Dr Dave Adkins and why he should be in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
February 14, 2021
Brian Banks
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 1/05/57
- Place of Birth:
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 183
- Weight (KG): #N/A
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Nebraska (1975-1979)
- NBL DEBUT: 3/02/80
- AGE AT DEBUT: 22
- LAST NBL GAME: 26/06/83
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Brisbane 1980-82 | Geelong 1983
- Championships: 0
- None
NBL EXPERIENCE
Brian Banks made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 22 years of age. He scored 21 points in his first game.
The Bullets replaced inaugural head coach Bob Young prior to the 1980 season with Dave Claxton. The Bullets made it to the finals in the second NBL season of 1980, finishing in third place after winning 17 of their 22-season games, the Bullets met the West Adelaide Bearcats in the second semi-final, losing 101–94.
Banks averaged 20.5 points and was selected to the All-NBL first team that season.
1981
Brisbane returned to the postseason for their second year in a row in 1981, with star import Banks taking over from Bruce Fitzgerald as team captain. Brisbane also added a skinny forward in 1981 going by the name of Leroy Loggins (who would later have his own statue built outside Boondall Entertainment Centre) led the team in scoring his first season with 22.1 points per game with Banks also adding 20.2 per game as Brisbane finished in fifth place.
Due to first-placed St. Kilda deciding not to participate in the playoffs, who instead chose to play in the World Club Championships in Brazil, the Bullets were elevated into the semi finals as the fourth placed seed. The Bullets lost to eventual champions Launceston Casino City 71–69 in the semi-final game.
1982
In 1982, Sengstock left St Kilda to play in Brisbane under new coach Rick Harden. Sengstock (17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1 assist), despite it being only his first year with the Bullets, was named co-captain alongside import Brian Banks (22.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists).
The Bullets then finished in eighth place, missing out on qualifying for the finals.
GEELONG CATS
1983
Banks would average 12.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists as the Cats finished with a record of 18-4 and finished in second place during the regular season.
Brian Banks played four seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Brisbane Bullets and the Geelong Cats. He averaged 18.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 96 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 26 | Geelong | 18-4 (2) | 25 | 0 | 317 | 66 | 24 | 14 | 52 | 42 | 7 | 36 | 68 | 135 | 259 | 52% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 47 | 62 | 76% | 55% | 52% | 22 |
| 1982 | 25 | Brisbane | 12-14 (8) | 25 | 0 | 561 | 110 | 44 | 19 | 91 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 59 | 226 | 468 | 48% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 109 | 148 | 74% | 52% | 48% | 36 |
| 1981 | 24 | Brisbane | 13-9 (5) | 23 | 0 | 465 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 197 | 394 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 71 | 88 | 81% | 53% | 50% | 32 |
| 1980 | 23 | Brisbane | 15-7 (3) | 23 | 0 | 472 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 201 | 402 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 70 | 100 | 70% | 53% | 50% | 31 | Totals | 96 | 0 | 1815 | 176 | 68 | 33 | 143 | 42 | 7 | 108 | 265 | 759 | 1523 | 49.8% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 297 | 398 | 74.6% | 53% | 50% | 36 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 26 | Geelong | 18-4 (2) | 25 | 0.0 | 12.7 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 10.4 | 52% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.9 | 2.5 | 76% | 54.9% | 52% | 22 |
| 1982 | 25 | Brisbane | 12-14 (8) | 25 | 0.0 | 22.4 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 9.0 | 18.7 | 48% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 4.4 | 5.9 | 74% | 52.1% | 48% | 36 |
| 1981 | 24 | Brisbane | 13-9 (5) | 23 | 0.0 | 20.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 8.6 | 17.1 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 3.1 | 3.8 | 81% | 53.4% | 50% | 32 |
| 1980 | 23 | Brisbane | 15-7 (3) | 23 | 0.0 | 20.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 8.7 | 17.5 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 3.0 | 4.3 | 70% | 52.5% | 50% | 31 | Total | 96 | 0.0 | 18.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 7.9 | 15.9 | 49.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 74.6% | 53% | 50% | 36 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 36 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
COLLEGE
Banks played four seasons at Nebraska from 1975-76 through 1978-79, appearing in 110 games and making 83 starts while finishing his career with 1,150 points (10.5 points per game), 256 total rebounds (2.3 per game), and shooting 471-for-986 from the field (47.8%) and 208-for-298 at the free throw line (69.8%).
As a freshman in 1975-76, Banks played in 27 games and started once, totaling 122 points (4.5 points per game) while shooting 42-for-93 from the field (45.2%) and 38-for-49 at the line (77.6%), and he added 33 rebounds (1.2 per game) as Nebraska went 19-8 overall (10-4 in conference).
In 1976-77, Banks moved into a full-time starting role by starting all 29 games he played, scoring 386 points (13.3 per game) on 160-for-330 shooting (48.5%) with 66-for-100 free throw shooting (66.0%), while adding 73 rebounds (2.5 per game) as the Cornhuskers finished 15-14 overall (7-7 in conference).
Banks’ best season came as a junior in 1977-78, when he started all 30 games and averaged 14.0 points per game (419 total points) while shooting 173-for-351 from the field (49.3%) and 73-for-103 at the foul line (70.9%), and he chipped in 84 rebounds (2.8 per game) as Nebraska went 22-8 overall (9-5 in conference) and earned an NIT bid, with Banks receiving first-team All-Big Eight honours that season.
As a senior in 1978-79, Banks played 24 games and started 23, totaling 223 points (9.3 points per game) while shooting 96-for-212 from the field (45.3%) and 31-for-46 at the stripe (67.4%), and he matched his prior season’s rebounding rate with 66 rebounds (2.8 per game) as Nebraska finished 14-13 overall (7-7 in conference).
Across his four-year Nebraska career, Banks produced double-figure scoring in three straight seasons after his freshman year, became a member of Nebraska’s 1,000-point club with 1,150 career points, and was later inducted into the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
AWARDS
- 1x All-NBL First Team- 1st Team - Cypriot Basketball Division A (2006)
-
Related
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