{{short description|American basketball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Mike Slusher | image = | caption = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6<!--per https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2018/7/19/_70_71.pdf --> | weight_lb = 210<!--per https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2018/7/19/_70_71.pdf --> | birth_date = {{circa|1948}}<!--Noted as being 54 years old in December 2002--> | birth_place = | death_date = March 2026 (aged 77–78) | death_place = | nationality = American | highschool = Talawanda (Oxford, Ohio) | college = Miami (OH) (1967–1972) | career_start = 1980 | career_end = 1989 | career_position = Center / forward | coach_start = 1988 | coach_end = 1990 | years1 = 1980–1985 | team1 = St. Kilda Saints | years2 = 1986 | team2 = Nunawading Spectres | years3 = 1989 | team3 = Knox Raiders | cyears1 = 1988–1990 | cteam1 = Knox Raiders | highlights = * NBL champion (1980) }} '''Mike Slusher''' ({{circa|1948}}<ref name=morningjournal>{{cite news |last1=Zoellner |first1=Bob |title=From Down Under to the states, students do more than play ball |url=https://www.morningjournal.com/2002/12/02/from-down-under-to-the-states-students-do-more-than-play-ball/ |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=The Morning Journal |date=2 December 2002 |quote=Slusher, 54, ended up liking it enough to settle there, and played professional basketball for nine years, until he was 40-years-old.}}</ref> – March 2026) was an American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for the Miami RedHawks before playing seven seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) between 1980 and 1986. In 1980, he won an NBL championship with the St. Kilda Saints. Following his NBL career, he had a stint as head coach for the Knox Raiders of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) between 1988 and 1990.
An educator by profession, Slusher worked as a teacher<ref name=nunawadingbasketball>{{cite news |title=Vale Mike Slusher |url=https://www.nunawadingbasketball.com.au/vale-mike-slusher/ |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=Nunawading Basketball |date=17 March 2026 |language=en-AU}}</ref> and basketball coach in Australia for 50 years.<ref name=bvic>{{cite news |title=Vale Mike Slusher |url=https://www.basketballvictoria.com.au/news/vale-mike-slusher |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=Basketball Victoria |date=18 March 2026 |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Early life== Slusher grew up in Oxford, Ohio,<ref name="morningjournal" /> where he attended Talawanda High School.<ref>{{cite web |title=1969-70 MIAMI VARSITY ROSTER |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2018/7/19/_68_69.pdf |website=Miami RedHawks |access-date=21 March 2026}}</ref><ref name=7071stats>{{cite web |title=1970-71 STATISTICS |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2018/7/19/_70_71.pdf |website=Miami RedHawks |access-date=21 March 2026}}</ref>
==Playing career== ===College=== Slusher played Division 1 college basketball for the Miami RedHawks in Oxford, Ohio.<ref name=dba>{{cite news |title=Vale Mike Slusher |url=https://dba.net.au/13918-2/ |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=Dandenong Basketball Association |date=17 March 2026 |language=en-AU}}</ref> In 1967–68, he averaged 15.8 points per game.<ref name=BGSU>{{cite web |title=BGSU Basketball Media Guide 1968-1969 |url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/BGSU_Basketball_Media_Guide_1968-1969.pdf |website=Wikimedia |publisher=Bowling Green State University |access-date=21 March 2026 |pages=17}}</ref> He was considered a leading prospect as a sophomore in 1968–69.<ref name="BGSU" /> In 1970–71, he averaged 1.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 10 games.<ref name="7071stats" /><ref name=sports-reference>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/mike-slusher-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref> In 1971–72, he averaged 0.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in seven games.<ref name="sports-reference" /><ref>{{cite web |title=1971-72 STATISTICS |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2018/7/19/_71_72.pdf |website=Miami RedHawks |access-date=21 March 2026}}</ref> He was a letterwinner for the RedHawks in 1971–72.<ref>{{cite web |title=2019-20 MBK Record Book |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/miamiredhawks.com/documents/2019/10/11/2019_20_MBK_Record_Book.pdf |website=Miami RedHawks |access-date=21 March 2026 |pages=53 (55)}}</ref>
===Australia=== In June 1978, Slusher played for Diamond Valley Toshiba, a team of Melbourne-based Americans, in an exhibition game against the Santa Clara Broncos at Greensborough. He scored a team-high 25 points in a 128–75 loss.<ref>{{cite news|title=Win with 'ridiculous ease'|date=28 June 1978|newspaper=The Canberra Times|page=34|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131861424|access-date=21 March 2026|via=Trove}}</ref>
Slusher debuted in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) in the 1980 season for the St. Kilda Saints.<ref name=nbl80>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1980 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199548-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref> He filled one of two import spots for St. Kilda alongside Rocky Smith.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nagy |first1=Boti |title=NBL postpones free agency period as it wrestles with possible three-import restriction and contract restructures |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-postpones-free-agency-period-as-it-wrestles-with-possible-threeimport-restriction-and-contract-restructures/news-story/a22276d7654b14b4d635ddc8574c5206 |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=adelaidenow.com.au |date=10 March 2016 |quote=By 1980, St Kilda went to two imports — Rocky Smith and Mike Slusher — the league soon legislating for that restriction.}}</ref> He scored 18 points in the 1980 grand final against the West Adelaide Bearcats. In nine games, he averaged 12.3 points per game.<ref name="nbl80" /> He continued with the Saints every year between 1981 and 1985, playing 130 games over six seasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1981 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199567-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1982 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199573-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1983 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199576-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1984 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199566-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1985 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124005-199545-16568335 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref> In the 1983 season, he led the league with a 64.8% (96/148) field goal percentage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com/nbl-all-time-leaders|title=All Time Leaders|work=NBL.com.au|access-date=25 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923062541/http://nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com/nbl-all-time-leaders|archive-date=23 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1985, he wore jersey number 5 for St. Kilda and was listed as a {{convert|200|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} center/forward.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boti Nagy {{!}} FLASHBACK 23: The Cannon, April 13, 1985 |url=https://www.botinagy.com/blog/flashback-23-the-cannon-april-13-1985/ |access-date=21 March 2026 |work=www.botinagy.com |date=30 November 2013}}</ref>
Prior to the 1986 NBL season, Slusher parted ways with the Saints<ref>{{cite news|first=Gary|last=Scholes|title=New players to meet Cannons; Slusher leaves gap in Saints|date=4 April 1986|newspaper=The Canberra Times|page=20|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118195448/13026027|access-date=21 March 2026|via=Trove|quote=Slusher, 37, has played more than 100 games for St Kilda but he has parted company with the club and has applied to another National Basketball League club, Nunawading.}}</ref> and joined the Nunawading Spectres, where in his lone season he averaged 7.5 points in 26 games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Slusher - Player Statistics NBL 1986 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124423-199572-16568784 |website=GameDay |access-date=21 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
Following his NBL career, Slusher spent time as both a player and head coach of the Knox Raiders of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).<ref>{{cite news |title=Vale Mike Slusher |url=https://www.facebook.com/KnoxBasketballInc/posts/pfbid02q3aWncRJ1vtF2U64DpLGyrEq9u35TsS9Yx61FFAwDw7cEr54VYDBpUKRFJZm4NmDl |access-date=25 March 2026 |work=facebook.com/KnoxBasketballInc |date=17 March 2026}}</ref> In his three seasons as head coach between 1988 and 1990, the Raiders failed to make the playoffs.<ref name=seabl10>{{cite web |title=Knox Raiders Men – Media Guide 2010 |url=http://www.seabl.com.au/uploads/media/10mknox_01.pdf |website=SEABL.com.au |access-date=25 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216060757/http://www.seabl.com.au/uploads/media/10mknox_01.pdf |archive-date=16 February 2011 |url-status=dead |page=5–6}}</ref><ref name=seabl14>{{cite web |title=Knox Raiders – Media Guide 2014 |url=http://www.seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Media_Guide_2014/MG2014_-_Knox_Raiders.pdf |website=SEABL.com.au |access-date=25 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310083523/http://www.seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Media_Guide_2014/MG2014_-_Knox_Raiders.pdf |archive-date=10 March 2015 |url-status=dead |page=4}}</ref> As a player in 1989, he twice had 11 offensive rebounds in a single game.<ref name="seabl10" /> As of 2014, he was in the top ten in five statistical categories in Knox SEABL history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Media Guide 2014 – Men all time leaders – Knox |url=http://www.seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Media_Guide_2014/men_alltime_leaders_-_knox.pdf |website=SEABL.com.au |access-date=25 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310083530/http://www.seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Media_Guide_2014/men_alltime_leaders_-_knox.pdf |archive-date=10 March 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Legacy== Slusher enjoyed a long and respected coaching career across the SEABL and Big V, and as well as in Basketball Victoria High Performance programs.<ref name="nunawadingbasketball" /> He also served as assistant coach at the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.<ref name="bvic" />
At the Basketball Victoria 2025 annual awards, Slusher was recognised with a 50 years' service award.<ref name="bvic" />
==Teaching== Slusher was an English teacher and the boy's junior varsity coach at Sandusky High School in Sandusky, Ohio, from 1974 to 1976. In 1976, he moved to Australia for a 15-month teaching assignment but ultimately never returned and settled down in Australia.<ref name="morningjournal" />
As of 2002, Slusher was teaching professional writing and editing at a TAFE in Australia.<ref name="morningjournal" />
==Personal life and death== Slusher married an Australian woman in 1984.<ref name="morningjournal" /> He and his wife, Jenny, had two daughters, Cathryn and Menallie.<ref name="dba" /> Jenny Slusher served as head coach of the Knox Raiders women's team in the 1990 SEABL season.<ref name="seabl14" />
Slusher died in March 2026.<ref name="nunawadingbasketball" /><ref name="bvic" /><ref name="dba" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194197004&client=0-8739-124423-199572-16568784 NBL stats]
{{St. Kilda Saints 1980 NBL champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slusher, Mike}} Category:1940s births Category:2026 deaths Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Ohio Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Forwards (basketball) Category:Miami RedHawks men's basketball players Category:Nunawading Spectres players Category:People from Oxford, Ohio Category:Southern Melbourne Saints players