CJ Bruton
February 2, 2021
Ben Castle
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 17/04/76
- Place of Birth: Sydney (NSW)
- Position: G/F
- Height (CM): 196
- Weight (KG): 100
- Junior Assoc: QLD - Brisbane
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 13/04/96
- AGE AT DEBUT: 20
- LAST NBL GAME: 16/02/08
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 31
- NBL History: Gold Coast 1996 | Brisbane 1998, 2002-05 | Sydney 1999-00 | Wollongong 2006-08
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Ben Castle was born in Sydney (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Brisbane basketball program. Castle received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1995. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Ben Castle made his NBL debut with the Gold Coast Rollers at 20 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.
Castle played as a swing man whilst in the NBL, playing both shooting guard and small forward.
Although 1996 would be Castle’s rookie season it would also be the Gold Coast Rollers final season. The team began the year financially unstable and was unable to re-sign imports Steve Woodberry and Fred Herzog. Castle averaged 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists as a solid contributor from the bench.
The only notable part of the Rollers final season would be a last ditch effort to draw crowds by adding former Sydney Kings star Dwayne McClain to the roster for the last six games of season.
The team compiled a record of 6 wins and 20 losses and would not return in 1997.
Castle was left without a team when the Rollers folded at the end of the season but the following year was signed by the Brisbane Bullets in 1998 as a replacement for the departing Ben Thompson.
BRISBANE BULLETS
1998
After finishing fifth with a 15-15 record before being swept by Perth in the 1997 elimination finals, Brisbane entered 1998 having been eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs for four consecutive seasons. The Bullets released head coach David Ingham and brought Brian Kerle back to the club after he had previously coached Brisbane to championships in 1985 and 1987. Mike McKay (to Canberra), Dwayne McClain, Mark Dalton (to Wollongong), Robert Sibley and Leonard White departed, while captain Leroy Loggins, Steve Woodberry, Rodger Smith, John Szigeti, Ben Thompson and Aaron Honeyman returned. Kerle added import Chuck Kornegay, Mark Nash, CJ Bruton (via Indian Hills CC), Ryan Stolberg and Ben Castle, who returned to the NBL after spending 1997 with the Suncoast Clippers and helping them win the national championship.
The high cost of playing home games at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, combined with falling attendances, also prompted the Bullets to move into the smaller 4,000-seat Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from the beginning of the season.
Castle (2.8 points across 16 games) provided backcourt and wing depth behind Brisbane’s more established rotation, appearing in 15 regular-season games and one playoff game after first receiving minutes during March.
Castle’s best and highest-scoring game came against Townsville on April 25, where Castle (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) made all five of his field-goal attempts, all from three-point range, in 32 minutes as Brisbane fell 103-102 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Woodberry (28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Bruton (23 points and 5 assists) led the Bullets, while Derek Rucker (23 points and 10 assists) was Townsville’s best.
Woodberry (26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals across 34 games) produced the highest-scoring NBL season of his career to that point, led the league in free-throw percentage at 92.2 percent and earned All-NBL First Team honours. Loggins (17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 26 games) remained another major scoring option, while Bruton (15.4 points, 4 assists, and 1.8 steals across 34 games) became a key part of the backcourt. Kornegay (16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 32 games) anchored the interior and earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Nash (9.8 points and 8.2 rebounds across 34 games) added further size and rebounding. Brisbane finished fourth with a 16-14 record and claimed home-court advantage over Melbourne through the head-to-head tie-breaker.
Castle did not play as Brisbane opened the elimination finals at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre with a 93-80 victory over defending champion Melbourne. Woodberry (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Nash (20 points and 7 rebounds) led Brisbane, while Andrew Gaze (34 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Melbourne’s best.
Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Castle (3 points) made his only field-goal attempt, a three-pointer, in 3:07 as Brisbane overwhelmed the Tigers 114-81. Loggins (27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Woodberry (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Bullets, while Lanard Copeland (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Mark Bradtke (20 points and 6 rebounds) were Melbourne’s best. The victory completed the sweep and moved Brisbane beyond the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Castle did not play in the opening semifinal against South East Melbourne at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, where Woodberry (46 points and 12 rebounds) and Kornegay (19 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Brisbane, but Tony Ronaldson (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Mike Kelly (25 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led the Magic to a 106-98 victory.
Castle again did not play in game two at Melbourne Park, where Woodberry (28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Bruton (15 points and 5 assists) led Brisbane, while Sam Mackinnon (30 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Ronaldson (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led South East Melbourne to a 90-84 victory, completing the semifinal sweep and ending Brisbane’s season one round short of the Grand Final.
1998/99
During the 1998/99 season, joined the Sydney Kings who were in the middle of a rebuilding season and missed the playoffs after finishing with a 9-17 record. He averaged 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds while the Kings finished in 10th place.
1999/2000
During the 1999/00 season, Castle averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds, and helped guide the Kings to a seventh-place finish during the regular season with a 11-17 record.
Castle went unsigned for the 2000/01 season but the following year returned to the Brisbane Bullets after an impressive year in the state league.
2001/02
2001/02 saw Castle average 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds and play a key role in helping the Bullets to a seventh-place finish during the regular season with a 14-16 record.
2002/03
In 2002/03 Castle averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds but the Bullets failed to make the playoffs and finished with a 6-24 record.
2003/04
During the 2003/04 season, Castle averaged 10.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, and helped guide the Bullets to a fourth place finish in the regular season with a 22-11 record.
2004/05
In 2004/05 Castle averaged 5.9 points and 4.7 rebounds, and helped guide the Bullets to a fifth place finish in the regular season with a 17-15 record.
WOLLONGONG HAWKS
2005/06
The Brisbane Bullets did not offer a contract to Castle after the 2004/05 season, as a result he moved to Wollongong to finish his career playing for the Hawks. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.0 rebounds, and helped guide the Hawks to a third place finish (19-13) in 2006.
2006/07
Castle averaged 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 2006/07 while the Hawks struggled to a ninth place finish with a 11-22 record.
2007/08
Castle played his last year in the NBL in 2007/08, averaging 6.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while the Hawks missed the playoffs, finishing with only nine wins for the year.
Ben Castle played eleven seasons across four NBL teams. This included the Gold Coast Rollers, Sydney Kings, Brisbane Bullets and Wollongong Hawks. He averaged 5.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 303 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 31 | Wollongong | 9-21 (11) | 30 | 876 | 188 | 148 | 60 | 37 | 111 | 31 | 6 | 56 | 103 | 58 | 190 | 31% | 32 | 126 | 25% | 40 | 65 | 62% | 43% | 39% | 15 |
| 2006-07 | 30 | Wollongong | 11-22 (9) | 33 | 755 | 142 | 112 | 74 | 41 | 71 | 31 | 2 | 46 | 75 | 47 | 154 | 31% | 23 | 93 | 25% | 25 | 41 | 61% | 41% | 38% | 15 |
| 2005-06 | 29 | Wollongong | 19-13 (3) | 33 | 480 | 119 | 67 | 42 | 24 | 43 | 13 | 4 | 27 | 62 | 40 | 121 | 33% | 18 | 74 | 24% | 21 | 35 | 60% | 43% | 40% | 13 |
| 2004-05 | 28 | Brisbane | 17-15 (5) | 36 | 1,002 | 212 | 168 | 72 | 61 | 107 | 24 | 12 | 39 | 114 | 72 | 231 | 31% | 48 | 152 | 32% | 20 | 35 | 57% | 43% | 42% | 19 |
| 2003-04 | 27 | Brisbane | 22-11 (4) | 36 | 1,359 | 385 | 265 | 117 | 90 | 175 | 41 | 13 | 64 | 120 | 130 | 305 | 43% | 77 | 201 | 38% | 48 | 67 | 72% | 57% | 55% | 23 |
| 2002-03 | 26 | Brisbane | 6-24 (11) | 30 | 915 | 197 | 159 | 58 | 52 | 107 | 41 | 5 | 56 | 123 | 68 | 224 | 30% | 38 | 138 | 28% | 23 | 40 | 58% | 41% | 39% | 18 |
| 2001-02 | 26 | Brisbane | 14-16 (7) | 24 | 549 | 181 | 103 | 48 | 31 | 72 | 27 | 6 | 42 | 67 | 58 | 137 | 42% | 32 | 87 | 37% | 33 | 54 | 61% | 56% | 54% | 17 |
| 1999-00 | 23 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 24 | 281 | 70 | 33 | 18 | 12 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 34 | 24 | 65 | 37% | 13 | 30 | 43% | 9 | 15 | 60% | 49% | 47% | 14 |
| 1998-99 | 22 | Sydney | 9-17 (10) | 16 | 304 | 73 | 42 | 17 | 17 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 67 | 40% | 17 | 43 | 40% | 2 | 10 | 20% | 51% | 53% | 12 |
| 1998 | 22 | Brisbane | 16-14 (4) | 16 | 186 | 44 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 15 | 41 | 37% | 11 | 29 | 38% | 3 | 8 | 38% | 49% | 50% | 16 |
| 1996 | 20 | Gold Coast | 6-20 (14) | 25 | 350 | 78 | 36 | 36 | 5 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 34 | 32 | 28 | 75 | 37% | 12 | 44 | 27% | 10 | 15 | 67% | 47% | 45% | 10 | Totals | 303 | 7057 | 1689 | 1159 | 555 | 377 | 782 | 240 | 52 | 423 | 778 | 567 | 1610 | 35.2% | 321 | 1017 | 31.6% | 234 | 385 | 60.8% | 47% | 45% | 23 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 31 | Wollongong | 9-21 (11) | 30 | 29.2 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 6.3 | 31% | 1.1 | 4.2 | 25% | 1.3 | 2.2 | 62% | 43% | 39% | 15 |
| 2006-07 | 30 | Wollongong | 11-22 (9) | 33 | 22.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 4.7 | 31% | 0.7 | 2.8 | 25% | 0.8 | 1.2 | 61% | 41% | 38% | 15 |
| 2005-06 | 29 | Wollongong | 19-13 (3) | 33 | 14.5 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 33% | 0.5 | 2.2 | 24% | 0.6 | 1.1 | 60% | 43% | 40% | 13 |
| 2004-05 | 28 | Brisbane | 17-15 (5) | 36 | 27.8 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 6.4 | 31% | 1.3 | 4.2 | 32% | 0.6 | 1.0 | 57% | 43% | 42% | 19 |
| 2003-04 | 27 | Brisbane | 22-11 (4) | 36 | 37.8 | 10.7 | 7.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 8.5 | 43% | 2.1 | 5.6 | 38% | 1.3 | 1.9 | 72% | 57% | 55% | 23 |
| 2002-03 | 26 | Brisbane | 6-24 (11) | 30 | 30.5 | 6.6 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 30% | 1.3 | 4.6 | 28% | 0.8 | 1.3 | 58% | 41% | 39% | 18 |
| 2001-02 | 26 | Brisbane | 14-16 (7) | 24 | 22.9 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 5.7 | 42% | 1.3 | 3.6 | 37% | 1.4 | 2.3 | 61% | 56% | 54% | 17 |
| 1999-00 | 23 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 24 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 37% | 0.5 | 1.3 | 43% | 0.4 | 0.6 | 60% | 49% | 47% | 14 |
| 1998-99 | 22 | Sydney | 9-17 (10) | 16 | 19.0 | 4.6 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 40% | 1.1 | 2.7 | 40% | 0.1 | 0.6 | 20% | 51% | 53% | 12 |
| 1998 | 22 | Brisbane | 16-14 (4) | 16 | 11.6 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 37% | 0.7 | 1.8 | 38% | 0.2 | 0.5 | 38% | 49% | 50% | 16 |
| 1996 | 20 | Gold Coast | 6-20 (14) | 25 | 14.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 37% | 0.5 | 1.8 | 27% | 0.4 | 0.6 | 67% | 47% | 45% | 10 | Total | 303 | 23.3 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 5.3 | 35.2% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 31.6% | 1.1 | 3.4 | 60.8% | 47% | 45% | 23 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 23 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- AIS (1995), Gold Coast (1996), Suncoast (1997), Brisbane (2002–2005, 2007–2009), Illawarra (2006)
Castle joined AIS for the 1995 state-league season, with the 1995 AIS basketball program also including Andrew Boeree, Frank Drmic, Scott McGregor, David Pennisi, Nathan Taylor, Tyson Ward and Jared Wilson in the men’s group.
Castle played for Gold Coast in 1996 before joining Suncoast for the 1997 CBA season, where the Clippers finished second in their state conference and won the national championship. He held a starting role alongside Ryan Stolberg and Billy Ross, played 27 games and finished with 280 points at 14.0 per game, 127 rebounds at 6.35 per game, 59 steals, 125 assists and 32 made threes.
Suncoast’s 1997 finals run included an away win over Mount Gambier, an overtime home win over North-East Melbourne and an 80–78 national final win over Cairns in Geelong, with Ross scoring 44 points and the championship decided on the buzzer.
Castle joined Brisbane for the 2002 Queensland state-league season and continued with Brisbane through 2005.
Castle played for Illawarra in 2006 before returning to Brisbane for 2007.
Castle continued with Brisbane in 2008 and 2009, with Brisbane reaching the 2009 QBL finals before beating Northside 108–94 in the quarter-final and losing 91–73 to Rockhampton in the semi-final. He was named QBL Player of the Week for the quarter-final round. Across his Brisbane Capitals stints, Castle was named the clubs Most Valuable Player, adding a club award to the QBL Player of the Week honour he earned during the 2009 quarter-finals.
AWARDS
- 1x time NBL Best Defensive Player (2004)
Related
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