Hunter Pirates are an Australian basketball team, based in the city of Newcastle, and plays in the National Basketball League.

Team Info:

• Logo: A pirate's head imposed on a brown triangle, and the words "Hunter Pirates" above it.
• Team Colours: Red, Yellow and Black
• Home Court: Newcastle Entertainment Centre (capacity: 4,658)
• Coach: Dr. Adrian Hurley
• Sponsors: Newcastle Herald , NBN Television

The team was once known as the Canberra Cannons, one of the foundation members of the NBL (the others were the Newcastle Falcons, Illawarra (Wollongong) Hawks and Brisbane Bullets ). At the end of the 2002/2003 season, new owners moved the team to Newcastle, and renamed the franchise the Hunter Pirates, keeping with the maritime battlers theme.

In its first season, 2003/2004, the team came last, winning only two games. Initial coach Bruce Palmer quit partway into the season, and was replaced by assistant coach David Simmons .

In 2004/05, former Perth Wildcats and AIS coach Dr. Adrian Hurley was employed as coach, and already the team has equaled their win record (as of 3/11/04) and have performed with creditabilty so far this season.

The club has plans in the next few years to move from the Entertainment Centre to a new stadium to be built at the Stockland Supercentre out at Glendale , a suburb of Newcastle.

External Links

Hunter Pirates website