389:. This came after the team once again started the season with six straight losses, prompting the sacking of import Nick Horvath, who was replaced by American Bakari Hendrix. Initially the move looked to have paid dividends as the Dragons claimed their first win of the season on 28 October at home to New Zealand. However, wins once again dried-up, with only another 3 coming in the remainder of the 2007 calendar year. On 9 January 2008, with the team sitting on the bottom of the ladder at 4–17, assistant coach Michele Timms resigned from the club, citing overseas job opportunities as the reason behind her sudden departure. Timms wouldn't be the only coach to go, as the club announced on 1 February 2008 that player-coach Shane Heal had been sacked, effective immediately. The last coach remaining at the Dragons- Guy Molloy- took over as interim coach for the final four games of the season, and took just two games to secure an elusive victory and snap a 14-game losing streak with a 95–90 win over Cairns at Vodafone Arena on 6 February. Despite returning to the winners list and showing greater energy and competitiveness under Molloy, the Dragons finished the season on the bottom of the ladder with a 5–25 record. On 1 April 2008,
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557:. The contest was close early but a strong finish to the first quarter and strong defensive pressure saw the Dragons crush the Tigers 108–80, making it the biggest winning margin for the club in their history. The win saw the Dragons take top spot on the ladder. After the win coach Brian Goorjian commented that The Dragons' time is now. The Dragons followed this up with their fifth straight win against the
565:. Smith bought a level the NBL has been missing and was an important key to the success to come. The Dragons finished the regular season in top spot on the ladder and had home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The home-court advantage was crucial as they went on to win the championship by defeating Townsville 2–1 in the semi-final and Melbourne 3–2 in the Grand Final series.
356:, who was appointed as captain and interim coach for the remainder of the season, The following day Price spoke to the media and claimed that Heal had undermined his position, stating, "I've been in professional basketball a long time and I've never seen undermining of a coach quite like this before."
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as their inaugural head coach on 1 March 2006. Price is arguably the biggest name to play a major role in any
Australian basketball club. His appointment was announced one day after the Melbourne Tigers had won the 2005-06 NBL Championship. The team also hired various other front-office staff with
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The team's season 2007/2008 campaign began on 22 September 2007 against the West Sydney
Razorbacks at Vodafone Arena with a 116–106 loss. It was a turbulent season for the club, ending with the club's chairman Mark Cowan stepping down and the sacking of star player/coach
306:. The team's first signing was Joe Ingles (now with the Orlando Magic) at the age of 18. The first members of the development squad (started in the team's second season) were Adam Barras & Ashly Donald from the Warrandyte Venom (formally of the SEABL) both aged 19.
561:. The Dragons dominated the contest from the start and led by as much as 37 points before eventually winning by 29 points. A neck injury which sidelined crowd favourite Cortez Groves saw the Dragons move on quickly, releasing Groves and signing
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was considering coming out of retirement to captain the
Dragons for the 2006-07 NBL season, and is involved in contract negotiations with the team. He officially signed with the team on 6 April as the Dragons' inaugural captain.
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owning the remaining 49%. The team's name and uniforms were not announced until 15 December 2005, and until that time the Cowan
Basketball website left a message "UNLEASHED 15.12.2005" as the only details on the team.
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After finishing their first ever season with a 15–18 record, the
Dragons reached the knockout phase of the playoffs - losing to Cairns 97–118 on 15 February 2007 at the Cairns Convention Centre.
541:. After this coach Brian Goodjian blasted his team for their slow start, in which the team trailed by as much as 20 points in the first half. After this the Dragons rebuilt by beating the
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The
Dragons entered the NBL in the 2006–07 season as the 12th franchise, and promised to look to fill its roster with young Australian basketballers returning home after playing
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by 5 points. Next up for the
Dragons was the local derby against the Tigers. 9308 fans and spectators packed into the Dragons' home court of
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258:(NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at
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became the team's first signed player. The
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and coming home, you're on our list." It was believed the team was looking to sign
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107–94, leaving its mark on this newly formed rivalry in front of 9175 fans at
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was sacked along with multiple players. The Dragons signed on former
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but he decided to sign on with the Dragons' crosstown rivals the
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The team won its first NBL game on 29 October 2006 against the
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Defunct professional basketball team from Melbourne, Australia
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http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=76375
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called him up to fill a roster vacancy earlier that month.
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twice. Next the Dragons lost a close match against the
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The team started the season with a 6-point loss to the
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as their head coach. From there the Dragons signed on
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518:. Instead the Dragons signed on high-flying American
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Defunct National Basketball League (Australia) teams
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thus becoming the league's first player-coach since
318:extensive basketball experience, including former
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428:On 3 March 2006, it was reported by Melbourne's
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506:. The team were believed to have signed star
393:was signed as head coach on a 3-year deal.
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1112:"South Dragons fire up to sign new talent"
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533:. The Dragons rebounded by beating the
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494:, former Brisbane Bullets point guard
434:newspaper that former Australian star
425:player – as its first marquee player.
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1110:Howell, Stephen (15 December 2005).
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270:, which entered the league in 1984.
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1059:in 1992. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
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397:Recruiting process for first season
330:as basketball development officer.
286:, bought the license of the former
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1127:"Heal weighs up Dragons captaincy"
1125:Bernard, Grantley (3 March 2006).
1042:Price resigns, Heal new head coach
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1099:. South Dragons. 1 February 2008.
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442:On 17 March 2006, 18-year-old
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490:, former Sydney Kings player
444:Australian Institute of Sport
1097:"Dragons and Heal part ways"
1072:. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
7:
1028:"NBL Dragons confirm coach"
978:1 regular season champions
676:NBL Best Defensive Player:
600:NBL Most Valuable Players:
458:2008–09 – "Our Time Is Now"
10:
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1170:. Retrieved 17 March 2006.
1026:Hand, Guy (1 March 2006).
668:NBL Most Improved Player:
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482:as their starting centre,
302:college basketball in the
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256:National Basketball League
1461:Southern Melbourne Saints
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1150:. Retrieved 6 April 2006.
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1166:4 September 2006 at the
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657:NBL Rookie of the Year:
584:NBL Finals Appearances:
1085:. AAP. 1 February 2008.
695:NBL Coach of the Year:
413:team which went to the
409:– a member of the 2004
1486:West Sydney Razorbacks
1481:West Adelaide Bearcats
1441:North Melbourne Giants
1431:Launceston Casino City
1159:South Dragons (2005).
1146:21 August 2006 at the
1139:South Dragons (2005).
1040:South Dragons (2006).
963:Regular season record
608:NBL Grand Final MVPs:
500:West Sydney Razorbacks
423:NBA Development League
415:NCAA championship game
288:Victoria Giants/Titans
1471:Townsville Crocodiles
1230:2008–09 NBL Champions
1047:12 March 2007 at the
1006:As of the end of the
630:All-NBL Second Team:
587:2 (2006/07, 2008/09)
549:by 19 points and the
539:Townsville Crocodiles
421:, and at the time an
349:, losing 112 to 106.
1456:S.E. Melbourne Magic
687:NBL Best Sixth Man:
638:All-NBL Third Team:
619:All-NBL First Team:
488:New Zealand Breakers
335:New Zealand Breakers
1083:"Dragons sack Heal"
999:1 NBL championships
576:NBL Championships:
462:After a disastrous
250:professional men's
1466:Sydney Supersonics
1446:Singapore Slingers
1416:Gold Coast Rollers
1391:Forestville Eagles
1381:Devonport Warriors
1141:Heal back in black
545:by 17 points, the
464:2007–08 NBL season
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1436:Newcastle Falcons
1401:Geelong Supercats
1386:Eastside Spectres
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1299:(Grand Final MVP)
1070:Price blasts Heal
1030:. The Australian.
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958:Mark Worthington
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873:Did not qualify
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721:League champions
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708:Season by season
642:Kavossy Franklin
623:Mark Worthington
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547:Wollongong Hawks
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1291:Matt Burston
1223:
1175:
1155:
1135:
1120:
1105:
1091:
1077:
1064:
1036:
1021:
1007:
1005:
998:
941:NBL finals (
938:
932:semifinals (
929:
912:
884:Jacob Holmes
784:
753:Post-season
731:Finals berth
730:
725:
720:
715:
595:1 (2008/09)
579:1 (2008/09)
528:
502:point guard
480:Nick Horvath
472:Sydney Kings
461:
441:
429:
427:
417:against the
411:Georgia Tech
400:
383:
380:
365:
358:
351:
332:
308:
297:
277:
254:team in the
243:
241:
222:
181:
129:
67:
18:
1316:Head coach
1297:Donta Smith
1285:Rhys Carter
1279:Mika Vukona
1243:Adam Gibson
835:Shane Heal
779:Win %
756:Head coach
680:Adam Gibson
648:(2008/09),
646:Adam Gibson
644:(2006/07),
612:Donta Smith
569:Honour Roll
563:Donta Smith
504:Rhys Carter
496:Adam Gibson
484:Mika Vukona
347:New Zealand
322:player and
108:Team colors
1501:Categories
1261:Joe Ingles
1114:. The Age.
1053:Cal Bruton
1013:References
934:Townsville
879:Guy Molloy
876:Shane Heal
831:Shane Heal
827:Mark Price
726:Runners-up
701:(2008/09)
682:(2008/09)
663:(2006/07)
661:Joe Ingles
652:(2008/09)
650:Joe Ingles
625:(2008/09)
468:Shane Heal
448:Joe Ingles
436:Shane Heal
431:Herald Sun
387:Shane Heal
368:Boxing Day
354:Shane Heal
315:Mark Price
252:basketball
248:Australian
943:Melbourne
823:) 97–118
762:Club MVP
486:from the
446:graduate
313:All-Star
264:Melbourne
98:Melbourne
71:2006–2009
56:Dissolved
1164:Archived
1144:Archived
1045:Archived
759:Captain
343:Auckland
326:captain
292:Geminder
246:were an
102:Victoria
94:Location
86:Capacity
900:2008–09
846:2007–08
792:2006–07
747:League
741:Season
614:(2009)
512:Ebi Ere
510:player
403:college
337:at the
274:History
64:History
48:Founded
38:Leagues
945:) 3–2
821:Cairns
776:Losses
770:Played
767:Finish
474:coach
120:
117:
114:
89:10,500
1055:with
995:.556
975:.452
936:) 2–1
926:.733
870:.167
858:13th
816:.455
744:Tier
76:Arena
804:7th
773:Wins
320:WNBA
300:NCAA
260:MSAC
242:The
224:Away
183:Home
134:2009
59:2009
51:2006
1308:44
1302:33
1295:23
1289:22
1283:15
1277:14
1271:12
1265:10
972:51
969:42
966:93
939:Won
930:Won
920:22
917:30
913:1st
908:NBL
867:25
861:30
854:NBL
813:18
810:15
807:33
800:NBL
508:NBL
366:On
341:in
311:NBA
262:in
42:NBL
1503::
1259:7
1253:6
1247:4
1241:1
992:4
989:5
986:9
923:8
904:1
864:5
850:1
796:1
690:–
671:–
633:–
603:–
526:.
378:.
345:,
100:,
1352:e
1345:t
1338:v
1216:e
1209:t
1202:v
136:)
132:(
130:1
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