Ingham received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1984. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

David Ingham made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 21 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.

In 1987, Ingham played 19 games and averaged 1.5 points as a rookie for the Brisbane Bullets who finished the regular season in second place behind Adelaide. The Bullets, would go onto to reach the NBL Grand Final, their fourth consecutive grand final appearance and defeat the Perth Wildcats in two straight games. Ingham did not play in either game.

1988
Following Brisbane’s second NBL championship in 1987, the Bullets entered 1988 looking to defend their title and reach a fifth consecutive Grand Final. Head coach Brian Kerle kept most of his established roster together, with James Carr and Paul Webb departing and rookies Shane Heal (via AIS) and Simon Kerle joining the squad. David Ingham returned after playing 19 games during his first NBL season, although he had not appeared in either game of Brisbane’s 1987 Grand Final series against Perth. A former Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder, Ingham was competing for minutes in an experienced backcourt featuring Darren Perry and Ron Radliff.

Ingham made his only appearance of the 1988 season against Geelong on February 13, finishing with 0 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists in 12 minutes as Brisbane defeated the Supercats 149-85 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. He missed his only field-goal attempt, a three-pointer, but contributed to the Bullets’ ball movement in a dominant opening victory. Atkinson (30 points and 14 rebounds) led Brisbane’s scoring, while Loggins (29 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 4 steals) controlled the offence. Sam Foggin (30 points and 4 rebounds) was Geelong’s leading performer, but Brisbane shot 57 percent from the field and recorded a 64-point victory. The game would also prove to be Ingham’s final NBL appearance.

Ingham (0 points and 4 assists across 1 game) saw his role reduced considerably after averaging 1.5 points in 19 appearances the previous season. The arrival of Heal, combined with the continued presence of Perry and Radliff, gave Brisbane considerable depth at guard, leaving few opportunities for Ingham to establish himself in the rotation. His lone appearance brought his NBL career to a close after two seasons and 20 games with the Bullets.

Brisbane continued to challenge for another title behind Loggins (24.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 steals across 25 games), who earned his seventh consecutive All-NBL First Team selection and led the competition in free-throw percentage at 85.6 percent. Atkinson (16.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks across 25 games) and captain Sengstock (11.1 points and 10.2 rebounds across 25 games) remained important contributors in the frontcourt, while Heal (15 points across 25 games) quickly established himself as one of the league’s most promising young players and won the NBL Rookie of the Year award. The Bullets finished the regular season in third place with an 18-6 record after a late loss to Canberra allowed North Melbourne to claim second place on head-to-head differential, denying Brisbane a direct semifinal berth.

Ingham did not play in Brisbane’s knockout quarterfinal against Perth on July 16, where the Wildcats defeated the Bullets 113-98 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, ending their championship defence and their streak of four consecutive Grand Final appearances.

David Ingham played two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 1.5 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 20 NBL games.