1981 NBL season

April 2022 March 2026 1981 NBL season National Basketball League Basketball 14 February – 21 June 1981 (Regular season)27–28 June 1981 (Finals) 22 12 ABC Regular season St. Kilda Saints Mike Jones (Illawarra) List of National Basketball League (Australia) annual scoring leaders Mike Jones (Illawarra) NBL Most Valuable Player Award Finals 1981 NBL Finals Launceston Casino City (1st title) Nunawading Spectres List of NBL seasons NBL 1980 NBL season 1980 1982 NBL season 1982 The 1981 NBL season was the third season of the National Basketball League (NBL). Regular season The regular season took place over 18 rounds between 14 February 1981 and 21 June 1981. Each team played 22 games, against every opponent twice. Round 1 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 14/02/1981 FE 94–74 WAB Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27744 21/02/1981 NF 93–73 IH Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27745 21/02/1981 FE 77–78 BBR Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27746 21/02/1981 CC 78–71 NS AIS Arena N/A 27747 21/02/1981 LCC 90–88 SKS Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27748 22/02/1981 CSA 80–92 IH Alexandria Stadium N/A 27749 22/02/1981 WAB 91–74 BBR Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27750 22/02/1981 BB 56–60 NS Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27751 22/02/1981 CG 88–93 SKS Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27752 Round 2 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 28/02/1981 IH 91–71 CC Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27753 28/02/1981 LCC 79–85 BB Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27754 28/02/1981 NS 83–62 CSA Burwood Stadium N/A 27755 28/02/1981 WAB 85–73 NF Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27756 1/03/1981 BBR 64–66 CC Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27757 1/03/1981 CG 61–78 BB Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27758 1/03/1981 SKS 104–72 CSA Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27759 1/03/1981 FE 54–74 NF Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27760 Round 3 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 7/03/1981 SKS 114–100 IH Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27761 7/03/1981 NF 73–50 CC Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27762 7/03/1981 FE 66–59 CG Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27763 8/03/1981 NS 95–74 IH Kilsyth Stadium N/A 27764 8/03/1981 CSA 69–74 CC Alexandria Stadium N/A 27765 8/03/1981 WAB 82–74 CG Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27766 Round 4 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 14/03/1981 BBR 77–88 LCC Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27767 14/03/1981 CC 82–71 FE AIS Arena N/A 27768 14/03/1981 NF 80–75 CG Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27769 14/03/1981 SKS 94–90 WAB Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27770 15/03/1981 IH 91–104 LCC Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27771 15/03/1981 BB 84–71 FE Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27772 15/03/1981 CSA 87–79 CG Alexandria Stadium N/A 27773 15/03/1981 NS 86–61 WAB Burwood Stadium N/A 27774 Round 5 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 21/03/1981 WAB 104–66 IH Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27775 21/03/1981 CC 88–89 BBR AIS Arena N/A 27776 21/03/1981 CG 64–66 NS Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27777 21/03/1981 NF 85–83 SKS Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27778 22/03/1981 FE 94–88 IH Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27779 22/03/1981 BB 100–72 BBR Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27780 22/03/1981 LCC 80–83 NS Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27781 22/03/1981 CSA 85–99 SKS Alexandria Stadium N/A 27782 Round 6 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 28/03/1981 IH 85–91 NF Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27783 28/03/1981 CG 78–76 CC Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27784 28/03/1981 SKS 66–73 BB Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27785 28/03/1981 FE 65–67 CSA Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27786 28/03/1981 BBR 77–86 NF Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27787 29/03/1981 LCC 88–76 CC Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27788 29/03/1981 NS 63–67 BB Burwood Stadium N/A 27789 29/03/1981 WAB 89–107 CSA Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27790 Round 7 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 4/04/1981 NS 79–61 BBR Burwood Stadium N/A 27791 4/04/1981 NF 79–78 BB Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27792 4/04/1981 FE 80–77 LCC Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27793 5/04/1981 CSA 65–95 BB Alexandria Stadium N/A 27794 5/04/1981 SKS 98–97 BBR Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27795 5/04/1981 WAB 91–90 LCC Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27796 Round 8 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 11/04/1981 CC 98–82 WAB AIS Arena N/A 27797 11/04/1981 SKS 101–91 CG Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27798 11/04/1981 NF 70–73 LCC Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium N/A 27799 11/04/1981 IH 97–76 FE Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27800 12/04/1981 BBR 90–98 FE Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27801 12/04/1918 BB 62–71 WAB Ballarat Stadium N/A 27802 12/04/1981 NS 78–65 CG Kilsyth Stadium N/A 27803 12/04/1981 CSA 83–98 LCC Alexandria Stadium N/A 27804 Round 9 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 15/04/1981 BBR 91–78 IH Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27805 16/04/1981 SKS 79–76 NS Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27806 18/04/1981 NF 83–60 CSA Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27807 19/04/1981 BB 80–63 CC Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27808 Round 10 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 25/04/1981 CC 76–69 IH AIS Arena N/A 27809 25/04/1981 LCC 92–81 BBR Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27810 25/04/1981 NF 75–70 NS Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27811 26/04/1981 WAB 81–80 SKS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27812 26/04/1981 CG 92–64 BBR Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27813 26/04/1981 CSA 71–95 NS Alexandria Stadium N/A 27814 26/04/1981 FE 88–115 SKS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27815 Round 11 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 2/05/1981 IH 98–81 CSA Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27816 2/05/1981 NS 73–68 CC Burwood Stadium N/A 27817 2/05/1981 LCC 79–80 NF Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27818 2/05/1981 WAB 85–79 BB Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27819 3/05/1981 BBR 96–78 CSA Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27820 3/05/1981 SKS 99–88 CC Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27821 3/05/1981 CG 85–78 NF Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27822 3/05/1981 FE 76–95 BB Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27823 Round 12 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 9/05/1981 IH 108–91 WAB Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27824 9/05/1981 CC 81–71 CG AIS Arena N/A 27825 9/05/1981 NS 70–73 LCC Burwood Stadium N/A 27826 9/05/1981 NF 107–96 FE Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27827 10/05/1981 BBR 77–68 WAB Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27828 10/05/1981 BB 71–77 CG Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27829 10/05/1981 SKS 120–95 LCC Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27830 10/05/1981 CSA 79–76 FE Alexandria Stadium N/A 27831 Round 13 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 16/05/1981 IH 76–74 NS Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27832 16/05/1981 CC 88–71 CSA AIS Arena N/A 27833 16/05/1981 CG 72–65 FE Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27834 17/05/1981 BBR 76–69 NS Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27835 17/05/1981 BB 73–63 CSA Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27836 17/05/1981 LCC 114–90 FE Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27837 Round 14 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 23/05/1981 NF 87–73 BBR Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27838 23/05/1981 LCC 95–78 IH Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27839 23/05/1981 CC 99–95 SKS AIS Arena N/A 27840 23/05/1981 FE 74–96 NS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27841 24/05/1981 CG 84–81 IH Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27842 24/05/1981 CSA 92–79 BBR Alexandria Stadium N/A 27843 24/05/1981 BB 68–90 SKS Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27844 24/05/1981 WAB 98–77 NS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27845 Round 15 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 30/05/1981 IH 90–80 BB Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27846 30/05/1981 FE 75–73 CC Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27847 30/05/1981 LCC 72–76 CSA Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27848 30/05/1981 NS 82–61 NF Burwood Stadium N/A 27849 31/05/1981 BBR 65–66 BB Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27850 31/05/1981 WAB 113–82 CC Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27851 31/05/1981 CG 84–80 CSA Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27852 31/05/1981 SKS 96–93 NF Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27853 Round 16 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 6/06/1981 IH 100–102 SKS Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27854 6/06/1981 CC 76–65 NF AIS Arena N/A 27855 6/06/1981 CG 66–72 WAB Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27856 7/06/1981 BBR 87–118 SKS Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27857 7/06/1981 BB 90–74 NF Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27858 7/06/1981 LCC 95–82 WAB Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27859 Round 17 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 13/06/1981 CC 76–63 LCC AIS Arena N/A 27860 13/06/1981 IH 87–85 CG Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27861 13/06/1981 NS 77–62 FE Burwood Stadium N/A 27862 13/06/1981 NF 79–80 WAB Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A 27863 14/06/1981 BBR 92–88 CG Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A 27864 14/06/1981 BB 81–82 LCC Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27865 14/06/1981 SKS 115–98 FE Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A 27866 14/06/1981 CSA 89–83 WAB Alexandria Stadium N/A 27867 Round 18 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 18/06/1981 NS 83–85 SKS Kilsyth Stadium N/A 27868 20/06/1981 IH 98–86 BBR Beaton Park Stadium N/A 27869 20/06/1981 CC 71–69 BB AIS Arena N/A 27870 20/06/1981 LCC 90–81 CG Dowling Street Stadium N/A 27871 20/06/1981 WAB 75–73 FE Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27872 21/06/1981 BB 82–69 IH Auchenflower Stadium N/A 27873 21/06/1981 CG 71–78 LCC Ken Watson Stadium N/A 27874 21/06/1981 CSA 94–93 NF Alexandria Stadium N/A 27875 Ladder The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding. 1St. Kilda Saints chose to participate in the 1981 FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil, instead of the 1981 NBL Finals. They were replaced by the Brisbane Bullets. 24-way Head-to-Head between West Adelaide Bearcats (5-1), Nunawading Spectres (3-3), Brisbane Bullets (2-4) and Newcastle Falcons (2-4). 3Head-to-Head between Brisbane Bullets and Newcastle Falcons (1-1). Brisbane Bullets won For and Against (+15). 4Head-to-Head between Coburg Giants and Bankstown Bruins (1-1). Coburg Giants won For and Against (+24). Finals 1981 NBL Finals The NBL finals series in 1981 consisted of two semifinal games, and one championship-deciding grand final. All three of these finals games were sudden death. Playoff bracket Semifinals |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 27/06/1981 LCC 71–69 BB Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27876 27/06/1981 WAB 71–74 NS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27877 Grand Final |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" font size=1 !width=90| Date !width=180| Home !width=60| Score !width=180| Away !width=260| Venue !width=70| Crowd !width=70| Box Score 28/06/1981 LCC 75–54 NS Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A 27878 Awards Statistics leaders Category Player Team Stat Points Mike Jones Illawarra Hawks 671 pts / 22 gameshttp://nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com/nbl-all-time-leaders All Time Leaders nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com 23 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170923062541/http://nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com/nbl-all-time-leaders 2017-09-23 dead Free throw percentage Mike Jones Illawarra Hawks 87.6% (113/129) Regular season Most Valuable Player: Mike Jones (Illawarra Hawks) Best Defensive Player: Ray Wood (West Adelaide Bearcats) Coach of the Year: Bob Turner (Newcastle Falcons) All-NBL Team: Rocky Smith (St Kilda Saints)http://andthefoul.net/NBLwiki/index.php?All%20NBL%20First%20Team All NBL First Team andthefoul.net dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120918045651/http://andthefoul.net/NBLwiki/index.php?All%20NBL%20First%20Team 18 September 2012 Danny Morseu (St Kilda Saints) Al Green (West Adelaide Bearcats) Dave Nelson (Canberra Cannons) Owen Wells (Newcastle Falcons) References External links unV8N257X68 1981 NBL Grand Final highlights 1981 Category:1981 in Australian men's sport Category:1981 in Australian basketball