Southland Sharks

Team history

The Southland Sharks brand dates back to the 1990s when the Smokefree Southland Sharks competed in the Conference Basketball League (CBL) and won championships in 1995 and 1998. In 2002, a group of local businessmen launched a bid to enter a Southland team into the National Basketball League (NBL), but that attempt fell over late in the piece when the Community Trust of Southland declined a $150,000 application.

In October 2009, Southland Basketball Association was granted a three-year NBL license. In December 2009, the Sharks were confirmed for the 2010 NBL season.

The Sharks made playoff appearances in their first two seasons in the NBL, before missing the post-season in 2012. In 2013, the Sharks won their maiden NBL championship with a 92–81 win over the Nelson Giants in the final. After another playoff appearance in 2014, the Sharks won their first minor premiership in 2015, before going on to reach the NBL final, where they won their second championship with a 72–68 win over the Wellington Saints. With the win, they broke the 2001 Waikato Titans 15-game winning streak to finish the season with 16 wins in a row. The 2015 season also saw the Sharks retire Kevin Braswell's No. 12 jersey.

After another playoff appearance in 2016, the Sharks made their third NBL final in 2017, where they lost 108–75 to the Saints. In 2018, the Sharks returned to the NBL final for the fourth time in six years, where they won their third championship with a 98–96 win over the Saints.

The Sharks sat out the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the Sharks' inaugural sponsors SIT Zero Fees decided to end its long-term partnership with the team.

In 2025, the Sharks returned to the NBL final for the first time since 2018 behind league MVP, Josiah Allick. In the final, the Sharks lost 88–83 to the Wellington Saints.

Honour roll

Players

Current roster

; Team manager

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Notable past players

• USA Larry Abney
• NZL Everard Bartlett
• AUS Todd Blanchfield
• NZL Craig Bradshaw
• USA Kevin Braswell
• USA Brian Conklin
• NZL Gareth Dawson
• NZL / AUS Mark Dickel
• USA Kaniel Dickens
• USA Mike Helms
• NZL Paul Henare
• NZL Leon Henry
• NZL / AUS Martin Iti
• USA Jordair Jett
• AUS Nick Kay
• NZL / AUS Adrian Majstrovich
• AUS / NZL Luke Martin
• AUS Daniel Munday
• AUS Mitch Norton
• NZL James Paringatai
• NZL Alex Pledger
• NZL Brendon Polyblank
• USA / NZL Dion Prewster
• USA Mike Rose
• USA René Rougeau
• NZL Reuben Te Rangi
• NZL / UK Arthur Trousdell
• USA / Guam Tai Wesley

Retired numbers

References

References

1. "2010 Conference Basketball League". Basketball.org.nz.
2. Egan, Brendon. (20 December 2009). "NBL decision expected next week". Stuff.co.nz.
3. Burdon, Nathan. (23 December 2009). "Southland basketball begins top player search". Stuff.co.nz.
4. Savory, Logan. (22 December 2009). "Basketball green light expected today". Stuff.co.nz.
5. Richens, Matt. (23 December 2009). "NBL move will cost: Davey". [[Waikato Times]].
6. Worthington, Sam. (14 July 2013). "Hungry Sharks claim unlikely NBL title". Stuff.co.nz.
7. Jourdain, Daniel. (14 July 2013). ""Started from the bottom, Now we're here!" – Sharks win NBL". NZhoops.co.nz.
8. Hyslop, Liam. (5 July 2015). "Southland Sharks beat Wellington Saints in tense NBL final". Stuff.co.nz.
9. Pickett, Brittany. (6 July 2015). "Southland Sharks greeted by fans at airport". Stuff.co.nz.
10. Savory, Logan. (20 June 2015). "Southland Sharks guard Kevin Braswell announces his retirement". Stuff.co.nz.
11. Savory, Logan. (26 June 2015). "Sharks veteran Kevin Braswell to play for his mum in final game in Invercargill". Stuff.co.nz.
12. Savory, Logan. (28 June 2015). "Southland Sharks retire Kevin Braswell's No 12 jersey". Stuff.co.nz.
13. Savory, Logan. (18 June 2017). "Judd Flavell 'dead keen' to return as Southland Sharks coach in 2018". Stuff.co.nz.
14. (5 August 2018). "Reuben Te Rangi leads Southland Sharks to thrilling NBL final win over Wellington Saints". Stuff.co.nz.
15. Anderson, Niall. (5 August 2018). "Basketball: Southland Sharks beat Wellington Saints in superb final to win NBL title". nzherald.co.nz.
16. (16 May 2020). "2020 Update - Sharks confirm NBL plans". sharksbasketball.co.nz.
17. (29 January 2014). "SIT to continue Sharks sponsorship". Stuff.co.nz.
18. Savory, Logan. (8 April 2022). "SBS Bank steps up to fill sponsorship void with Southland Sharks". Stuff.co.nz.
19. (13 July 2025). "Southland Sharks end Rams' three-peat dream to book NBL grand final with Saints". thepress.co.nz.
20. (13 July 2025). "Sharks bound for grand final after sinking Rams". The Southland Times.
21. (17 July 2025). "Southland Sharks Grand Final Preview". nznbl.basketball.
22. (20 July 2025). "Hyrum Harris shines as Wellington Saints capture NBL title No 13". thepost.co.nz.
23. (20 July 2025). "Basketball: Wellington Saints beat Southland Sharks to clinch 13th National Basketball League title". NZ Herald.
24. (20 July 2025). "Basketball: Welington Saints player dedicates NBL victory to late coach". RNZ.