When the National Basketball League was formed in 1979, the South Australian Basketball League entered their top two ranked clubs from the 1978 season as their representatives. This included the West Adelaide Bearcats and the Glenelg Tigers. The Tigers played in and won the very first game of the inaugural NBL season on 24 February 1979, defeating the City of Sydney Astronauts 68–65 at a half-full Apollo Stadium in Adelaide.
In 1979 when the National Basketball League was inaugurated, the South Australian Basketball League chose their top two teams from the previous year as representatives. These were the West Adelaide Bearcats and the Glenelg Tigers. The Tigers played and won the first NBL game on February 24, 1979, against the City of Sydney Astronauts with a score of 68–65 at half-capacity in Adelaide.