Waikato Titans
| Waikato Pistons | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| League | National Basketball League |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Folded | November 2014 |
| History |
Hamilton 1982–1986 Waikato Warriors 1987–2000 Waikato Titans 2001–2005 Waikato Pistons 2006–2011; 2013–2014 |
| Arena | Hamilton Boys' High School |
| Location |
Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand |
| Team colors | Black, yellow, red, white |
| Championships | 4 (2001, 2002, 2008, 2009) |
The Waikato Pistons were a New Zealand basketball team based in Hamilton. The Pistons competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at Hamilton Boys' High School.
The Pistons did not compete in the 2012 NBL season after the Waikato Basketball Council decided to make community basketball its top priority. The Pistons returned to the NBL in 2013, but after two seasons, they withdrew again; the Waikato Basketball Council felt their resources were better placed on less expensive development operations.
The team made their first appearance in the NBL in 1982 as Hamilton, later changing their name to the Waikato Warriors in 1987. In 2001, they were renamed the Titans before changing their name again in 2006 to the Pistons.
In 2000, the Warriors lost in the semi-final to the Nelson Giants 105–100 with Darryl Johnson top scoring for the Warriors with 27 points to go with 19 rebounds. Phill Jones of the Giants top scored for them with 25 points. In 2001, the newly-named Titans, under coach Jeff Green, enjoyed much success as they collected the franchise's first NBL title. Clifton Bush top scored in the grand final with 26 points to go with 11 rebounds, as they defeated the Wellington Saints 112–97. The Titans went on to win back-to-back championships in 2002 after defeating the Nelson Giants 85–83 in the grand final. Brendon Pongia top scored in the decider with 17 points. In 2003, the Pistons went for three in a row but lost in the final to Wellington 97–88. The 2004 season saw a change in coaching with the Titans bringing in Tim McTamney as head coach. They finished sixth with a record of 10 wins and 8 losses. The following season was the best under McTamney, with the Titans losing in the semi-finals to the Nelson Giants, 77–65.
The next year saw another coaching change with Murray McMahon stepping into the shoes of head coach for the newly-named Pistons team. In March 2006, it was decided that the team would change their name to the Pistons from the Titans which they used from 2001 to 2005. This was primarily because Hamilton became the motorsport capital of New Zealand after gaining the rights to host the V8 Supercars and the New Zealand leg of the World Rally Championship. The 2006 season, however, saw the Pistons finish ninth with a dismal 4–14 record. The 2007 season ended with the Pistons losing their semi-final clash in overtime to the Nelson Giants 109–103 despite a 28-point effort from Jason Crowe. The 2008 season saw the Pistons once again bring the winning feeling back to Waikato as they won their third NBL championship, sweeping the Wellington Saints in a best-of-three series. The 2009 season saw another coaching change after the unexpected death of Murray McMahon in July 2008. Australian Dean Vickerman was appointed head coach for the 2009 season and led the Pistons to their second straight title, defeating the Nelson Giants 2–0 in the best-of-three finals series. Top scorers were Adam Ballinger with 22 in the first game and Justin Bailey with 32 in the second game. It was Waikato's second back-to-back championship effort.
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