Peter Ali

HTML <h2><strong>No 54 PETER ALI</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 4 inch (194cm) Guard/Forward</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1980 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>Eight year old Peter Ali was at a training session at the West Adelaide Club. Club coach and mentor Alan Hughes had organised a special treat for the youngsters. Werner Linde who had just returned from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games was there to talk to the boys. Werner dressed in his Olympic tracksuit spoke to the boys and then put on a shooting exhibition. Peter recalls, “I watched in fascination as Werner Linde shot about 40 free-throws.....and never missed! I couldn’t believe it. I had never seen anything like it. After Werner had finished, our coach Alan asked the group what we would personally like to do in basketball and life. My answer was very quick and without hesitation... or doubt...I wanted to play basketball at the Olympic Games.”</p>

HTML <p>Peter James Ali was born May 22nd, 1956 in Adelaide, South Australia. He started playing basketball on his fifth birthday at the Westbourne Park Uniting Church. However the competition was over-subscribed so after twelve months he had to move to the West Adelaide Club at Forestville. The move was a fortunate one because at West Adelaide he came under the coaching of the legendary Keith Miller, Alan Hughes and Alan Dawe. “All these coaches were not only greatly to influence my basketball,” says Peter, “But also my attitudes to life.</p>

HTML <p>His first representative basketball for South Australia (SA)was at the Under 14 level, when he was chosen to go to Melbourne with the State Team to play in a tournament. His next representation came at the Under 16 level at the 1970 and 1971 National Championships. SA won the National Championships in 1971. He represented SA at the Under 18 level in 1972 and 1973. Peter was in the SA Under 20 teams in 1974 and in 1975 when SA won theNational Championships over Victoria. </p>

HTML <p>At seventeen years of age Peter was selected to the West Adelaide senior men’s team. Here he came under the direct coaching of Alan Dawe. “Who took me under his wing,” recalls Peter. “I also remember that Alan would have a couple of us around to his place on the weekend and we would practice fundamentals on the basket and backboard he had in his backyard. I have always appreciated what he did for me.”</p>

HTML <p>Peter’s first selection for the Australian senior team came in 1975 when he was chosen on the team to tour to the USA where the Australians played eight games against the “Pac 8” Colleges which included powerhouse university teams such as UCLA. The Australian Team then continued on to tour for games in China. These tours opened Peter’s eyes to the world of basketball and he was determined to make the Australian Team for the 1976 Montreal Olympics.</p>

HTML <p>In 1975 Peter was a member of the Australian Team that won the Oceania 1976 Olympic Games Qualification Tournament.</p>

HTML <p>In 1976 with the Olympics looming Peter went to Melbourne to play with Coburg under player-coach Ray Tomlinson in an effort to stay under the Olympic selectors’ vision and to test him-self in the cauldron of Victorian basketball.</p>

HTML <p>Peter remembers the year as being a disappointing one. “I know that I did not adjust well to living in Melbourne...or being away from Adelaide.......and I did not make the Olympic Team....but I know now that I did not work hard enough....or do the work to make the team and I have no problems with my non selection...I learnt a lot.”</p>

HTML <p>Again Peter’s mentors came into play when he sat down with Alan Hughes who was visiting Melbourne and Alan suggested Peter come back to Adelaide and get things “sorted out”.</p>

HTML <p>Peter returned to Adelaide in 1977 after the one year in Melbourne. </p>

HTML <p>That one year in Melbourne was the only time throughout his career Peter did not play with West Adelaide. He and the West Adelaide team were to win many SA District Championships over his long playing career with the Club.</p>

HTML <p>Back in Adelaide and playing very good basketball Peter was well favouredto be selected to the Australian Team for the 1978 World Championships in the Philippines, but he injured his knee and was not available for selection.</p>

HTML <p>In 1979 Peter played on the Australian Team that won the Oceania 1980 Olympic Games Qualification Tournament.</p>

HTML <p>Peter was then selected on the Australian Basketball Team for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. The team had to undergo some concerning times as the Australian Government and Australian sport was dealing with the US led boycott off the Moscow Games due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Australian Basketball Team got to Europe early to play practice games and to wait for the decision on the boycott. In the end the decision was left to the athletes and the sport and team decided to go to Moscow. </p>

HTML <p>Peter recalls.“Walking into the arena at the Opening Ceremony is so hard to describe....your mind and body wanders....you lose focus...I think I even wandered away from the team......it was magnificent!” Peter adds, “We did not see any children during the Games....maybe one.....it was weird”.</p>

HTML <p>“It was also very different playing for Lindsay Gaze. He was big on player roles. I had mainly been a scorer in my Club basketball and for SA....but he wanted me to be a defender and passer...that was now my role and it took some adjusting....but everyone was in the same boat...we all had our roles defined.”</p>

HTML <p>The Games were controversial for the Australians as they had to endure a “contrived” match result between Italy and Cuba whereby only a seven point margin could eliminate Australia from the finals and that is what happened. The result was very disappointing for Peter and the team. The Australians played well and finished in 8th position their equal best result to that time.</p>

HTML <p>Back home in Australia Peter was now a regular member of the SA senior team to play in the National Championships and was a member of the SA teams that won National Championships in 1977 and 1978 and were runners-up in 1979, 1981, 1982 and1984. The 1984 Australian Championships between States was the last time the Australian Senior Men’s Championships were held due to the dominance of the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australian basketball.</p>

HTML <p>In 1981 Peter was a member of the Australian Team that undertook a very arduous six week tour of the USA and China. That was to be his last Australian representation as he chose not to be available for the Australian Team for the 1982 World Championships.</p>

HTML <p>The NBL now became Peter’s main focus. Previously in 1980, the second year of the NBL Peter and West Adelaide were runners-up to St. Kilda, won the title in 1982 and were runners-up again in 1983. </p>

HTML <p>In 1985 West Adelaide merged with the Adelaide 36ers who had been in existence in the NBL since 1983. Peter went on to play 143 games with the 36ers, 14 of those were playoff games and he won an NBL Championship in 1986. His last games for the 36ers were in 1990 when he played two games. In all he played eleven seasons in the NBL and won two NBL Championships.</p>

HTML <p>In Adelaide he continued to play with West Adelaideand won a number of District Championships. He was runner-up for the WoollocottMedal (Best and Most Brilliant Player Award) one season, and named a Caltex Basketball Star of the Year on a couple of occasions. He captained-coached West Adelaide towards the end of his career.</p>

HTML <p>After his retirement from playing basketball seriously Peter stayed in basketball and sport. He was Assistant Coach with the Adelaide 36ers. He coached the Adelaide Buffaloes in the SEABL, and was Assistant Coach to Jan Stirling with the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL. “I learnt so much with Jan....she is a brilliant coach.....I really enjoyed the time with Jan and the team.....and we won the WNBL title three years in a row from 1994 to 1996 and then again in the 1997/98 season,” Peter recalls.</p>

HTML <p>He also coached juniors “to put something back into the game,” he says. He coached Under 14’s, Under 16’s and Under 18’s at West Adelaide and one year coached the SA Under 18 team at the National Championships.</p>

HTML <p>Peter has made a career in administration and worked as an administrator for South Australian Basketball Association for nineteen years, before taking a position with SA Netball. He then served as CEO of the NBL for two years (2002-03), before taking the position as CEO of Greyhound racing SA for seven years. He left Greyhound Racing to become CEO of SA Hockey. He has since moved to the Wine Industry.</p>

HTML <p>Looking back on his career Peter is most adamant about one thing. “I really haven’t contemplated too much about what I achieved...but what I do know is that I would not have achieved what I did in basketball without the great coaches and mentors I had on the way...Keith Miller, Alan Hughes, Ken Cole, Ken Richardson and Alan Dawe to single out some.”</p>

HTML <p>“Alan Hughes really influenced me in the way I played on the court and also gave me inspiration as to the way I wanted to live my life...I owe him a lot. Similarly Alan Dawe was a huge influence. The amount of time and support he gave me at a Club level and national level was very special,” Peter acknowledges.</p>

HTML <p>Peter Ali will be remembered as one of South Australia’s finest basketball players and a person who gave so much to his sport as a player, coach and administrator.</p>

HTML <p>Peter Ali drives the ball to the basket (Basketball News/Phil Clayton)</p>

HTML <p>Peter Ali 1980 Olympian (Basketball Australia)</p>