The Gold Coast Blaze received the positive news of their successful application to join the National Basketball League for the 2007/2008 season in November 2006. This journey commenced some 4 years ago with the support of current owners and local businessmen, Owen Tomlinson and Tom Tate. During 2003 and 2004, plans were discussed with Gold Coast City Council, information gathered and decisions made that were then discussed with the NBL regarding finances required and suitable venue to play in. The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre was clearly the best venue and negotiations commenced to be able to play our home games there.

The Gold Coast City Council was approached to assist the NBL application and Mayor Ron Clarke MBE met several times with NBL Commissioner Rick Burton and gave valuable and positive support on behalf of the City in their wish to see an NBL license return to the region.

The Gold Coast City Council voted overwhelmingly in the support of the team by agreeing to buy a portable floor and baskets for the team to play at that venue.

During 2005/06, the Australian National Men’s team, the "Boomers", continued their yearly camps on the Gold Coast keeping the profile of basketball high on the Coast and the National Coaches, Brian Goorjian and Brendan Joyce along with the country's leading players voiced their opinion strongly for an NBL team to be based here.

In 2006, the momentum of our bid gathered speed and the NBL officially recognised our application. Several visits by the NBL Management looking over our venue and meeting with our consortium proved to them our willingness and our ability to have a successful NBL organisation on the Gold Coast.

As we finalised our bid in late 2006, much credit must go to our owners, Owen Tomlinson and Ben Tomlinson representing the Tomlinson family, and Tom Tate along with John Carson for his valuable experience as a former NBL team owner and advice in his consulting role.

Since re-entering the NBL in November 2006, our Board, consisting of our owners along with Gavin Dunn, John Quinn and Dave Claxton, have worked tirelessly in putting the structure together.

Gold Coast Blaze players and fans will look back proudly upon the inaugural season which provided the platform for us to launch into future seasons with the confidence that we can go at least one step further and match it in the with the big guns in the finals.

Professional basketball returned to the Gold Coast last year after more than a decade in the sporting wilderness and the new look Blaze, led by co-Captains James Harvey, Scott McGregor and Pero Cameron did not disappoint taking the Blaze to the finals on the back of a 15-15 record.

The Blaze placed eighth in their first season and while they only finished with a 50% win loss record, they built a strong resolve and reputation at their new home, the Gold Coast Convention Centre, proving hard to beat with a 9-5 record.

It took three games for the franchise to register its first win against the Singapore Slingers but soon after they found their groove and went on their first four game streak of the year. In consecutive wins over the Slingers, Wollongong Hawks, Adelaide 36ers and Cairns Taipans, veteran Scotty McGregor averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds while point guard Jason Crowe led the team with an incredible 19 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

Just four weeks later the Blaze began another hot streak of four matches where skipper James Harvey would dominate. Harvey averaged almost 30 points over the period, shot the ball at over 65% and drilled 17 three pointers as the Blaze beat Adelaide, Wollongong, South Dragons and Singapore by an average of more than 15 points.

During this streak the boys recorded the biggest win of their short history, thumping the Hawks by a whopping 33 points. The match saw six of the squad scoring in double figures led by Harvey who had 28 points and Hawkins who had 15 and a season high five steals. Harvey finished the season in the top 10 in the league for scoring (21.2), free throws (82%) and 3 pointers (44%). He was one of only five players in the league to hit 100 threes for the year.

While Harvey was a constant threat in attack, defence was the Blaze’s bread and butter; they finished fourth in the league based on points against.

The biggest scalp of the season came late in the year when the boys knocked of the powerhouse Perth Wildcats at home 88-84 in a thriller. Scott McGregor, Jason Crowe and Luke Whitehead (in only his fourth game for the club) all had double doubles in the match.

Whitehead was imported late in the season when the Hawk was sidelined after a minor stroke. While Hawkins absence sent the Blaze into a short losing streak, Whitehead quickly filled the gap and finished the season with impressive averages of 14 points and almost 10 rebounds.

Apart from Hawkins shock injury, which we are thrilled to say he has fully recovered and is again playing for the Blaze again, the club was served well by the core of the playing roster with Crowe, Harvey, McGregor, Pero Cameron, Casey Frank and Daniel Joyce all available for the entire season.

All men contributed in round 20 where the Blaze would rack up 127 points against Adelaide, their biggest score of the season. The match was a coming out for Frank and Ben Melmeth who had their best games of the campaign posting 28 points and 25 rebounds between them. Harvey also posted his third 30 point game. Improving Kiwi big man, Casey Frank finished the season top 10 in the league in field goal percentage (56%).

The Blaze were unlucky to go down by eight points to the Townsville Crocs in the first round of the playoffs but after beating them twice during the regular season will be looking forward to revenge in season 08/09.

After the initial success of season 2007/08, year 2 was an entirely different story for the Blaze.

A horror run of injuries to key players ensured the Blaze got off to a nightmare start. After narrowly missing selection to the Beijing Olympic Games, Blaze Captain James Harvey injured his ankle in preseason training, ruling him out for the first three weeks of the season. Forwards Luke Whitehead and Juaquin Hawkins also spent most of the first quarter of the season under injury clouds, with Hawkins struggling with a nagging foot injury.

After losing the first ten games of the season, the team was severely struggling for form. This was compounded by losing Hawkins for the season, as he was unable to recover from his injuries.

Hawkins was replaced by Justin Bowen, a former college star and key prospect in the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs system. Bowen arrived in Australia just in time to watch from the sidelines as the Blaze played the Townsville Crocs, at home in front of a national TV audience. Looking to avenge their loss from last year’s playoffs, the Blaze trounced the Crocs and notched their first win of the year.

The Blaze’s next encounter, away in Melbourne against the South Dragons, was arguably the fieriest game of the NBL season. Justin Bowen’s first game in a Blaze uniform certainly did not disappoint, with the forward registering a blistering 26 points coming off the bench. In a brutal encounter, Shane Heal was ejected as the Blaze fought hard but lost by a close margin to the eventual NBL Champion Dragons.

 

The Blaze struggled for consistency throughout the season, with a 35 point home thrashing of Perth one of the bright spots. While the team continued to struggle with injuries, the play of Blaze power forward Luke Whitehead really stood out. Whitehead was the team’s top rebounder and fought hard throughout the rest of the season.

Captain James Harvey recovered completely from his earlier injury and was the team’s most potent scorer over the duration of the season. Harvey had a career high 42-point haul against Sydney, also the highest single game record in Blaze franchise history and for the entire NBL that season.

Going into the last three games of the year, the Blaze hoped to salvage their pride with a strong showing to end the season. With encounters against Sydney, Cairns and Wollongong, the Blaze did just that with three consecutive victories. Their solid wire-to-wire win in the season finale at home against Wollongong gave hope that with a solid core of players, the Blaze would turn it around next season.

Offseason 2009 was a very busy time for the Blaze, with many changes across the coaching staff and playing group, with the retirement of Ben Melmeth and Shane Heal. Brendan Joyce was replaced by ex-Brisbane Bullets Championship coach, Joey Wright. 

Joey immediately brought Ron Radliff, who was his assistant in Brisbane, on board as Assistant Coach. Ron brings years of playing and coaching experience to the Blaze, and is well known throughout Southeast Queensland for his playing exploits with the Bullets and the former Gold Coast Rollers.

A heavy offseason recruiting drive paid immediate dividends for the Blaze. Club CEO Dave Claxton worked with the coaching staff to build a young, talented team that would immediately compete for a championship. Claxton and Wright secured every single player they set out to recruit, including South Dragons championship winning point guard and reigning NBL Defensive Player of the Year, Adam Gibson.

Gibson was joined by former teammate and New Zealand international representative Mika Vukona. Powerful forward Anthony Petrie (Wollongong Hawks) was also signed, along with promising young scorer Chris Goulding (Perth Wildcats).

Imports Ayinde Ubaka and Michael Joiner were also signed. Both have extensive experience in the NBA Development League and in Europe, and will bring both playmaking ability and athleticism to the squad.

Combined with returning veterans Harvey, Pero Cameron, Greg Vanderjagt and young gun Tyson Demos, the Blaze have built a formidable team featuring some of the best Australian talent available.

Support the Blaze as we aim for a NBL championship in 2009!