Leagues NBL & CBL History Waitemata
1982–1989 Team colours Green & black Folded 1989 | Established 1982 Location Waitemata, New Zealand Championships 1 (1987) | |
Waitemata was a New Zealand basketball team based in Waitemata. The team competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and Conference Basketball League (CBL) throughout the 1980s.
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Team history
Waitemata was one of eight teams that entered the NBL's inaugural season in 1982. They finished runners-up behind Auckland in their first season but dropped to fourth in 1983 and subsequently withdrew from the competition after just two seasons. Waitemata subsequently entered the CBL in 1984, going on to finish runners-up in 1985 before winning the championship in 1987. Their 1987 title earned them promotion to the NBL for the 1988 season, returning to the top flight league after a four-year hiatus.
Waitemata's first season back in the NBL saw them miss the playoffs with a seventh-place finish. A bright spark for the team was star American guard John Welch, who won the Most Outstanding Guard Award that year, in addition to All-Star Five honours. However, after finishing second last in 1989, they withdrew again and ceased operations.