The champion teams of the Australian Basketball Association (ABA) National Finals were determined by grand final championship games at the conclusion of the finals weekend.
The men's and women's champion from each ABA conference alongside a number of wildcard teams competed at the ABA National Finals every year between 1981 and 2008 except for 2001 when the event was cancelled due to the collapse of Ansett Airlines.[1] [2] The ABA National Finals were known as the Australian Club Championships (ACC) in 2007 and 2008.[3] The ABA and ACC was abandoned following the 2008 season.
The ABA was established in 1981 and operated under many different names and structures until 2008.[4] [5]
The conferences included:
| Year | Venue | Champion | result | Runner-up | MVP | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Albert Park | Geelong Cats (SEABL) | 97 – 88 | Frankston Bears (SEABL) | [6] | ||
| 1982 | Albert Park | Frankston Bears (SEABL) | 89 – 87 | Melbourne Tigers (SEABL) | |||
| 1983 | Albert Park | Melbourne Tigers (SEABL) | 114 – 102 | Bulleen Boomers (SEABL) | |||
| 1984 | Coburg | Bulleen Boomers (SEABL) | 109 – 108 | Chelsea Gulls (SEABL) | |||
| 1985 | Kilsyth | Kilsyth Cobras (SEABL) | 98 – 87 | Bulleen Boomers (SEABL) | |||
| 1986 | Bendigo | Newcastle Hunters (SEABL) | 124 – 117 (OT) | Sydney City Slickers (SEABL) | |||
| 1987 | Devonport | Adelaide Buffalos (SEABL) | 124 – 102 | Newcastle Hunters (SEABL) | |||
| 1988 | Broadmeadows | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | 121 – 118 | Bulleen Boomers (SEABL) | |||
| 1989 | Kilsyth | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | 125 – 119 | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | |||
| 1990 | Boronia (Knox) | Bulleen Boomers (SEABL) | 128 – 101 | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | |||
| 1991 | Boronia (Knox) | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | 81 – 79 | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | |||
| 1992 | Boronia (Knox) | Sydney City Comets (SEABL) | 117 – 90 | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | |||
| 1993 | Keilor | North East Melbourne Arrows (SEABL) | 124 – 113 | Murray Bridge Bullets (SEABL) | [7] | ||
| 1994 | Bendigo | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | 104 – 81 | Cairns Marlins (QBL) | Eric Hayes (Ballarat) | [8] | |
| 1995 | Liverpool | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | 101 – 86 | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | Grant Keys (Ballarat) | [9] | |
| 1996 | Devonport | North-West Tasmania Originals (SEABL) | 101 – 88 | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | Dave Biwer (NW Tasmania) | ||
| 1997 | Geelong | Suncoast Clippers (QBL) | 80 – 78 | Cairns Marlins (QBL) | Billy Ross (Suncoast) | [10] | |
| 1998 | Gold Coast | Cairns Marlins (QBL) | 88 – 74 | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | Chris Sneed (Cairns) | [11] [12] | |
| 1999 | Canberra | Geelong Supercats (SEABL) | 98 – 78 | Kilsyth Cobras (SEABL) | Rodney Walker (Geelong) | [13] | |
| 2000 | Bendigo | Hobart Chargers (SEABL) | 76 – 75 | Kilsyth Cobras (SEABL) | Ben Harvey (Hobart) | [14] [15] [16] | |
| 2001 | Not held | ||||||
| 2002 | Bendigo | Hobart Chargers (SEABL) | 98 – 93 | Australian Institute of Sport (SEABL) | Andrew Beattie (Hobart) | [17] | |
| 2003 | Bendigo | Mount Gambier Pioneers (SEABL) | 127 – 113 | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | Kurt Russell (Mount Gambier) | [18] | |
| 2004 | Geelong | Cairns Marlins (QBL) | 104 – 100 | North-West Tasmania Thunder (SEABL) | Aaron Grabau (Cairns) | [19] | |
| 2005 | Geelong | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | 102 – 98 | Sydney Comets (Waratah League) | Jason Cameron (Bendigo) | ||
| 2006 | Newcastle | Geelong Supercats (SEABL) | 94 – 80 | Dandenong Rangers (Big V) | Ash Cannan (Dandenong) | ||
| 2007 | MSAC | Cairns Marlins (QBL) | 110 – 98 | Dandenong Rangers (Big V) | Aaron Grabau (Cairns) | [20] | |
| 2008 | MSAC | Rockhampton Rockets (QBL) | 103 – 99 | Hobart Chargers (SEABL) | Ryan McDade (Rockhampton) | [21] | |
| Teams | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballarat Miners | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1989, 1994, 1995 | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| Cairns Marlins | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1998, 2004, 2007 | 1994, 1997 |
| Geelong Cats/Supercats | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1981, 1999, 2006 | — |
| Bulleen Boomers | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1984, 1990 | 1983, 1985, 1988 |
| Bendigo Braves | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1988, 2005 | 1989 |
| Hobart Chargers | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2000, 2002 | 2008 |
| Frankston Bears/Blues | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1982 | 1981, 1995, 1998 |
| Kilsyth Cobras | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1985 | 1999, 2000 |
| Sydney City Slickers/Sydney City Comets/Sydney Comets | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1992 | 1986, 2005 |
| Melbourne Tigers | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1983 | 1982 |
| Newcastle Hunters | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1986 | 1987 |
| Knox Raiders | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1991 | 1996 |
| North-West Tasmania Originals/Thunder | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1996 | 2004 |
| Adelaide Buffalos | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1987 | — |
| North East Melbourne Arrows | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1993 | — |
| Suncoast Clippers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1997 | — |
| Mount Gambier Pioneers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2003 | — |
| Rockhampton Rockets | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2008 | — |
| Dandenong Rangers | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 2006, 2007 |
| Chelsea Gulls | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1984 |
| Murray Bridge Bullets | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1993 |
| Australian Institute of Sport | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2002 |
| Team | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEABL | 22 | 22 | 44 | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008 |
| QBL | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1997, 1998, 2004, 2007, 2008 | 1994, 1997 |
| Big V | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2006, 2007 | |
| Waratah League | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2005 | |
| Central ABL | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Year | Venue | Champion | result | Runner-up | MVP | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Boronia (Knox) | Dandenong Rangers (SEABL) | 92 – 56 | Sturt Sabres (SEABL) | ||
| 1991 | Boronia (Knox) | Dandenong Rangers (SEABL) | 110 – 64 | Bayside Blues (SEABL) | ||
| 1992 | Boronia (Knox) | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | 92 – 69 | Bayside Blues (SEABL) | ||
| 1993 | Keilor | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | 100 – 85 | Broadmeadows Broncos (SEABL) | ||
| 1994 | Bendigo | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | 99 – 79 | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | ||
| 1995 | Liverpool | Launceston Tornadoes (SEABL) | 110 – 96 | Adelaide Opals (SEABL) | ||
| 1996 | Devonport | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | 86 – 85 | Launceston Tornadoes (SEABL) | ||
| 1997 | Geelong | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | 98 – 69 | Townsville Sunbirds (QBL) | ||
| 1998 | Gold Coast | Kilsyth Cobras (SEABL) | 87 – 69 | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | ||
| 1999 | Canberra | Southern Districts Spartans (QBL) | 79 – 69 | Norwood Flames (Central ABL) | ||
| 2000 | Bendigo | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | 77 – 56 | Nunawading Spectres (SEABL) | Kristi Harrower (Bendigo) | |
| 2001 | Not held | |||||
| 2002 | Bendigo | Kilsyth Cobras (SEABL) | 103 – 94 (OT) | Sturt Sabres (Central ABL) | Jessica Mahony (Sturt) | |
| 2003 | Bendigo | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | 91 – 66 | Forestville Eagles (Central ABL) | Larissa Cavanagh (Bendigo) | [22] |
| 2004 | Geelong | Frankston Blues (SEABL) | 69 – 66 | North Adelaide Rockets (Central ABL) | Erin Phillips (North Adelaide) | |
| 2005 | Geelong | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | 77 – 53 | Knox Raiders (SEABL) | Andrea McMahon (Ballarat) | |
| 2006 | Newcastle | Ballarat Miners (SEABL) | 69 – 66 | Bendigo Braves (SEABL) | Karen Ashby (Ballarat) | |
| 2007 | MSAC | Townsville Flames (QBL) | 92 – 49 | Hume City Broncos (Big V) | Rohanee Cox (Townsville) | [23] |
| 2008 | MSAC | Townsville Flames (QBL) | 73 – 57 | Sydney Comets (Waratah League) | Cherie Smith (Townsville) | |
| Teams | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayside/Frankston Blues | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1993, 1997, 2004 | 1991, 1992, 1994 |
| Knox Raiders | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1992, 1994, 1996 | 1998, 2005 |
| Bendigo Braves | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2000, 2003 | 2006 |
| Townsville Sunbirds/Flames | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2007, 2008 | 1997 |
| Dandenong Rangers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1990, 1991 | — |
| Kilsyth Cobras | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1998, 2002 | — |
| Ballarat Miners | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2005, 2006 | — |
| Launceston Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1995 | 1996 |
| Southern Districts Spartans | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1999 | — |
| Sturt Sabres | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1990, 2002 |
| Broadmeadows Broncos | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1993 |
| Adelaide Opals | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1995 |
| Norwood Flames | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1999 |
| Nunawading Spectres | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2000 |
| Forestville Eagles | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2003 |
| North Adelaide Rockets | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2004 |
| Hume City Broncos | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2007 |
| Sydney Comets | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2008 |
| Team | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEABL | 15 | 11 | 26 | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006 |
| QBL | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1999, 2007, 2008 | 1997 |
| Central ABL | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 | |
| Big V | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2007 | |
| Waratah League | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2008 | |
The ABA's roots can be traced back as far as 1965 when the South Eastern Conference (SEC) was established. The SEC continued until 1971 when the Australian Club Championships gained pre-eminence. The Australian Club Championships ceased operations after 1980 due to the rise of Australia's first truly national competition, the National Basketball League (NBL).
Melbourne Church of England, later becoming Melbourne Tigers, won the SEC in each of its six seasons.[24]
| Years | Champion | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965–70 | Melbourne Church of England | align=center rowspan="2" | |
| 1971–80 | League abandoned due to annual Australian Club Championships | ||