Cockburn Cougars

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Cockburn Cougars
Cockburn Cougars logo
Leagues State Basketball League
Founded 1989
History Cockburn Cougars
1989–present
Arena Wally Hagan Stadium
Location Hamilton Hill, Western Australia
Team colors Sky blue, white, yellow
Main sponsor Lapa Brazilian Barbecue
President Scott Harris
Head coach M: Matt Parsons
W: John Triscari
Team captain M: Gavin Field
W: Chelsea Evans
Championships 2 (1992, 2012) (M)
0 (W)
Website CockburnCougars.com

The Cockburn Cougars are a basketball club from Perth, Western Australia competing in the semi-professional State Basketball League (SBL). The Cougars are a division of the Cockburn Basketball Association, the major administrative basketball organisation in the City of Cockburn and its surrounding areas. For sponsorship reasons, the club is known as the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Cockburn Cougars.

History

Established in 1972, the Cockburn Basketball Association entered men's and women's senior teams into the local District competition. The association began seeing success with their A-grade sides by the early 1980s, with the men finishing runners-up in 1982 and winning the District championship in 1984.[1] In addition, the women's side finished runners-up every year between 1983 and 1986. Individually, Sue Arthur won League MVP in all four of those runner-up years, while Russ McCall won MVP for the men in 1985.[2]

In 1989, the Cougars were a foundation club for the State Basketball League's inaugural season, entering teams for both the men's and women's competitions.[3] Sue Arthur continued on with the Cougars for their move to the SBL, earning League MVP honours for the women's inaugural season.[2]

In 1992, the Cougars men won the club's first SBL championship with a 107–91 grand final win over the Bunbury Slammers. That year, Greg Gurr won the men's Coach of the Year award, while in 1991, women's coach Kim Poore won Coach of the Year.[2]

Two more grand final appearances for the Cougars men in 1993 and 1998 saw runner-up finishes, while individually, future NBL stalwart James Harvey won Rookie of the Year honours in 1997, and Natalie Kastropil won Rookie of the Year honours for the women in 1996. Also in 1998, Scott Marsden (men) and Llyod Klaman (women) both won Coach of the Year honours, and Alan Erickson won League MVP honours, a first for the Cougars men.[2]

With the turn of the century, the Cougars continued to see success with a men's runner-up finish in 2003 and another MVP winner with Justin Lyons in 2001. Furthermore, women's coach Brad Spicer won Coach of the Year in 2001, while men's coach Shayne Hampel was a three-time Coach of the Year recipient between 2003 and 2005.[2] Season 2004 saw both teams record club-best seasons: a second-place finish for the women with a 17–3 win/loss record, and a first-place finish for the men with a 21–3 win/loss record.

The club's second championship came in 2012 with a men's grand final win over the East Perth Eagles. That year, the Cougars were led by imports Jeremiah Wilson (Grand Final MVP) and Brian Carlwell, and local up-and-comers Damien Scott and Gavin Field.[4][5][6]

Current roster

References

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External links

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