Townsville Crocodiles
| Townsville Crocodiles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| League | NBL | ||
| Founded | 1993 | ||
| Folded | 2016 | ||
| History |
Townsville Suns 1993–1998 Townsville Crocodiles 1998–2016 |
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| Arena |
Townsville Entertainment Centre (1993–2014, 2015–2016) Townsville RSL Stadium (2014–2015) |
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| Capacity | TEC - 5,257 RSL - 2,500 |
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| Location | Townsville, Queensland | ||
| Team colors | Green, Yellow, Black, Light Blue |
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| Championships | 0 | ||
| Retired numbers | 2 (7, 21) | ||
| Website | Crocodiles.com.au | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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The Townsville Crocodiles were an Australian professional men's basketball team based in the North Queensland city of Townsville. They competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre. Between their inception in 1993 and their final season in 2015–16, the Crocodiles enjoyed financial stability and sustained community support, but on-court success eluded them.
Former Brisbane Bullets guard Mark Bragg, a Townsville resident, began campaigning to bring an NBL franchise to Townsville in the late 1980s. The franchise adopted the name of Townsville's State League team, becoming the Townsville Suns. The NBL was ready to admit the Suns, along with fellow Queenslanders the Gold Coast Cougars, in 1990, but financial backing for the Suns' venue fell through.
Local government then got behind Bragg's bid, and the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre was completed in time for the Suns' debut in February 1993.
With Bragg at the helm as head coach, the Suns struggled during their debut season, but it only took five games before they recorded their first-ever NBL win, a victory over the Newcastle Falcons. Townsville broke the mould in 1993, becoming the first Australian team to hire an 'import' player from a country other than the United States; Lithuanian player Rimas Kurtinaitis was a crucial part of the team during their debut season. The Suns finished 4-22 and took the wooden spoon.
Townsville would not reach the playoffs in its first six seasons, although they came perilously close in the 1997 season; needing only one win from their final six games to ensure a historic playoff appearance, the Suns went 0-6 after centre Clarence Tyson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Canberra. After a disappointing 1998 campaign, Mark Bragg was sacked as head coach. With 151 games played out of the Suns' 164, Jason Cameron was the only player to have played in all six Suns seasons.
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