History
Mackay Basketball is an affiliated Basketball Queensland (BQ) association, made up of more than 1600 members and has a very strong and proud basketball tradition that began in 1961.
1961
2011
In 2011, Mackay Basketball celebrated its 50-year anniversary, with 40-years of playing action at Candlestick Park located in the South Mackay sports precinct.
A year later in 2012, Mackay Basketball accomplished greatness by winning both the men’s and women’s QBL championships in the same year. In recognition, Mackay Basketball was named ‘2012 Club of the Year’ at the Mackay Sportstar Annual Awards.
2012
2013
One year following in 2013, the Mackay Meteorettes repeated as QBL Champions and in 2014, our Mackay Meteorettes made it a QBL ‘3-PEAT’ after taking out their third consecutive championship. These three banners joined with the inaugural Meteorettes women’s championship, earned back in 1987.
The new McDonald’s Mackay Multi-Sports Stadium was officially opened on June 8, 2014. All QBL / NBL1 North home games are played on the association’s show court, dubbed ‘The Crater’ at McDonald’s Mackay Multi-Sports Stadium. The Crater is a place recognised for being one of the loudest stadiums in the league and a venue where opposition teams struggle to gain victories.
2014
2015
The Meteors reached the QBL mountain top again in 2015, a sixth championship in 10-years, making Mackay Basketball the most successful QBL club of the 2010-2020 decade.
On September 5, 2020 Mackay Basketball celebrated the official opening of its Permanent Seating Project – a new grandstand specifically designed to cater for the association’s sponsors & corporate guests with 260 seats and a viewing platform to broadcast games.
2020
Current
As a community focused, not-for-profit, incorporated sports association, MBI strives to serve our members, sponsors and the people of Mackay and the Whitsunday region in the most positive and beneficial manner.
At MBI we pride ourselves on excellence and are committed to providing first-class competitions, unique programs, extensive resources and ongoing support to meet the needs the local sport and recreation community.
Hall of Fame
MACKAY BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE 2011 - SANDRA ‘SANDY’ BRONDELLO
A proud Mackay Basketball junior, Sandy has gone on to dominate the sport globally. Some of her many accomplishments include:
- Member of the Australian Opals Women’s National Team from 1987 to 2004, attending four Olympic Games, four World Championships and playing 302 senior representative games
- Two-time Olympic Silver Medalist (2000 & 2004) and Olympic Bronze Medalist (1996)
- Two-time World Championships Bronze Medalist (1998 & 2002)
- Five seasons playing in the WNBA and competed in the league’s inaugural All-Star game in 1999
- Ten seasons playing for BTV Wuppertal, winning ten consecutive German League Championships and ten consecutive German Cup Championships, while being named to multiple Euroleague All-Star Five teams
- Eleven seasons playing in the WNBL, being named Most Valuable Player, while also earning selection to multiple All-Star Five teams & leading the league in scoring
- Inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall Of Fame in 2010
- Inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame in 2009
- Head Coach of the Phoenix Mercury, winning the 2014 WNBA Championship, while also being named Coach of the Year
- Head Coach of the Australian Opals women’s national team
There’s no doubting that Sandy will add to this remarkable list throughout the future.
Life Members
THE MABA JIM CONNOLLY MEMORIAL LIFE MEMBERS BOARD CAN BE FOUND ON DISPLAY AT THE McDONALD’S MACKAY MULTI-SPORTS STADIUM.
1963 Jim Connolly
1963 Noel McKenzie
1964 Kevin Ryan
1964 Eric Biddle
1968 Neville Pearse
1969 Ruby Riseham
1969 Bob Riseham
1976 Pat Nimmo
1976 Tom Taylor
1978 Ida Regan
1982 Ray Cross
1982 Bryan Fawcett
1983 Gwen Watson
1983 Denny Watson
1984 Albert Graves
1984 Glen Brown
1985 Dennis Ryan
1991 George Dunkley
1991 Jean Dunkley
1995 Eric Leivesley
1995 Bob Rasmussen
HOUSEWIVES
1988 Mona Townsend
1988 Gwen Watson
1992 Rose Smith
1998 AMALGAMATION
1975 Norma Connolly
1975 Gwen (Pini) Jones
1979 Irwin Riseham
1981 Olive Jung
1982 Bryan Fawcett
1983 Glen Brown
1987 Carol Insch
1987 Dennis Ryan
1992 Annette Dunkley
1992 Helen Ostwald
1993 Vi Kelly
1996 Rhondda Jensen
1999 Danny Hunter
1999 Wayne Berginey
2004 John Zelenka
2004 Lyn Stoddart
2005 Harry Dean
2010 Jean Holland
2011 Willy Watt
2011 Elvie Fawcett
2013 Jason Borg
2013 Malcolm Steindl
2014 Howard Gamblin
2015 Marion Harris
2015 Guy Simpson
2016 Judy Berginey
2016 Colleen Ingham
2017 Ronelle Wicks
2017 Judi Hicks
2021 Elaine Thomas