No 74 JOHN DORGE
6 feet 10 inch (209cm) Forward/Centre
1992, 1996 Olympic Games
The dust was thick in the air along the road near Kaimkillenbun Queensland as the cattle were being mustered. A lone car pulled over to allow the cattle to pass by and the driver gazed at the extremely tall young drover attending the cattle. The drover’s legs seemed to nearly be on the ground he was so tall and as the driver of the car pulled away his thoughts were that this drover would be a great help to their local basketball team at Darby. A phone call later that night and the drover John Dorgeagreed to play basketball on the outdoor courts at Dalby.Three years later and the209cm John Dorgewas good enough to make the Dalby representative side and then to play Club basketball in Toowoomba under the excellent coaching of John Gouldson who had a profound influence on John’s career.
The three hour drive from the farm to Toowoomba for each game and training was a challenge Johnand his family was willing to accept. His Toowoomba Club side then entered the Brisbane competition and a “fairy tale” career in basketball was underway.
Kevin John Dorge was born October 17th, 1962 in Toowoomba, Queensland. His family were farmers and young John grew up with the hard work and toughness of the land that was to stand him in great stead in the physical contests of basketball against some of the biggest men in the world.
However there were still some “speed-humps” to carry before he would reach the lofty heights of world basketball competition.
Basketball was now in his blood and he moved to the Gold Coast to further his career---but with little success and after eight months he made the decision to go back to the farm and forget his basketball dreams. At the same time the Brisbane “Bullets” had just lost the National Basketball League (NBL) Grand-Final and their coach Brian Kerle proclaimed in the media---“I need to find a big-man for the team.” John’s parents contacted Kerle who agreed to bring John to Brisbane on a five months trial.
John was soon an integral part of the Bullets team under the tutelage of one of Australia’s most successful coaches in Brian Kerle. He was to play on the Brisbane Bullets roster from 1985 to 1989, winning the NBL title in 1985 and 1987. In 1990 John moved to the Geelong “Supercats” (1991 and 1992 seasons) and to the South East Melbourne Magic for seven years from 1992 to 1998 winning two more NBL championships (1992 and 1996) and captained the Magic for five seasons. He was selected to the 1995 NBL All Star team, led the League in blocked shots in three seasons and in 1991 set an NBL record of fourteen blocks in a single game.
John was first selected to the Australian Men’s Team (Boomers) for games against the NBL All Stars in 1986 and then again in 1987 for games against the Big East All Stars and the touring USSR. He was also selected to the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1988 Olympic Qualification Tournament in 1987. John finished 1987 with a nine match tour of Europe with the Boomers.
In 1988 John was a contender for the Olympic Team and played in matches against the touring Czechoslovakian National Team and the University of Nebraska. However he missed selection for the Seoul Olympic Games.
The Kareem Abdul Jabaar All Stars toured in 1989 and John played in two games for the Boomers against that team. His all round play and development earned him selection on the Boomers for the 1990 World Championships in Argentina. On the way to Argentina the Boomers played in the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, USA. In the World Championships the Boomers finished a very credible 7th place.
By this time the big lanky farmer with “the most lethal elbows in the NBL” was an established member of the Boomers and a leading player in the NBL. He sharpened his skills in 1991 in games for the Boomers against the touring Italian Club Fortitudo-BolognaClub and was a member of the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1992 Olympic Qualification Tournament. He then toured with the Boomers to Europe at the end of the year.
Selection on the team for the 1992 Olympic Games was John’s major goal. In 1992 he played against China and against domestic All Star teams in what was a very limited preparation for the Boomers for the Games. John was selected for the Barcelona Olympics. Despite the less than ideal preparation leading into the Games the Boomers finished a highly credible 6th in the Games. This was their second best result to that time. John played good minutes for the Boomers in the Games and formed a formidable front line that included Bradtke, Longley and Borner.
John’s game was at its peak at this stage. He had developed into a very physical rebounder and possessed a neat hook-shot and “put-backs” around the basket. Boomer guards loved coming off his lethal screens and elbows as they attempted to shrug off their defenders.
John did not play for the Boomers again until the Magic Johnson All star tour to Australia in 1995. That year was a busy one for him with games for the Boomers against the University of Missouri and Korea, and on the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1994 World Championship Qualification Tournament. He then toured to Europe (Portugal/Spain/Holland) with the Boomers.That year he was also named to the NBL All Star First Team.
The 1996 Atlanta Olympics were John’s major emphasis now. His giant frame had reached over 210cms in height and 118kg in weight and he was able to battle with the best big men of international basketball and was highly favoured to be selected. He played against the NBA Legends, the touring Lithuanian and Italian National Teams and was selected for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
On the way to Atlanta the Boomers played the USA in Salt Lake City and played a game against Angola.
In Atlanta the Boomers played exceptionally well and finished an outstanding 4th.....their equal best performance in an Olympic Games. John recalls, “I was amongst all the disappointed players in the dressing room after the Bronze Medal Game which we lost and denied ourselves and the Boomers first ever medal at Olympics or World Championships. That scene remains entrenched in my memory forever.”
John was now 34 years of age and although he was a very late starter in the game his big frame and aggressive play had worn him down. He did play once more for the Boomers and that was in 1997 against the touring Croatian National Team.
After his retirement from the NBL (after the 1998 season and thirteen years in the NBL) John continued his love affair with basketball and mentored Boomer Chris Anstey in 1999 and 2000 as Chris played in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls. He followed this with a coaching career with Cairns (2004-2005), the NZ Breakers (2005-2007) and the NZ NBL Club side Harbour Heat (2007) and was named the NZNBL Coach of the Year in 2007.
John’s “fairy tale” basketball story is a great example for young players to “dream their dream” no matter how late in life they start in a sport........no matter if they live three hours drive away from where they play....and no matter the number of setbacks and doubters they meet along the way. With determination, hard-work and a great self-belief and family support John Dorge was able to become a dual Olympian and one of the NBL’s greatest achievers.
John Dorge warming up (Courtesy of J. Dorge)
John Dorge(Basketball News)
John Dorge shows his immense arm span in the NBL (Basketball News)
A John Dorge hook shot (Basketball News)