Phil Smyth

HTML <h2><strong>No 62 PHIL SMYTH</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 0 inch (179cms)</strong><strong>Point Guard</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>Australia was playing Italy in a crunch game at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. The Australians had to win if they wanted to get to the Quarter Finals as they had lost to Cuba in their first game. They had never beaten Italy in competition, but they were ready and with their new scoring sensation Ian Davies they were giving their all against the Italians. After leading at half-time the Boomers were heading to a great victory, but only if their point-guard who was having a blinder stayed on the court. The Italians decided that it was time to take the highly skilled Aussie out of the game “fair means or foul”. On a cut to the basket the big Italian centre stepped out on a screen and “poked an elbow out” sending the spindly Australian guard to the floor. Barely conscious the guard recovered, the referees realised they had “missed something” and though on wobbly legs the guard steered the Aussies to a historic win. It was one example in many of heroics the point-guard would perform for his country in basketball.</p>

HTML <p>Phillip John Smyth was born on the 11th of May 1958 in Adelaide, South Australia.</p>

HTML <p>Phil started playing basketball as a five year old with his older brother David and his father Ralph (a former State swimmer and keen all round sportsman) as the coach of the St Dunstan (Adelaide) team. Thus began a life-time love affair with basketball.</p>

HTML <p>At primary school Phil was selected in a junior State Australian Rules Football team. However he soon made basketball his main priority. He joined the Sturt Basketball Club and came under the coaching of John Wright and Neil Gliddon.</p>

HTML <p>Neil in particular spent many hours tutoring the Smyth brothers in the fundamentals of the game while they were also under the watchful eye of 1964 Olympic coach Keith Miller who worked at the Forestville stadium. On looking back Phil comments, “Without this thorough grounding in the skills of the game I would never gone on to be the player I did.”</p>

HTML <p>Phil was soon selected for the senior Sturt Club Team. He was selected on the SA Junior Teams that won National Championships in 1973, 1975 and 1976. </p>

HTML <p>At this stage in his career Phil cites a couple of incidents that had life-long effect on him. As a sixteen year old and with the SA Under 20 team he was at a tournament in Broken Hill when the coach discovered players in Phil’s room drinking and gave them a dressing down about how negative effect smoking and drinking could have on your future desires to be a great basketball player. Ever the one to check things out, a few weeks later Phil caught up with Olympian Werner Linde at a shoot around in the Forestville stadium and asked Werner what he thought on smoking and drinking. Phil greatly admired Werner. “He rarely missed a shot and worked very hard,” comments Phil. According to Phil, Werner’s response would have a huge effect on him. Werner replied, “Actually I do regret smoking and drinking because I will never know how good I could have been.” From that moment on Phil says, “I decided that I would never drink or smoke and would do everything I could to maximise being the best I could.”</p>

HTML <p>Phil played on a number of SA Under-20 National Championship winning teams with his brother David, and future Olympian Andy Campbell. </p>

HTML <p>In 1976 Phil was chosen to captain the Australian Under-20 Team which toured the Philippines. The tour to the Philippines was a big eye opener for Phil and he says that it” toughened me up, taught me to cope, whatever the situation......and cured me from collecting rubbish (souvenirs) on tour.” </p>

HTML <p>In 1977 he was selected on the Australian Men’s Team for their sixteen game tour of the USA and Europe. The world was really opening up for the youngster. In 1977 Phil also played for Australia in Australia against Perugina, Italy and Wartburg College, USA. </p>

HTML <p>He played for the Australian Team in 1978 against Czechoslovakia, Simon Frazer University and Athletes in Action(all whom toured Australia) and was a member of the team that won the Oceania 1978 World Championships Qualification Tournament. </p>

HTML <p>That year he was selected on the Australian Men’s Team to tour the USA while he was still in the Australian Junior Team. It was a busy year. </p>

HTML <p>The Australian Junior Team toured Europe that year however Phil (and Larry Sengstock) had to withdraw from the team as they were selected to the Australian Men’s Team for the World Championships. The 1978 World Championships in the Philippines was Smyth’s first taste of international competition at a world event. This was the start of an illustrious representative career. The Australian Teamfinished a very credible 7th and Phil made a strong impression on all those who saw him play.</p>

HTML <p>Cibona, Italy, and Colorado State University toured to Australia in 1979 and Phil played for Australia against those teams. He was also a member of the Australian team that won the Oceania 1980 Olympic Qualification tournament that year. At the end of the year the Australian Team with Phil on the team undertook a ten match tour to the USA to round off another busy year. By this time Phil was the leading point-guard on the Australian Team and the major play-maker.</p>

HTML <p>The Moscow Olympics were looming in 1980 and Phil played for Australia in Australia against Jugoplastika, Oklahoma University and the University of Puget Sound. Phil’s dream came true when he was selected to play for Australia at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.</p>

HTML <p>However there was much drama as western countries boycotted the Games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. While the Australians were in Europe playing preparation games they waited anxiously to see whether Australia would participate. The Australian Government decided that the decision would be up to the athletes. The players on the Australian Basketball Team decided to attend the Games.</p>

HTML <p>The Games had controversy in the basketball when Italy and Cuba “contrived” a seven point win for Italy which eliminated the Australians from the Quarter Finals. Any other result would have seen the Australians through to the next round. For Phil and the team it was a disappointing and even bewildering moment. Nevertheless the Australian Team did remarkably well by finishing in eighth position.</p>

HTML <p>In 1981 Phil played for Australia in Australia against Partisan, Wartburg College, Biola University and the University of West Virginia. The National Teamwith Phil as a member won the Oceania 1982 World Championship Qualification Tournament and then undertook another ten match tour to the USA to play against College teams.</p>

HTML <p>1982 was all about getting ready for the World Championships and the year started for Phil with games at home for the Australian team (now called the Boomers) against China, Zadar-Belgrade and Iona University. Phil was selected to the Boomers team for the World Championships in Columbia. At this time he was also captain of the team. </p>

HTML <p>The Boomers played games in Los Angeles then moved on to Colombia for the Championships. Colombia was basically unknown to the Australians. The presence of the crime cartels, the violence, security and “wild-west” atmosphere was exciting but also threatening. The Australian Team and Phil played exceptionally well and secured Australia’s best equal ever result at a World Championship when they finished in 5th position.</p>

HTML <p>Each year was busy for Phil and the Boomers. 1983 began with the tour to Australia by the NIT Colleges, and was followed by the first Commonwealth Basketball Championships and Oceania 1984 Olympic Qualification Tournament in New Zealand. The Australians collected the Bronze Medal in the Commonwealth Basketball Games and won the Olympic Qualification Tournament. The year was rounded off for Phil with a twelve game tour with the Boomers to the USA and Canada.</p>

HTML <p>1984 saw just the one visiting team to Australia with Yugoslavian club team Buducnost playing against the Boomers with Phil a member of the team.</p>

HTML <p>Phil was selected to Boomers team for the 1984 LA Olympic Games. The team played preparation games in Canada prior to arriving in Los Angeles for the Olympics. Once again the Games were affected by boycott, this time by the Soviets,in retaliation for the US boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.</p>

HTML <p>Phil played superbly in Los Angeles and the Australians gained 7th place their best ever performance to that time.</p>

HTML <p>In his Club career in the National Basketball League (NBL) Phil played with St Kilda (1982), Canberra Cannons (1983-1992), Adelaide 36ers (1993-1994), and the Sydney Kings (1995).</p>

HTML <p>In1983 he moved from Adelaide to Canberra for what would prove to be ten successful seasons. During that time he enhanced his reputation as one of the best ever Australian basketball players and helped transform the Cannons into a NBL Championship winning team.</p>

HTML <p>Smyth was an outstanding player in the NBL and won three NBL Championships as a player with the Canberra Cannons(1983, 1984 and 1988) and won three NBL Championshipswith the Adelaide 36ers as the Head Coach (1998, 1998/99, 2001/02).</p>

HTML <p>In and NBL career stretching from 1982 to 1995 Phil played a total of 356 games. In that period he continually led the League in many player statistical categories and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, an NBL First Team member six times, Grand Final MVP in 1988, on the NBL 20th Anniversary Team, and the NBL 25th Anniversary Team in 2003-04.</p>

HTML <p>After the 1984 Olympics Phil played for the Boomers in the Australia Games in 1985 where Australia won the Gold Medal, and on the Oceania 1986 World Championship Qualification Tournament winning Boomers team. Phil also toured with the Boomers for a ten match tour to the USA and played games in Australia against the PAC 10.</p>

HTML <p>1986 started with a tour to Australia by the University Las Vegas Nevada before Phil and the Boomers went to Spain for the 1986 World Championships. The Boomers were upset in the preliminary rounds of the World Championships and were out of the finals and finished in 13th place out of 26 teams.</p>

HTML <p>1987 was about re-building for the Australian Team after the disappointments of Spain, and ensuring qualification for the 1988 Olympic Games. Phil was a member of the Boomers team that won the 1988 Olympic Qualification Tournament. Further preparation for the Olympics continued in 1987 with a series against the strong Big East and then a six match series against the mighty USSR. This last series ignited basketball all over Australia and made many of the team, including Phil, household names in Australian sport.Phil and the Boomers then rounded off a very good year of strong opponents with a nine match tour of Europe. </p>

HTML <p>Now that they had qualified for the Seoul Olympic Games the Boomers needed another strong preparation year in 1988 to enhance the preparation of 1987. They did this with series in Australia against Czechoslovakia, Nebraska University and the USSR. The USSR series was another electric series and occurred only a few weeks prior to the Olympics. Phil was named as captain of the 1988 Australian Olympic Men’s Basketball Team.</p>

HTML <p>In the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games the Boomers played superbly and were brilliantly led by Phil as they broke through to the medal round for the first time at a world event. In the Quarter Final against Spain Phil was superb and his cool-head and assured play was a big factor in the Boomers historic win.The team secured 4th place the equal best ever result for an Australian Men’s Team at an Olympic Games.</p>

HTML <p>In 1989 Phil captained the Boomers in Australia against the Kareem Abdul JabbarAll Stars, in the Oceania 1990 World Championship Qualification Tournament, and on the fourteen match tour to the USA and Argentina.</p>

HTML <p>The next year 1990 was a disappointing preparation year for the Boomers and Phil as Basketball Australia was unable to secure any teams to visit Australia to play the Boomers. The Boomers had to settle for preparation via the Goodwill games in Seattle on their way to the World Championships in Argentina. The 1990 World Championships were an exciting affair. The Boomers finished a highly credible seventh place.</p>

HTML <p>In 1991 Phil and the Boomers played games against Fortudo Bologna, won the Oceania 1992 Olympic Qualification Tournament, and toured Europe.</p>

HTML <p>In 1992 Phil captained the Boomers against China, the South West All Stars and domestic All Star teams and was selected on the Australian Team for the Barcelona Olympic Games. NBL commitments kept the Boomers in Australia up to the weekend prior to the Games.The Boomers started the tournament in fine style but they struggled for consistency. They finished in 6th place the second best result to that time. Phil again excelled himself as Captain and leader of the team.</p>

HTML <p>In 1993 Phil played for the Boomers against a visiting Russian national team, and in the Oceania 1994 World Championships Qualification Tournament which the Boomers won. In 1994 Phil played with the Boomers against the US Marathon Oil team and the George Washington Universityin Australia. Phil was selected on the Boomers team for the 1994 World Championships and the Boomers finished a highly credible fifth, the equal best ever performance by the Boomers at a World Championships.</p>

HTML <p>Phil played three more games for the Boomers. Two were against the touring Magic Johnson All Stars and one was in a charity game.</p>

HTML <p>Injuries were now limiting what Phil could do on the court and he did not play for Australia again.</p>

HTML <p>Phil states in his book “The General” that three important people (coaches) came into his life. “Ken Cole motivated me to believe in myself in my earlier days by selecting me in State senior teams, Lindsay Gaze had a profound effect on me in terms of my self-motivation and self-belief, and Adrian Hurley was an excellent national coachvery modern, knowledgeable and someone with whom I had a great understanding.”</p>

HTML <p>A dynamic point guard whose nickname was “the General”, Smyth led the Boomers to many famous victories non more famous than his superb play in the 1988 Olympic Quarter Final against Spain when he made some great baskets, played superb defence and led the team magnificently. </p>

HTML <p>During his Olympic career he was regarded as one of the finest point guards in the world. He was a great leader, an excellent shooter, a tremendous defensive player and a dynamic leader especially in tight situations. </p>

HTML <p>In his career with the Boomers he was usually one of the leading scorers on the team, led the team in steals and assists and often was one of the leading rebounders on the team despite only being 185cms in height.</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth represented Australia at the 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. A four time Olympian is a rarity and is testament to his fitness, professionalism, and value to the Boomers team. He may have even made the 1996 Olympic team except for injuries which were shortening his careerand forced him to retire after his 1995 NBL season with the Sydney Kings.He played for the Boomers at the 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Championships and again showed his characteristics that demonstrated his greatness in his sport. He captained Australia in basketball more times than any player in history.</p>

HTML <p>Team-mate Ian Davies describes Phil as “the best point guard I have seen in international basketball. He handled the pressure, despite being double-teamed.He scored, defended, organized the team and made big plays.”</p>

HTML <p>After his retirement at the conclusion of the 1995NBL season Phil established an outstanding career in coaching and took the Adelaide 36ers to the NBL title in 1998, 1998/99 and 2001/02 seasons.His playing career in the NBL involved 356 games and three titles, his coaching career 354 games and three titles. This stellar career in the NBL is one of the most decorated and successful as is his international playing career. He has set standards in coaching and playing in the NBL and for Australia that may never be equalled.He retired from NBL coaching after the 2007/08 season.</p>

HTML <p>In 2001 Phil was the coach of the Australian Boomers team in the World Championships Qualification series held in New Zealand.</p>

HTML <p>As a four-time Olympian, five time World Championship player, three time NBL championship winning player and three time NBL winning coach Phil is regarded as one of Australia’s greatest male basketball players and coaches.</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth is a member of the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame and the National Basketball League Hall of Fame and has been awarded an AM for services to basketball.</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth (Basketball Australia)</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth shoots for the basket for Australia (Basketball Australia)</p>

HTML <p>Ph</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth drives off a Paul; Kuiper</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth playing for the Boomers (Basketball Australia)</p>

HTML <p>Phil Smyth against UNLV (Basketball Australia)</p>