NBL1 South is a semi-professional basketball league in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2019, Basketball Victoria partnered with the National Basketball League (NBL) to create NBL1. NBL1 South was the lone conference in 2019, with North, Central, West and East joining over the proceeding three years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBL1 South did not have a season in 2020 and only half a season in 2021.
History In October 2018, following the demise of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), Basketball Victoria announced a new senior elite league to take the reins as Australia's pre-eminent semi-professional basketball league. All Victorian-based SEABL teams joined the new league, while Eltham Wildcats, Knox Raiders, Ringwood Hawks and Waverley Falcons also joined the league from the Big V. The North-West Tasmania Thunder men and Launceston Tornadoes women also kept their place, as did the BA Centre of Excellence. In February 2019, the league was named NBL1 after Basketball Victoria partnered with the National Basketball League (NBL).
The NBL1 in 2019 was a single league and consisted of one conference. After a successful first season, the NBL expanded the NBL1 in 2020 by introducing Basketball Victoria's inaugural 2019 league and teams as the new South Conference and partnering with Basketball Queensland and Basketball South Australia to make the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) and South Australian Premier League the new North and Central conferences. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was cancelled for all three conferences.
On 1 September 2021, the 2021 NBL1 South season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria. With a combined 154 men's and women's games that could not be completed, it was decided to abandon the season with no champions and no individual awards.
For the 2026 season, the NBL1 South Finals series expanded from 8 to 10 teams for the first time.
Current clubs ClubCityStateArenaJoined NBL1 SouthBallarat MinersBallarat VictoriaBallarat Sports Events Centre2019Bendigo BravesBendigo VictoriaBendigo Stadium2019Casey CavaliersMelbourne VictoriaCasey Stadium2022Dandenong RangersMelbourne VictoriaDandenong Stadium2019Diamond Valley EaglesMelbourne VictoriaDiamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre2019Eltham WildcatsMelbourne VictoriaMontmorency Secondary College2019Frankston BluesMelbourne VictoriaJubilee Park Stadium2019Geelong UnitedGeelong VictoriaGeelong Arena2019Hobart ChargersHobart TasmaniaThe Hutchins School2020Keilor ThunderMelbourne VictoriaKeilor Basketball Stadium2022Kilsyth CobrasMelbourne VictoriaKilsyth Sports Centre2019Knox RaidersMelbourne VictoriaState Basketball Centre2019Melbourne TigersMelbourne VictoriaMelbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre2019Mount Gambier PioneersMount Gambier South AustraliaWulanda Recreation and Convention Centre2020Northern ForceLaunceston/Ulverstone TasmaniaElphin Sports CentreUlverstone Sports & Leisure Centre2026Nunawading SpectresMelbourne VictoriaNunawading Basketball Centre2019Ringwood HawksMelbourne VictoriaThe Rings2019Sandringham SabresMelbourne VictoriaSouthern Basketball Stadium2019Waverley FalconsMelbourne VictoriaWaverley Basketball Centre2019
Former and defunct clubs Albury Wodonga Bandits (2019–2021) – moved to NBL1 East in 2022 BA Centre of Excellence (2019) – NBL1 Wildcard conference (2022), NBL1 East (2023–present) Hobart Huskies (2019) – defunct Launceston Tornadoes (2019–2025) – merged into Northern Force North-West Tasmania Thunder (2019–2025) – merged into Northern Force
Honours League championships
TeamTotal TitlesMen'sWomen'sNotesTitlesWinning seasonsTitlesWinning seasonsKnox Raiders31202322025, 2026Kilsyth Cobras1012019Won the women's inaugural title in 2019.Nunawading Spectres1120190Won the men's inaugural title in 2019.Ringwood Hawks1012022Hobart Chargers1120220Bendigo Braves1012023Waverley Falcons1012024Eltham Wildcats1120240Sandringham Sabres1120250Frankston Blues1120260
Awards
Most Valuable Player Defensive Player of the Year Youth Player of the Year All-Star Five Coach of the Year Referee of the Year Club of the Year
References
External links
NBL1 South 2026 Fixture Released "Homegrown foundations drive NBL1 South Men's final four" at nbl1.com.au