Kelsey Weems
July 23, 2020
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. Castle went on to provide backcourt help for Steve Woodberry and CJ Bruton and average 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds. The Bullets finished in fourth place with a record of 16-14.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 and then 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.
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 | 876.0 | 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 | 755.0 | 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 | 480.0 | 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 | 1,002.0 | 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 | 1,359.0 | 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 | 915.0 | 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 | 549.0 | 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 | 281.0 | 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 | 304.0 | 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 | 186.0 | 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 | 350.0 | 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.
AWARDS
- 1x time NBL Best Defensive Player (2004)
Related
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