Marcus Timmons
July 23, 2020
Matt Rueter
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 13/11/78
- Place of Birth: Kansas City, Missouri (USA)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 110
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Southeast Missouri State
- NBL DEBUT: 4/10/02
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 15/03/03
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 24
- NBL History: Melbourne 2003
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Matt Rueter was born in Kansas City, Missouri (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Matt Rueter made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 23 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.
After coming close to a NBL Grand Final berth the prior season, which many feel they would have if not for a ankle injury that derailed Andrew Gaze for the playoffs, the Tigers underwent some small roster changes in 2002. Moving on were Daniel Egan (to Brisbane) and Warrick Giddey (retired), while Neil Mottram (via Perth), Greg Blake and import Matt Rueter, who had both been playing in the state league, were also added to the roster.
Tigers started off slowly (2-4) before findng their groove and recording a four winning streak to improve to return to the top six by round 10 (6-4). Melbourne would lose Gaze (22.1 points, 4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) to a knee infection that saw him miss four games (one win, three losses) with David Smith (5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) inserted into the starting lineup. When Gaze returned to the lineup he was visibly unfit and several kilograms lighter. The Tigers had also dropped out of the playoffs picture again (9-11) after losing the NBL’s leading rebounder, Mark Bradtke (17.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) for six games with back and hamstring issues.
In addition to Gaze and Bradtke, the Tigers would rely on Lanard Copeland (18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals) and Marcus Timmons (13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3 assists 1.4 steals) to provide the offensive punch, with Neil Mottram (10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) and Stephen Hoare (9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) also stepping up in Bradtke’s absence.
Heading into the last round, the Tigers (14-14) needed to a extra win to avoid losing the sixth spot on the ladder to West Sydney (12-16), who had the head to head advantage against Melbourne. They would defeat Illawarra (108-99) locking in a playoff spot, but then lose to Townsville (104-106) to end the regular season (15-15).
Melbourne faced the first seed Sydney (22-8) in the Qualifying Finals and lost the opening game (89-101) thanks to big games from Kings stars Shane Heal (25 points), Kavossy Franklin (19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists) and David Stiff (18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks).
In game two, Bradtke (21 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals) and Kings star import Chris Williams (32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks) would battle inside in one of the greatest head to head battles of all-time. Although Williams would do it all that night, the Tigers locked down the Kings backcourt of Heal (14 points) and Franklin (16 points) and thanks to big games from Gaze (25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists) and Copeland (22 points and 5 assists), came away victors in game two (108-104).
With the series returning to Sydney, the Kings simply outclassed the Tigers in game three (114-89), with Williams (25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks) continuing his unstoppable form and the Kings winning by 25 points. The Kings locked down Melbourne’s ‘Big Three’ of Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke who in rare fashion were limited to only 34 points combined. Stephen Hoare (15 points and 12 rebounds) top scoring for the Tigers.
Rueter would play in 33 games, averaging 5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
Matt Rueter played one season in the NBL. He averaged 4.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1 assists in 33 NBL games.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-03 | 24 | Melbourne | 15-15 (6) | 33 | 448.0 | 149 | 95 | 36 | 38 | 57 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 51 | 66 | 132 | 50% | 1 | 3 | 33% | 16 | 39 | 41% | 49% | 50% | 17 | Totals | 33 | 448 | 149 | 95 | 36 | 38 | 57 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 51 | 66 | 132 | 50.0% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 16 | 39 | 41.0% | 50% | 50% | 17 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-03 | 24 | Melbourne | 15-15 (6) | 33 | 13.6 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 33% | 0.5 | 1.2 | 41% | 49% | 50% | 17 | Total | 33 | 13.6 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 50.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 41.0% | 50% | 50% | 17 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 17 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Knox 2002
Related
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