Gold Coast Blaze

Gold Coast Blaze
Leagues NBL
Founded 2007
Dissolved 2012
History Gold Coast Blaze
2007–2012
Arena The Furnace
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
Arena Capacity 5,269
Location Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland
Team colors Light Blue, Orange
Championships 0
Uniforms
Home
Away

The Gold Coast Blaze was an Australian men's professional basketball team which competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club was based on the Gold Coast and joined two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland. The Blaze played its home games at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) in Broadbeach, known as "The Furnace" within the NBL. The team was not related to the previous Gold Coast representative in the NBL, the Gold Coast Rollers.

History

The first official reports of a new Gold Coast franchise surfaced in September 2006. Former Gold Coast Rollers and Adelaide 36ers head coach Dave Claxton spearheaded a bid for a new NBL license for the Gold Coast. On 21 November 2006, the NBL Board officially accepted the bid and announced the addition of a new Gold Coast franchise and reported that the club would compete out of the 5,269 seat Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

At the beginning of 2007 the newly founded Gold Coast franchise held a competition to name the club. The franchise offered four options to choose from including the 'Heat', 'Marlins', 'Flyers' and 'Waves', as well as the ability to suggest another alternative. On 23 February the franchise announced that it would compete under the 'Blaze' moniker. Despite the 'Heat' name being voted the most popular in the naming competition, club officials decided it would be best to steer clear of the name following objections from the NBA, due to the name being held by American franchise the Miami Heat (another Queensland based NBL franchise, the Townsville Crocodiles had the same trouble. Originally named the Townsville Suns in 1993, they were forced to change to the Crocodiles in 1998 as the NBA's Phoenix Suns had the "Suns" moniker trademarked).

Prior to the official naming of the franchise, the Blaze made their first major signing on 18 January in signing former Wollongong Hawks head coach Brendan Joyce as their inaugural head coach. Following this signing, two days later the club signed former West Sydney Razorbacks head coach Mark Watkins as the assistant coach.

On 5 April the Blaze announced the signing of their first player: former West Sydney Razorbacks captain Scott McGregor. On 2 May, Juaquin Hawkins was signed as the first import.

In the 2008–09 season, Shane Heal, the former South Dragons captain/coach joined the team along with Pero Cameron & Casey Frank.

On 17 July 2012, the Gold Coast Blaze owners, Owen and Ben Tomlinson, decided to withdraw their bid to stay in the NBL for the 2012–13 season.[1][2]

Notable former players

Honour roll

NBL Championships: 0
NBL Finals Appearances: 3 (2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12)
NBL Grand Final Appearances: 0
NBL Most Valuable Players: –
NBL Grand Final MVPs: –
All-NBL First Team: Mark Worthington (2011/12)
All-NBL Second Team: James Harvey (2007/08), Adam Gibson (2009/10, 2011/12), Anthony Petrie (2009/10)
All-NBL Third Team: James Harvey (2008/09), Adris Deleon (2011/12)
NBL Coach of the Year: –
NBL Rookie of the Year: –
NBL Most Improved Player: Anthony Petrie (2010/11)
NBL Best Defensive Player: –
NBL Best Sixth Man: Erron Maxey (2009/10)

References

  1. ↑ NBL must learn from Gold Coast Blaze demise
  2. ↑ Blaze up in smoke as owners walk away
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