Shane McDonald

Shane McDonald
Personal information
Born (1985-05-29) 29 May 1985 (age 39)
NationalityAustralian
Listed height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Career information
High schoolHorsham College (Horsham, Victoria)
CollegeNova Southeastern (2004–2005)
Playing career2005–2019
PositionPoint guard
Career history
2005Albury Wodonga Bandits
2006–2019Nunawading Spectres
2007–2008Singapore Slingers
2009Perth Wildcats
2012Melbourne Tigers
2015–2016New Zealand Breakers
Career highlights and awards

Shane McDonald (born 29 May 1985) is an Australian former professional basketball player. He had four stints in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Singapore Slingers, Perth Wildcats, Melbourne Tigers and New Zealand Breakers. The majority of his career was spent in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) for the Nunawading Spectres, winning a championship in 2011 and league MVP honours in 2013. In his final season, he helped the Spectres win the 2019 NBL1 championship.

Early life and college

McDonald attended Horsham College in Horsham, Victoria.[1] He grew up playing for the Horsham Hornets.[2][3][4]

For the 2004–05 U.S. college season, McDonald played for the Nova Southeastern Sharks men's basketball team.[5]

Professional career

NBL

McDonald made his debut in the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2007–08 season with the Singapore Slingers.[6] In 29 games, he averaged 7.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.[7]

In January 2009, McDonald joined the Perth Wildcats during the 2008–09 NBL season.[8][9] He played five games for the Wildcats.[7]

In January 2012, McDonald joined the Melbourne Tigers during the 2011–12 NBL season.[10][11][12] He played in one game for the Tigers.[7]

For the 2015–16 NBL season, McDonald joined the New Zealand Breakers.[13][14] In his debut for the Breakers, he scored seven points on 2-of-11 shooting.[15][16] He lost his spot in the line-up for the playoffs after the coaching staff preferred development player Shea Ili.[17] The Breakers made the grand final series, where they lost to the Perth Wildcats.[18] In 22 games, McDonald averaged 1.3 points in 6.2 minutes per game.[19]

SEABL

In 2005, McDonald played for the Albury Wodonga Bandits in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).[20] He joined the Nunawading Spectres in 2006 and played for them every year until 2019.[21]

In 2011, McDonald helped the Spectres win the SEABL championship while earning grand final MVP honours.[22] In 2013, he earned SEABL co-MVP honours alongside Sandringham Sabres centre John Pichon.[23]

In 2014, McDonald helped the Spectres win the SEABL East Conference title.[24] They went on to lose to the Mount Gambier Pioneers in the SEABL grand final.[25]

In 2016, McDonald helped the Spectres reach the East Conference grand final, where they were defeated 76–64 by the Bendigo Braves.[26][27] He was subsequently named in the All-SEABL Team for the sixth straight season.[28][29][30][31][32][33]

In 2017, McDonald was named the recipient of the SEABL's Golden Hands award[34] and became the SEABL's all-time assists leader, overtaking Ben Harvey with 1,959.[35][36]

In 2018, McDonald led the Spectres to the SEABL Grand Final, where they lost 72–58 to the Hobart Chargers.[37]

In 2019, McDonald helped the Spectres return to the grand final, this time in the NBL1,[38] where he had 12 points and 10 assists in a 99–90 win over the Bendigo Braves to claim his second championship with Nunawading.[39][40] He announced his retirement following the grand final.[41]

Personal life

McDonald is married to wife Emily.[13]

McDonald is a physical education teacher and was the basketball coach at Maribyrnong College in Melbourne before signing with the New Zealand Breakers in 2015.[13]

In August 2022, the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) appointed McDonald as its first Women's Basketball head coach.[42]

Despite being a left-hander, McDonald shoots the basketball with his right.[43]

References

  1. ^ "Shane McDonald". nzbreakers.co.nz. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Player statistics for Shane McDonald – Big V". FoxSportsPulse.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  3. ^ Walsh, Scott (14 February 2003). "Hornets bid for NBL basketballer". MailTimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015. Star forward Shane McDonald will also see out the season while he finishes high school and Ben Dumesny will play on.
  4. ^ Lawson, Dean (24 February 2004). "Hornets launch search for Brack replacement". MailTimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015. National star Aaron Bruce will play for Horsham for half the season and classy Shane McDonald for the home-and-away year before they both pursue basketball careers overseas.
  5. ^ "Nova Southeastern 2004–05 Season Statistics". NSU Sharks. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Singapore Slingers" (PDF). NBL.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Player statistics for Shane McDonald – NBL". FoxSportsPulse.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Wildcats bring in former Slingers guard". ABC.net.au. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Paul Rogers returns for Perth and the Wildcats sign Shane McDonald". FoxSports.com.au. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Tigers add McDonald". NBL.com.au. 17 January 2012. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Tigers add McDonald". MelbourneUtd.com.au. 18 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  12. ^ Ward, Roy (18 January 2012). "Teacher called up to play". SMH.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  13. ^ a b c "New Zealand Breakers sign SEABL veteran". NBL.com.au. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  14. ^ "Breakers Lure Aussie Guard out of Teaching Career". NZBreakers.co.nz. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  15. ^ "36ers vs Breakers". NBL.com.au. 7 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  16. ^ Hinton, Marc (7 October 2015). "Adelaide 36ers too strong for NZ Breakers in ANBL opener". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  17. ^ "BASKETBALL DUO TIE THE KNOT". laceylowdown.com. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2023. Ili made a strong impression on the Breakers coaching staff during the recent campaign and despite being a development player was preferred to the more experienced Shane McDonald in all five play-off games.
  18. ^ "GF3 REPORT: WILDCATS BREAK NZ HOODOO FOR ANOTHER TITLE". NBL.com.au. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  19. ^ "Shane McDonald Player Profile". RealGM.com. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Player statistics for Shane McDonald – 2005". SEABL. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Player statistics for Shane McDonald – SEABL". SportsTG.com. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  22. ^ "2011 SEABL REPORT CARD – NUNAWADING SPECTRES". SEABL.com.au. 21 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  23. ^ MacGillivray, Colin (20 September 2013). "Shane McDonald named joint MVP in SEABL". MailTimes.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  24. ^ Cusworth, Wes (7 September 2014). "Nunawading Spectres end Geelong Supercats' title dream". GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  25. ^ Richardson, Grant (14 September 2014). "SEABL Grand Finals: Pioneers and Lady Spartans Earn 2014 Championship". PickAndRoll.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  26. ^ "Braves vs Spectres". FIBALiveStats.com. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  27. ^ Hustwaite, Megan (4 September 2016). "Nunawading Spectres fall to Bendigo Braves in overtime of SEABL conference final". HeraldSun.com.au. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  28. ^ "TIM LANG EARNS SEABL ALL STAR-FIVE". KilsythBasketball.com.au. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  29. ^ "2012 SEABL Award Winners Announced". Supercats.com.au. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  30. ^ "2013 SEABL AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  31. ^ "SEABL AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  32. ^ "2015 AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. 13 September 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  33. ^ "2016 SEABL AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. 12 September 2016. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  34. ^ "2017 SEABL AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. 6 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  35. ^ "Congratulations @shane_mac4! The..." Twitter. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  36. ^ "Nunawading Spectres' Shane McDonald passes his way to the SEABL assist record". HeraldSun.com. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  37. ^ "HOBART CHARGERS' DEFENCE SEES THEM WIN 2018 GRAND FINAL". SEABL.com.au. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  38. ^ Ward, Roy (16 August 2019). "Spectres Star McDonald Ready To Taste Championship Glory Again". NBL1.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  39. ^ "Grand Final - Nunawading vs Bendigo". NBL1.com.au. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  40. ^ "Spectres vs Braves". FIBALiveStats.com. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  41. ^ Crabtree, Richard (19 August 2019). "Shane McDonald announces retirement after NBL1 title win". mailtimes.com. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  42. ^ "Shane McDonald appointed WAIS Women's Basketball Head Coach". wais.org.au. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  43. ^ Hinton, Marc (6 October 2015). "New Zealand Breakers newcomer Shane McDonald ready to unleash his tricks". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 October 2015.