1944–45 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons season

1944–45 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons season
NBL champions
Head coach	Bobby McDermott
Results
Record	25–5 (.833)
Place	Division: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish	won NBL Championship against Sheboygan Redskins, 3-2
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The 1944–45 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons season was the fourth season of the franchise in the National Basketball League. The team was led by the star backcourt of 2 time league MVP Bobby McDermott and Buddy Jeannette. The season ended with the Pistons winning a league best 25 out of 30 games and McDermott being awarded his third MVP award. As of 2019 this is still the best record in franchise history. The playoffs began with a 2–0 sweep over the Cleveland Allmen Transfers to make the team's fourth straight NBL Championship series. There they were met by the Sheboygan Redskins for the third straight year. The series went to a full five games but ended with Fort Wayne defeating Sheboygan to successfully defend their NBL Championship. The Pistons would not return to the finals for another decade and would not win another championship until the 1989 NBA Finals. At the end of the season Blackie Towery left the team to join the military for World War II, however he would return one season later.

Roster

Rank	Player	Position
1	Robert McDermott	G
2	Buddy Jeannette	G
3	Jake Pelkington	C-F
4	Chick Reiser	G-F
5	Gerard Bush	F-C
6	Charley Shipp	G-F
7	Robert Synnott	F-C
8	Paul Birch	F-G
9	Ed Sadowski	C
10	James Glass	C
11	Blackie Towery	F-C
12	Dale Hamilton	G-F

League standings

Eastern Division

Pos.	Eastern Division	Wins	Losses	Win %
1	Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons	25	5	.833
2	Cleveland Allmen Transfers	13	17	.433
3	Pittsburgh Raiders	7	23	.233

Western Division

Pos.	Western Division	Wins	Losses	Win %
1	Sheboygan Red Skins	19	11	.633
2	Chicago American Gears	14	16	.467
3	Oshkosh All-Stars	12	18	.400

Awards and honors

• Robert McDermott won the NBL MVP award for the third straight season.