Nickname Tassie Devils Dissolved 1996 Founded 1983 | Leagues NBL Championships 0 | |
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Arena Capacity 1,800 (Kingborough)5,400 (DEC) Arenas Kingborough Sports Centre (1983–1989), Derwent Entertainment Centre (1989–1996) | ||
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The Hobart Devils is a defunct basketball team that competed in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). Based in Hobart, Tasmania, the team was the only representative from the state of Tasmania for the majority of its tenure, but was one of three teams (the Geelong Supercats and the Gold Coast Rollers being the other two) that had their NBL licenses revoked by the league directors in 1996 due to financial difficulties. While not the first time teams had folded in the league, the sudden departure of the Devils, Supercats and Rollers signified that the NBL's successful era (between the late 1980s and early 1990s) was truly over.
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The state of Tasmania has not fielded a side in the NBL since the departure of the Devils and the re-emergence of any Tasmanian sides in the near future seems unlikely.
The club played out of the Kingborough Sports Centre from 1983-1988. From the 1989 NBL season they then moved into the larger (5,400 seat) and more modern Derwent Entertainment Centre where they stayed until folding in 1996. The move into the new arena gave the club a larger venue, but the Tassie Devils left their "magic" at Kingborough, where they had been very hard to defeat always in the role of the underdog in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and these three years played before sellout crowds in the cozy 1,800 seat arena. During Devils home games the home court arena was often referred to as the "Devils Den" by local TV commentators. The Devils enjoyed their most successful, and only winning season in NBL competition, in 1987 notching a 14 win 12 loss league record. That team featured good chemistry and a high powered offense, it included key players Steve Carfino, Paul Stanley, Jerry Dennard, Wayne Burden, Peter Mann, Rick Hodges and was coached by American Dave "Doc" Adkins and led by club president, Tasmanian Wayne Monaghan.
The club was known as Hobart Tassie Devils from 1987 to 1995, but reverted to Hobart Devils in its final season.
Imports in the Devils side included: (1983) Eric Bailey, Curtis Coleman, (1984) Eric Bailey, Danny Adamson, (1985) Curtis Coleman, Ollie Johnson, (1986) Jeff Acres, Steve Carfino, (1987) Steve Carfino, Paul "Spike" Stanley, (1988) Greg Giddings (cut mid season, replaced with Kelvin Scarborough, "Jumpin'" Joe Hurst, (1989) Joe Hurst, Kevin van Veldhuizen (cut mid season, replaced with Paul Stanley), (1990) Dan Krebs, Steve Phyfe, (1991) Jason Reese, Wayne Engelstad, (1992) Anthony Welch, Ken McFadden (both cut), replaced by Joe Hurst, Donald Whiteside, (1993) Donald Whiteside, Jim "Magilla the Gorilla" Havrilla (cut, replaced by Mike Kelly), (1994) Calvin Talford, Lamont Middelton (cut, replaced by Keith Nelson), (1995) Jerome Scott, Andre Moore, (1996) Jerome Scott, Jonathon Roberts
Other players of note included: Wayne "Big Mac" McDaniel, Gordie McLeod and Cal Bruton
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