History

The origins of the Melbourne Tigers can be traced back to the 1920’s where Senior Men´s basketball teams began playing in local church halls around Melbourne. The Melbourne club has been around since the beginning of Victorian Basketball Association Championships which started in 1931. Four associations comprised Basketball Victoria in 1931 and they were Church of England, Presbyterian, YMCA and the Army. Each had two teams entered in the first state championship which was played in 1932.

The Melbourne senior men's Club began within the ‘St Lukes’ team from North Fitzroy. The name of the club has gone through an evolution process where the club changed from ‘St Lukes’ to ‘Church of England’, to becoming ‘Church’. The Club then became ‘Melbourne Church’ and finally in 1975 the club decided to change its name to the ‘Melbourne Tigers’. This was felt to better represent the players playing for the club, and thus give it a name that all could follow.

Before the NBL, the Melbourne Club played in the South Eastern Conference (SEC) which the Club won every year during its six years existence from 1966-71 and the Australian Club Championships (ACC) which was a tournament conducted during the same period and up until the NBL started. The SEC and the ACC were the highest level of competition in Australia at the time.

The Melbourne Tigers entered a team into the National Basketball League in 1980 and were successful in winning the National Title in 1993, 1997, 2006 and 2008.

The Melbourne Tigers also have a rich history in junior basketball, with junior boys and junior girls reaching great success in their existence.

Following on from the juniors, the Tigers also enter teams into the various state competitions with great success.

The Senior Men's team has won the Victorian State Championships (since 1932) in;
1934, -43, -47, -49, -60, -62, -63, -65, -66, -67, -71, -75, -90, -92, -94, 2008, -09.

The Senior Women's team has won the Victorian State Championships (since 1955) in;
1967, -68, -72, -73, -74, -75, -92, -93, -94, -95.
 

NBL Honour Roll

NBL Championships: 4 (1993, 1997, 2006, 2008)

NBL Finals Appearances: 20

NBL Grand Final appearances: 7 (1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008)

NBL Most Valuable Players: Andrew Gaze (1991-1998), Mark Bradtke (2002),Chris Anstey (2006, 2008)

NBL Grand Final MVPs: Lanard Copeland (1997), Chris Anstey (2006, 2008)

All-NBL First Team: Andrew Gaze (1984 - 2000; 15 times), Mark Bradtke (1994, '96, '97, 1999-2005; 10 times), Lanard Copeland (1999), Chris Anstey (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), Dave Thomas (2007)

NBL Coach of the Year: Lindsay Gaze (1989, '97, '99), Alan Westover (2006)

NBL Rookie of the Year: Andrew Gaze (1984)

NBL Best Sixth Man: Darryl McDonald (2004), Stephen Hoare (2006, 2007)

NBL Best Defensive Player: Chris Anstey (2008)

                         Champions 1993                           


                         Champions 1997                        


                       Champions 2005/06                     

                       Champions 2007/08