NBL EXPERIENCE

Stewart Begg made his NBL debut with the Newcastle Falcons at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

1984
The 1984 campaign signified a fresh direction for the Newcastle Falcons, as legendary scorer Dave Ankeney stepped into the head coaching role, replacing Denis Kibble. Ankeney, the franchise’s all-time points leader at the time, set out to construct a title contender around rising local star Michael Johnson, who had enjoyed a breakout season the year prior

Significant roster changes followed, including a revamp of the import pairing. George Morrow and Donnie Cruse were replaced by Jim Bateman—a powerful and skilled interior presence—and athletic forward Jerry Dennard. With the NBL again split into Eastern and Western divisions, Newcastle came out firing, opening the season with five consecutive victories. The run included a standout 91–80 win over the previously undefeated Brisbane Bullets, who had entered the game 6–0

Bateman delivered immediate returns, averaging 24.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Johnson followed up his emergence with 21.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while veteran Ian Davies remained a consistent offensive option at 19.1 points per game. Jerry Dennard (15.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 steals) and Ian Robilliard (12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.7 steals) brought defensive intensity and rounded out the starting lineup

Among the supporting cast, Stewart Begg contributed quietly but effectively in the rotation. Begg appeared in all 26 games, averaging 7.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game. While not a primary scoring option, Begg brought efficient shooting and physicality in limited minutes, highlighted by his 4-of-5 shooting effort in the semi-final loss to Coburg. His ability to rebound and defend made him a useful frontcourt presence off the bench

The Falcons were locked in a tense race for top spot in the East with Coburg and Brisbane. With three games left, all three teams sat equal on record. However, a costly 129–117 defeat to the Adelaide 36ers dropped Newcastle behind the Bullets (19–5), and Coburg edged the Falcons for second place on point differential (+4), despite both finishing 18–6. The result forced Newcastle into the sudden-death bracket of the playoffs

In the elimination final, Newcastle defeated Illawarra 108–101 behind a well-rounded team performance. Davies led with 26 points, while Johnson (23 points, 8 rebounds), Bateman (21 points, 12 rebounds), and Robilliard (21 points, 10 rebounds) all made major contributions. Begg played a minor role in the contest and did not register a field goal attempt in limited minutes

Less than 24 hours later, the Falcons returned to the court for a semi-final clash with Coburg. Despite standout efforts from Johnson (29 points, 11 rebounds), Davies (24 points, 10 rebounds), and Bateman (15 points), Newcastle fell 132–109. Begg produced one of his better outings, scoring 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting and adding 1 rebound, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Falcons from bowing out

While the playoff loss was bitter, 1984 was a high-water mark for the franchise. With a third-place finish, an 18–6 record, and their first postseason win, the Falcons established themselves as contenders. Stewart Begg’s contributions off the bench added frontcourt depth to one of the league’s most balanced rotations.

1985
After contributing as a role player during Newcastle’s historic 1984 season, Stewart Begg returned in 1985 as part of an almost unchanged Falcons roster. Head coach Dave Ankeney retained the bulk of the core group from the team’s first-ever playoff appearance, with the only major offseason move being import Scott Horrell replacing Jerry Dennard, who departed for Illawarra.

Begg got off to a solid start in the season opener, scoring 8 points and adding 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist as Newcastle cruised past Sydney 121–102. Jim Bateman (47 points, 16 rebounds) and Kendal Pinder (37 points, 16 rebounds) headlined a high-scoring battle, with Ian Robilliard (23 points, 5 assists, 5 steals) and Michael Johnson (20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) also impressing.

Newcastle opened the season with a 4–1 record, with their only early defeat coming at the hands of eventual champions Brisbane (104–74), led by Calvin Bruton (30 points). Begg added 4 points and 4 rebounds in the loss. The Falcons then went on a six-game winning streak, pushing their record to an impressive 10–2.

However, the second half of the season proved challenging. Newcastle dropped nine of their final eleven games, sliding down the standings. Despite the late-season slump, they secured sixth place with a 16–10 record, earning another trip to the playoffs.

The Falcons’ key contributors included Jim Bateman (22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 blocks), Ian Davies (21.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks), Scott Horrell (21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds), and Michael Johnson (19.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals). Begg appeared in all 28 games and averaged 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks as a steady rotation presence.

In the elimination final against Nunawading, Begg contributed 4 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist in limited minutes. The Falcons pulled off a gritty 103–97 win behind standout efforts from Davies (26 points, 5 rebounds), Johnson (23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists), and Bateman (16 points, 12 rebounds). Ron Lemons led the Spectres with 38 points and 12 rebounds.

The semi-final clash with Adelaide marked the deepest playoff run in franchise history but ended in a blowout. Newcastle were overwhelmed 151–103 despite strong outings from Johnson (37 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) and Bateman (19 points, 13 rebounds). Begg went scoreless but added a rebound and assist off the bench. Adelaide’s Al Green (45 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) and Darryl Pearce (41 points, 6 assists, 5 steals) dominated.

The 1985 campaign would ultimately be the most successful during Begg’s time with Newcastle, being the only time the Falcons reached the semi-finals.

1986
Begg would leave the Falcons after three seasons and play for Brisbane for one season in 1986, the same season the Bullets moved from the 2,700-seat Chandler Arena into the larger, 13,500-capacity Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Begg, would play one game for the Bullets, scoring four points against the Hobart Devils.

At season’s end the Bullets would reach the NBL Grand Final and face off against the Adelaide 36ers in a re-match of the season prior. This would also prompt the NBL to extend the deciding series from a one-game playoff to a three-game series from here onwards. Adelaide would reverse last seasons result, winning in three games, to claim the championship.

Stewart Begg played six seasons in the NBL. He averaged 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 129 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (838 Posts)

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.