PRESTIGIOUS AWARD: David Flint, Kristi Harrower, Bernie Harrower, Ben Harvey, Gabe Richards and Ricky Daniels.

Video: SEABL 30 Years - Bendigo Braves honouredFrom David Flint and Ricky Daniels to Kristi Harrower and Andrea Walsh, Bendigo Braves basketball has been recognised among the SEABL’s best. At the recent 30 Year SEABL gala celebration, 13 Braves players and coaches were honoured as the league’s most exceptional players. TANYA PAOLUCCI spoke to some of Bendigo’s best basketball stars about their time in the SEABL.1980sWhile the 1980’s was marked by teams like Adelaide, Bulleen and Dandenong winning championships, it was also the time of some of Bendigo’s best recruits.Bendigo’s talented imports, David Johnson and David Flint were standout players of the era, which led to them being named in the SEABL Team of the 1980s.Although Johnson returned to the United States after four seasons with the Bendigo Braves, Flint stayed on in Bendigo as a player and coach and became one of the Braves longest-serving players and best-known personalities.Flint also led the Braves to their first SEABL championship in 1988.“For me, it’s been that I spent my whole career here,” Flint said about his time with the Braves.“It’s rare to play your whole career for the one team.“I played and coached 15 years and played something like 319 games for the club.“We have such a rich history here and my one claim to fame is that I played all of my career with the Braves.”Flint, who was known for his competitive nature and brilliant skills, rated David Johnson as the best player he had seen.“I would probably rate ‘DJ’ as number one based on the fact he had such a great career here,” he said.“He only played the four years here, but when you score 50 points per game that is quite a great feat.”David Johnson’s short but sweet career with the Braves was one of the club’s most exceptional, with the player averaging 47.8 points per game, including a individual scoring performance of 70 points against the Bulleen Boomers in the 1988 championship game.1990sThe Bendigo Braves continued to shine on court in the 1990s.Talented point-guard Ben Harvey began his career in the SEABL in the 90s and was best known for his quick hands and ability to win games.Harvey, who is now coach of the senior Braves team, said being recognised in the SEABL’s best players was a career highlight.“To be honoured as one of the better players in the league was certainly an honour,” Harvey said.Harvey said the Bendigo club’s culture was one of the drawcards of being involved with the Braves.“The Braves just have a great culture and a great fan base, and it’s an honour to be part of the Braves,” he said.“The culture here is just brillant and the greats like David Flint and Ricky Daniels, Stevie D and DJ, is a great honour to be part of that group.”Bendigo imports continued to dominate in the 90s, with the charismatic Steve de Laveaga also selected in the SEABL team.‘Stevie D’, as he was known by many, dominated at the Nunawading Spectres, winning consecutive MVP awards, before making the move to Bendigo.In Bendigo, de Laveaga is still regarded as one of the best shooters the club has seen and remains the Braves leading point scorer, with 5836 points in 168 games.The Braves were also recognised in the women’s competition, with Mandy Henderson named in the SEABL women’s team of the 1990s.2000sThe Bendigo Lady Braves led the way in the SEABL competition in the 2000s, winning four championships, including back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.The Lady Braves dominance should not have come as a suprise, with the team’s line-up including Kristi Harrower, Andrea Walsh and Gabrielle Richards throughout the decade.Harrower, who is one of Australia’s greatest basketballers, said the SEABL was where her professional basketball career began. “A lot of people get to see you playing SEABL and after it things got bigger and better for me, playing with the AIS and then the Australian junior team then the senior team,” she said.“The SEABL was really a starting point for me.”Harrower said the Lady Braves provided her the opportunity to play with some of Bendigo’s most talented women.“Some of the best players included Mandy Henderson and Karen Henderson, who were two people who had great work ethics,” she said.“Another was Andrea Walsh or ‘Walshy’ for the work ethic and character she is, you could always have a laugh with her.“I also got the chance to play with Gabe Richards.”Richards, who joined the Lady Braves towards the end of the decade, said the best part of the Braves experience was the opportunity to learn from the competition’s best.“Kristi (Harrower) would have to be up there, she is awesome,” she said.“It is unbelievable the amount of knowledge that she has to be able to play, but then to be able to teach it to other people is incredible.“I’m very, very lucky to have been able to play with someone like her.”The Lady Braves were not just honoured for their on-court skills, with long-time coach Bernie Harrower named as coach of the decade.Harrower posted an outstanding record during the 2000’s, winning SEABL Coach of the Year five times.Although they didn’t achieve as much success as the Lady Braves, the Braves were also recognised during the naughties.Popular import Ricky Daniels was named in the team of the decade alongside Cameron Rigby, who starred for the Braves.In addition to Team of the Decade accolades, five Bendigo Braves were delivered the competition’s highest honour.Ricky Daniels and Steve de Laveaga and Kristi Harrower, Andrea Walsh and Bernie Harrower were named as the SEABL’s best.Daniels, who retired from the competition following last year’s east conference win, said the SEABL allowed him to play out his career.“The Braves gave me the opportunity to continue playing because the system in the States is so different,” he said.“You play through the school system and after that you either go professional, which is only so many players getting selected for, so a lot go overseas to play.“Coming to a town like Bendigo and playing in the SEABL league against good competition and in a good program was great.”Bernie Harrower, who is Bendigo’s first WNBL coach, said the SEABL allowed him to cut his teeth as a women’s basketball coach.“To finish your career after 13 years and be judged by your peers as the all time coach of the SEABL is certainly a nice feeling,” he said.“It gave me a chance to grow as a coach and learn and the SEABL is a great league.”Harrower acknowledged the South East Australia Basketball League and the Lady Braves for their key roles in promoting women’s basketball in Bendigo.

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Bendigo Braves selected among SEABL's greatest

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