Basketball On The Internet.

ONE of the founding fathers of the Southern Tigers Basketball Association - previously Noarlunga City Tigers, Glenelg Tigers, Centrals and CY - and a leader of the sport in South Australia, Jeff Carey, died last Thursday, aged 83. A renowned coach and administrator, Jeff was a life member of both NCT and BASA.

Throughout the 1960s, '70s and '80s, Jeff was the driving force of basketball's growth to the south of Adelaide and a quality junior coach who took SA teams to championship success at national Under-16 and Under-18 levels.

Alongside club founder Kevin Lynch, Jeff ran the burgeoning CY (Catholic Youth) competition thriving at St Clair and other venues in the mid-60s.

In those mid-60s, Central, with its purple and white uniforms - which some believe originated through an association with Christian Brothers College - broke into top level District basketball (NBL1 Central currently). That breakthrough gave the sport new faces such as John Schouten, Mike Osborne, Ron Miller, Ron King, Leo Versteegh, John Anstey and players who later would grow into bona fide South Australian superstars such as Laurie Harcus, Eddie Murtagh and Steve Sparrow.

When the club grew and looked to associate with a district name, it became Glenelg Tigers, its colours changing to black and gold. At this time, it was the enthusiasm and hard work of Jeff Carey that drove the fortunes of the club. He was also though among the first to recognise the Glenelg area could not accommodate the club's burgeoning growth, the Basketball Association of SA building what initially was a two-court venue off States Road at Morphett Vale.

Already in 1975, Glenelg was promoting miniball in the stadium and had its senior men's team reaching its third District grand final.

In 1976 when Glenelg Tigers beat arch rival West to win the club's first senior men's championship, it was the start of a dynasty, the 1977 State championship following in quick succession.

Players such as Laurie Harcus, Rick Hodges  and Gerry Clarke now were stamping their names into the record books, Carey quietly enjoying the success as Glenelg officially changed its name to Noarlunga City Tigers on January 7, 1981.

That was after it already played in the NBL's 1979 inaugural season, the NBL's "original Tigers" now fully established as one of the state's two leading clubs.

Then in 1981 as the WNBL was launched, NCT was one of its inaugural clubs and instrumental in the league's formation.

The dominance of the Tigers in the District competition in the 70s reflected Jeff's tireless off-court work. State Championship players including Gerry Clarke, Rick Hodges, Lutz Heim, Kevin Osborne, Peter Hayes, Steve Sparrow and Laurie Harcus all benefited from Jeff's outstanding work.

Jeff also coached and managed South Australian junior teams as well as managing Australian teams. Check this one below for some famous names:

Jeff was coaching Glenelg junior boys teams when I was playing for Norwood. He wasn't an easy character to get to know, but once you had his trust, he had your back for life.

Greg Newley, the uncle of Brad and Mia Newley, NBL and WNBL stars respectively, was coaching North junior teams during the same period.

Steadily a loose social group formed, including players such as Scott Howarth from North, Peter Ali of West, Ossie Panozzo of Norwood, Alan Smith of North and myself - plus a transient number of other juniors - who would pile into Greg's car and after Friday night games at Forestville Stadium, we'd head to Olga's Pizza Bar on South Road.

Greg - who probably was Jeff's best friend - Greg's wife Denice, and Jeff kept us in order as the conversations often turned deep and meaningful ... and always extremely funny.

They were wonderful nights and the best of times I know we all treasured and can only reflect on now with great joy.

Caring for the game as greatly as he did, it was no surprise Jeff eventually was elevated to the presidency of the Basketball Association of SA, and became one of my most reliable and honest sources as I pursued my journalistic career with The News newspaper.

Jeff worked at the Bureau of Statistics, and was a regular contact, our long association building the bond we enjoyed. In 1984, he was presenting my wife Ilze with the Halls Medal, a year later presenting me with a BASA Merit Award for my services to the game through my newspaper coverage.

And he continued to bob up in our sport's most unusual places too. For example, in 1987 with the formation of the Adelaide Buffalos as a composite SA team to play in the SEABL, Jeff was apppointed manager of that team.

In their inaugural season, the Buffalos won the SEABL championship.    

Jeff Carey touched a great many people and I would like to thank John Spooner, John Wright and Tony Schar for their input into this eulogy. I will miss Jeff's meticulous attention to detail, great conversation but more, a dry sense of humour often only evident in his little hiccup giggle.

Thank you for your services old friend.

Vale Jeffrey.