BIO: Ben Moore was born in Bolingbrook, Illinois (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Ben Moore made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 25 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

After finishing second last with a 9-19 record during their inaugural season, South East Melbourne looked to provide franchise player Mitch Creek with additional support. John Roberson (to Spain), Keith Benson (to Lithuania), Daniel Trist (to New Zealand) and Deng Acuoth (to Ballarat) departed, while Tai Wesley and Ben Madgen retired. Head coach Simon Mitchell added Cam Gliddon and Reuben Te Rangi (both via Brisbane), imports Ben Moore and Keifer Sykes, Yanni Wetzell and development players Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’Afa and Tristan Forsyth. With Dane Pineau battling a back injury, Mike Karena was also signed as his injury replacement.

Wetzell initially exercised his European out clause (to Riesen Ludwigsburg), before passport complications caused by COVID-19 resulted in him returning to South East Melbourne. The pandemic also delayed the start of the NBL season until January 2021, with the majority of players asked to accept salary reductions due to the financial pressure caused by COVID-19.

Moore signed a one-year deal with South East Melbourne in November as the Phoenix’s first import for NBL21. He arrived after four years at SMU and three years splitting time between NBA and NBA G League opportunities with San Antonio and Indiana. “It just sounded like a great opportunity for me… I’m really excited about getting there,” Moore said.

South East Melbourne opened its season against Adelaide at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 17, where Moore (2 points and 7 rebounds) was limited to 19 minutes by foul trouble and eventually fouled out as the Phoenix lost 116-108 in double overtime. Creek (30 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Wetzell (24 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) led South East Melbourne, while Daniel Johnson (33 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) was Adelaide’s leading scorer.

Moore (10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds across 39 games) became an important part of South East Melbourne’s frontcourt, leading the Phoenix in rebounding while shooting 59 percent from the field and averaging 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. He appeared in all 36 regular-season games and all three semifinal games and did not miss a game through injury during NBL21.

Moore’s best rebounding game came against the previously undefeated Illawarra Hawks at the State Basketball Centre on February 7, where Moore (15 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) recorded his second consecutive double-double as South East Melbourne won 98-82. Sykes (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Creek (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while Deng Adel (17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra. “He’s a play-maker at both ends of the floor,” Mitchell said.

Moore’s best game of the season came against Adelaide on March 20, where he made his first start with Creek and Sykes unavailable. Moore (23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) made 8-of-9 shots as South East Melbourne recovered from a 14-point deficit and scored the final seven points of regulation to force overtime before winning 96-89. Wetzell (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Gliddon (13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals) provided support, while Brandon Paul (20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Adelaide as the Phoenix collected a franchise-record fourth consecutive win.

Against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on April 11, Moore (20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) helped South East Melbourne record its first win over the Kings, defeating Sydney 98-84. Creek (26 points and 5 rebounds) and Gliddon (12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) provided support, while Jarell Martin (23 points and 7 rebounds) led Sydney as the Phoenix improved to 13-9 after winning seven of its previous eight games.

Mid-season, South East Melbourne added Australian Boomers forward Ryan Broekhoff (7 points and 3.8 rebounds), who had spent the previous year recovering from a fractured leg and hoping to return to the NBA. Broekhoff joined as a nominated replacement player after Pineau (0 points across 1 game) managed only a brief return before back and knee injuries ended his season, with Broekhoff playing the final 19 games and his arrival pushing Karena (1.2 points across 15 games) out of the active rotation.

South East Melbourne developed into the highest-scoring team in the NBL, led by Creek (18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), with Sykes (14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists), Adnam (12 points and 3.6 assists), Wetzell (11.2 points and 6 rebounds), Gliddon (10.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals), Te Rangi (6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds) and Mauriohooho-Le’Afa (6.1 points) providing support. Creek earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Adnam was nominated for the NBL’s Sixth Man of the Year award and won the Gametime by Kmart Community Award. Despite its offensive firepower, South East Melbourne remained second last in the league for rebounding.

South East Melbourne finished the regular season against Brisbane at Nissan Arena on June 8, where Moore (6 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) grabbed 12 offensive rebounds as the Bullets won 94-84. Creek (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Broekhoff (14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Phoenix scoring, while Lamar Patterson (19 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Brisbane as South East Melbourne finished fourth with a 19-17 record and reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

South East Melbourne faced minor premiers Melbourne (28-8) in the semifinals, with all three games played without crowds at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. United opened the series with a 96-78 victory behind Jock Landale (26 points and 1 block) and Scotty Hopson (22 points, 3 assists, and 1 steal), while Moore (17 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal), Creek (15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Sykes (12 points) led the Phoenix.

Facing elimination in game two, Moore (4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 12 minutes as Sykes (26 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Creek (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Wetzell (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal) carried South East Melbourne to a 90-79 victory. Hopson (19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Chris Goulding (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Melbourne as the Phoenix forced a deciding third game.

South East Melbourne jumped out to a 32-15 lead during the second quarter of game three before Melbourne took control. Moore (4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Te Rangi (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals), Creek (19 points and 9 rebounds) and Sykes (15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) led the Phoenix, while Landale (27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) made 11-of-13 shots from the field and all three of his three-point attempts, with Goulding (14 points and 2 steals) providing support as United won 84-74.

Ben Moore played one season in the NBL. He averaged 10.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 39 NBL games.