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Ben Woodside

  • Nationality: USA/GEO
  • Date of Birth: 1/07/85
  • Place of Birth: Albert Lea, Minnesota (USA)
  • Position: PG
  • Height (CM): 180
  • Weight (KG): 84
  • Junior Assoc:
  • College: North Dakota State (2005–2009)

NBL CAREER OVERVIEW

NBL DEBUT 7/10/16 Age 31
LAST NBL GAME 4/11/16 Age 31

TEAM HISTORY

  • New Zealand2017

CHAMPIONSHIPS

None
0

BIO: Ben Woodside was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Ben Woodside made his NBL debut with the New Zealand Breakers at 31 years of age. He scored eight points in his first game.

New Zealand entered 2016/17 after finishing fourth with a 16-12 record and losing the Grand Final series 2-1 to Perth. Chief executive Richard Clarke and coach Dean Vickerman departed during the offseason, with Paul Henare promoted from assistant to head coach and Dillon Boucher taking over as general manager. Cedric Jackson (to Melbourne) and Tai Wesley (to Melbourne) also left, while Thomas Abercrombie, Corey Webster, Alex Pledger and captain Mika Vukona returned. Kirk Penney (via Illawarra), Robert Loe (via Limburg United), Ben Woodside (via Türk Telekom) and Akil Mitchell (via Antibes) were added, while Finn Delany, Shea Ili and Jordan Ngatai were elevated from development player roles.

Woodside was New Zealand’s first import signing and was recruited to replace Jackson at point guard after seven seasons playing professionally in Europe. Former teammate Penney had played alongside him in Spain and Turkey and strongly recommended him to the Breakers, saying, “Ben is a true point guard that relishes leading the team and getting his team-mates involved.”

New Zealand opened the season against Melbourne at Vector Arena on October 7, where Woodside (8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) started at point guard. Abercrombie (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Mitchell (8 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) provided the other major contributions, while former Breaker Cedric Jackson (14 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists) was Melbourne’s best as New Zealand began Henare’s coaching tenure with a 76-71 victory.

Woodside (8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 6 games) started every appearance before injury ended his season. His highest-scoring game came against Brisbane on October 22, where Woodside (14 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists) made five of ten shots. Mitchell (20 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) and Penney (14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led New Zealand, while Torrey Craig (17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) was Brisbane’s best as the Bullets won 88-82, with the Breakers making only nine of 19 free throws.

Woodside’s best game came against Melbourne at Hisense Arena on November 4, where Woodside (10 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) helped New Zealand recover to win 98-92 in overtime. Pledger (20 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) and Abercrombie (17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Breakers, while Kyle Adnam (19 points) was Melbourne’s leading scorer. Woodside suffered a serious right-foot injury during overtime and had to be helped from the court, with further examinations showing damage involving the plantar fascia and ligaments which ruled him out for a minimum of six to eight weeks. “Just as we were finding our chemistry as a group, just when we were moving in the right direction and we were establishing a real understanding,” Woodside said.

David Stockton (via Cedevita Zagreb) was signed as Woodside’s injury replacement on November 10, while Woodside remained in New Zealand to rehabilitate with the Breakers’ medical staff. He missed the next 13 games without returning to the court. Stockton (8.3 points and 4.2 assists across 10 games) initially provided a lift before battling a lower-back problem, while Webster’s ongoing hip and back problems eventually required season-ending surgery and Abercrombie missed time with a broken hand. Paul Carter (via Alba Berlin) was added in late December as Webster’s injury replacement while also providing cover for Abercrombie. With Woodside still sidelined and Stockton struggling with injury and declining production, New Zealand released both guards on January 7 and signed Kevin Dillard (via Pınar Karşıyaka) for the remaining nine games, ending Woodside’s season without another appearance.

After winning only eight of its first 20 games, New Zealand recovered behind Dillard (18.1 points, 4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals across 9 games) and Penney (17.4 points and 3.4 rebounds across 28 games), winning four consecutive games to improve to 12-12 and revive its playoff hopes. Abercrombie (11.7 points and 5.2 rebounds across 21 games), Webster (11.7 points across 15 games), Mitchell (9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds across 25 games), Carter (9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds across 11 games), Pledger (8.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 28 games), Loe (7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds across 26 games) and Vukona (6.5 points and 5.1 rebounds across 27 games) provided the other major contributions. Mitchell’s season ended after suffering a serious eye injury against Cairns on January 26, while Penney was named the Breakers’ club MVP. Consecutive losses then left New Zealand at 12-14 before the final two games.

Woodside had been released when New Zealand closed the season against Melbourne at Vector Arena on February 10. Dillard (16 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Penney (15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Breakers, while Casper Ware (23 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) was Melbourne’s best as New Zealand won 88-70 and finished fifth with a 14-14 record.

Ben Woodside played one season in the NBL. He averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 6 NBL games.

NBL TOTAL STATISTICS

SEASONAGETEAMTEAM RECORDGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%TS%EFG%HS
2016-1731New Zealand14-14 (5)6176532135318811517194344%51729%101377%54%50%14
Totals6176532135318811517194344.2%51729.4%101376.9%0.54392446630.514

NBL PER GAME STATISTICS

SEASONAGETEAMTEAM RECORDGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%TS%EFG%HS
2016-1731New Zealand14-14 (5)629.38.83.55.80.53.01.30.22.52.83.27.244%0.82.829%1.72.277%54%50%14
Total629.38.83.55.80.53.01.30.22.52.83.1666666677.16666666744.2%0.83333333332.83333333329.4%1.6666666672.16666666776.9%0.54392446630.514

CAREER HIGHS

POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS STEALS BLOCKS TURNOVERS TRIPLE DOUBLES
14794150

NBA EXPERIENCE

After going undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft, Woodside joined the Minnesota Timberwolves summer league team.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • France

    • BCM Gravelines2009–2011

    Slovenia

    • Union Olimpija2011

    Georgia

    • BC Armia2011–2012

    Turkey

    • TED Ankara Kolejliler2012–2013, 2014
    • Türk Telekom2015–2016

    Italy

    • Vanoli Cremona2013–2014

    Spain

    • Baloncesto Sevilla2014–2015

Woodside joined BCM Gravelines for the 2009–10 LNB Pro A season, playing his first season in France after signing with the club on August 7, 2009.

As a rookie in France in 2009–10, Woodside played 30 French LNB Pro A regular-season games for BCM Gravelines, averaging 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 34 minutes per game, alongside J.K. Edwards, Cyril Akpomedah and Yannick Bokolo. He then appeared in five separate French league playoff games, averaging 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 36.2 minutes. This explains the earlier combined 35-game count, which was incorrectly described as 35 regular-season league games. In six separate EuroChallenge games, Woodside averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

In December 2009, Woodside played in the French League All-Star game on December 30, 2009 at Paris-Bercy as part of the Foreign Stars roster, which included teammates and fellow imports such as John Linehan, Ricardo Greer, Dewarick Spencer, and Uche Nsonwu-Amadi.

Woodside re-signed with BCM Gravelines on 2 August 2010 and returned for 2010–11, playing 30 French LNB Pro A regular-season games and averaging 14.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 33 minutes. He played five more French league playoff games, averaging 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 31 minutes. He also appeared in 13 separate EuroChallenge games, averaging 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. His two seasons therefore comprised 60 French regular-season games and 10 league playoff games, not 70 regular-season games.

During the 2010–11 season, Woodside helped Gravelines win the Leaders Cup on February 13, 2011, when Yannick Bokolo was named MVP and Woodside posted 17 points and nine rebounds in the 79–71 win over Chalon.

Woodside moved to Slovenia in 2011 with Union Olimpija, and he appeared in seven games, averaging 6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game before leaving the club on December 4, 2011 due to unpaid wages.

He finished the 2011–12 season in Georgia with BC Armia in the Georgian Superliga, where he was a Georgian League All-Star in 2012 and helped Armia win the league championship, including a 20-point performance in the 91–67 win over Olimpi in the fourth finals game, with teammate Jeremy Richardson adding 18 points and five rebounds while Will Thomas scored 15 points in the same title-clinching result.

Woodside signed with TED Ankara Kolejliler for the 2012–13 season in Turkey, and he led the Turkish Basketball League in total assists with 204 and averaged 7.0 assists per game across 29 games while playing alongside scorers Jovo Stanojević and Kirk Penney and frontcourt contributors Vanja Plisnić and Nedim Yücel.

In 2013–14, Woodside represented Vanoli Cremona in Italys top-flight Lega Basket Serie A. Across 24 domestic regular-season games he played 799 minutes and scored 226 points, grabbed 70 rebounds and supplied 77 assists (9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game). He additionally recorded 35 steals and one block, making 78 of 185 field-goal attempts (42.2 percent), including 28 of 84 three-pointers (33.3 percent), and 42 of 50 free throws (84.0 percent). The official Euroleague Basketball historical other-competitions archive independently reproduces the 24 games, 226 points, 70 rebounds and 77 assists. These figures are Italian regular-season league appearances, separate from his earlier French playoffs and from later Spanish ACB and EuroCup games.

Woodside opened the 2014–15 season in Turkey with TED Ankara Kolejliler before moving to Spain in November 2014 to join Baloncesto Sevilla, and in the 2014–15 Liga Endesa regular season he played 26 games and produced 200 points, 54 rebounds, and 96 assists, while in EuroCup play with Sevilla he averaged 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steal per game across eight games.

The official ACB 2014–15 record lists Woodside averaging 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals in 22:02 minutes across 26 Sevilla appearances, while converting 82.2 percent of his free throws. He ranked 15th in the league in assists per game.

Woodside scored an ACB high of 18 points against Joventut Badalona on 24 May 2015 and delivered 10 assists and three made three-pointers against Gran Canaria on 10 May. He also produced four steals against Estudiantes on 22 March 2015.

He returned to Turkey for the 2015–16 season with Türk Telekom, playing 29 league games and totaling 232 points, 71 rebounds, and 123 assists, which equated to 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.

COLLEGE

Woodside played college basketball at North Dakota State from 2005 to 2009, becoming a four-year starter for the Bison and appearing in 118 games with 118 starts across his career.

As a freshman in 2005/06, Woodside started all 28 games and averaged 17.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 43.2% from the field, 40.9% from three-point range, and 79.6% at the free-throw line, earning Division I Independent Newcomer of the Year recognition and Division I All-Independent first team honours in a period when North Dakota State competed as a Division I independent program.

In 2006/07, he again started every game (28 starts) and posted 16.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while improving his shooting efficiency to 47.7% from the field, 39.2% from three, and 82.2% at the line, repeating as a Division I All-Independent first team selection before the program transitioned into Summit League play for his final two seasons.

North Dakota State joined the Summit League for 2007/08, and Woodside’s production jumped as he started all 29 games and averaged 20.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.1% from the field, 39.7% from three, and 83.0% from the stripe, a season in which he was named first-team All-Summit League (2008).

From 2005 to 2009, Woodside was a member of the North Dakota State Bison men's basketball team, and as a senior in 2008/09 he produced one of the most prolific individual seasons in school history while being named Summit League Player of the Year and later receiving 2009 Associated Press All-America honorable mention, CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-American recognition, and 2009 NABC All-District first team honours.

On December 12, 2008, he had a 60-point performance against Stephen F. Austin, scoring 60 in a 112–111 triple-overtime loss while going 14-for-32 from the field and 30-for-35 at the free-throw line, with his 30 made free throws tying the NCAA single-game record and setting school and Summit League records, and that senior season ultimately finished with him averaging 23.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 33 games while shooting 46.4% from the field, 42.7% from three, and 84.0% from the line.

Ten days later, Woodside became North Dakota State's career scoring leader in a 90–68 win over Northern Arizona, and he finished his career as NDSU’s all-time leading scorer with 2,315 points while also recording a league-record 766 points during the 2008/09 season and averaging 22.02 points per game over his two Summit League seasons, which stood as the second-best two-year Summit League scoring average at the time of his graduation.

He went on to lead the Bison to win the Summit League Tournament and qualify for the 2009 NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility, and in the Summit League championship game he made the winning basket with four seconds left to clinch the title as he earned Summit League Tournament MVP honours, then scored 37 points against Kansas in the 2009 NCAA Tournament while North Dakota State made its first NCAA Division I tournament appearance as an eligible program.

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