporation
President:Sally Crown
Gm:Jarrod Kenny
Coach:Sam Gruggen
Championships:1 (2006)
Website:Hawks.org.nz
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The Hawke's Bay Hawks are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Napier. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Pettigrew Green Arena. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Taylor Hawks.

Team history

The Hawke's Bay Hawks, then known as the Napier Sunhawks, started in the second-tiered Conference Basketball League (CBL). After winning the CBL Invitation championship in 1982,[1] the team was promoted to the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 1983 season.[2] They made the semi-finals in 1983, before going on a nine-year playoff hiatus. The Hawks made the semi-finals every year between 1993 and 1997,[3] including playing in their first NBL championship series in 1995, where they lost 2–0 to the Auckland Stars.[4]

In 1998, the Hawks finished tenth in the 11-team competition. They subsequently withdrew from the NBL and joined the CBL for the 1999 season. After finishing as CBL runners-up in 1999,[5] the Hawks returned to the NBL in 2000.

In 2004, the Hawks made their first NBL playoff appearance since 1997. They went on to reach the championship round three years in a row between 2005 and 2007, which included them winning their maiden NBL championship in 2006 with an 84–69 victory over the Auckland Stars in the final.[6] [7] The Hawks continued to play in the post-season every year between 2008 and 2012, including making the final in 2011 and winning their first minor premiership in 2012. After missing the playoffs in 2013, the Hawks' 2014 season saw them win second minor premiership and reach the championship round for the sixth time.

Between 2015 and 2017, the Hawks had a three-year playoff hiatus, including a winless campaign in 2016.[8] They returned to the playoffs in 2018, before reaching the NBL final in 2019, where they lost 78–68 to the Wellington Saints despite leading 59–38 midway through the third quarter.[9] [10] [11]

The Hawks sat out the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] They returned in 2021 and reached their eighth NBL final, where they once again lost to the Wellington Saints.[13]

Honour roll

NBL Championships:1 (2006)
NBL Playoff appearances:19 (1983, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021)
8 (1995, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2021)
Most Valuable Player:Adrian Majstrovich (2004), Paora Winitana (2006)
Kiwi MVP:Adrian Majstrovich (2004), Paora Winitana (2007)
All-Star Five:Thomas DeMarcus (1983), Willie Burton (1987, 1988), Jamie Dixon (1989, 1990), Kerry Boagni (1993), Terry Giles (1993), Darryl Johnson (1995), Paul Henare (2003, 2005), Adrian Majstrovich (2004), Paora Winitana (2006, 2012), Dustin Scott (2014), Angus Brandt (2018), E. J. Singler (2019), Brandon Bowman (2019)
Most Outstanding Guard:Jamie Dixon (1989, 1990), Terry Giles (1993), Paora Winitana (2006)
Most Outstanding Kiwi Guard:Byron Vaetoe (1993), Paora Winitana (2006)
Most Outstanding Forward:Willie Burton (1989), Kerry Boagni (1993), Adrian Majstrovich (2004)
Most Outstanding Kiwi Forward/Centre:Willie Burton (1997), Adrian Majstrovich (2004)
Scoring Champion:Jamie Dixon (1989, 1990), Kerry Boagni (1993), Troy Coleman (2000)
Rebounding Champion:Willie Burton (1987, 1994), Robert Wilson (1998), Amir Williams (2017)
Assist Champion:Jamie Dixon (1989), Terry Giles (1993), Shaun McCreedy (2000), Paul Henare (2004, 2005, 2007), Jarrod Kenny (2017, 2019)
Rookie of the Year:Adrian Majstrovich (2003)
Coach of the Year:Curtis Wooten (1989), James Logan (1993), Shawn Dennis (2004), Paul Henare (2012), Tab Baldwin (2014)
Most Improved Player:Ethan Rusbatch (2019)

Source: Hawks NBL Role of Honour

Players

Current roster

Notable past players

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2010 Conference Basketball League . Basketball.org.nz . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150126011833/http://www.basketball.org.nz/_r/uploads/2010/07/2010-conference-basketball-league-programme-as-at-25-jul-10.pdf . 26 January 2015 . 4–5.
  2. Web site: 2005 League Handbook . Basketball.org.nz . 32–36 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060824065604/http://www.basketball.org.nz/uimages//1942.pdf . 24 August 2006.
  3. Web site: Team Awards . hawks.org.nz . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190813063930/https://hawks.org.nz/team-awards/ . 13 August 2019.
  4. Web site: 1995 NBL CHAMPIONS: AUCKLAND STARS . nznbl.basketball . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190805062720/https://www.nznbl.basketball/past_champions/1995-nbl-champions-auckland-stars/ . 5 August 2019.
  5. Web site: CBL Final . plug.co.nz . 25 August 1999 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20000118234623/http://www.plug.co.nz/sport/basketball/cblnews2.htm . 18 January 2000.
  6. Web site: 2006 NBL CHAMPIONS: HAWKE'S BAY HAWKS . nznbl.basketball . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190805081632/https://www.nznbl.basketball/past_champions/2006-nbl-champions-hawkes-bay-hawks/ . 5 August 2019.
  7. Web site: Hawks win NZNBL title. NBL.com.au. 10 July 2006. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060827130054/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&aid=3551. 27 August 2006. 30 August 2022.
  8. Web site: Anderson . Niall . Promise for Bay Hawks despite 0-14 record . nzherald.co.nz . 9 May 2016 . 13 August 2019.
  9. Web site: Saints vs Hawks. FIBALiveStats.com. 21 July 2019. 13 August 2019.
  10. Web site: Smith . Tony . Wellington Saints claim 11th NBL title with stunning comeback win over Hawks . Stuff.co.nz . 21 July 2019 . 21 July 2019.
  11. Web site: Singh . Anendra . Basketball: Wellington Saints claw back to end Hawks' fairy-tale Final 4 run for 11th NBL title . nzherald.co.nz . 21 July 2019 . 22 July 2019.
  12. Web site: Taylor Hawks will not enter the modified 2020 Sal's NBL Competition . hawks.org.nz . 16 May 2020 . 16 May 2020.
  13. Web site: Wellington Saints continue NBL dominance with grand final win over Hawke's Bay Hawks. Stuff.co.nz. 23 July 2021. 23 July 2021.