Greg Olbrich, the father of Illawarra Hawks centre Lachlan Olbrich, has died aged 51 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game.
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The former Adelaide Giants and Southern Tigers player suffered a medical episode during a social match for the senior men's division at Morphett Vale Stadium in South Australia on Wednesday night.
The Illawarra Hawks shared their condolences with the Olbrich family.
"The thoughts and best wishes of everybody within the Illawarra Hawks community are with Lachlan and the Olbrich family," the club said.
Greg Olbrich was a big figure in South Australian basketball.
Olbrich was a former winner of the Woollacot Medal for the most valuable player in the South Australian State League, which has become known as the NBL1 Central.
Olbrich shared the award in 1995 with current Adelaide 36ers NBL coach Scott Ninnis.
Ninnis told The Advertiser in South Australia it was hard to believe his friend was gone after seeing him over the weekend.
"I go back with Greg from my play days - we played against each other for many years," Ninnis said.
"Every time we'd see each other at a function or somewhere, one of my smart alec mates would get us to take a picture together - so that became a running joke.
"I spoke to him last year about it and said, no one can ever take this away from you."
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
