Ayre's Family Daily Habits Kept Him Ready for NBL Dream

Written for nbl.com.au by Chris Pike

Three weeks ago and Ben Ayre had never hit the floor in the NBL for the Cairns Taipans. Now, he has joined Bryce Cotton and Jaylen Adams in having a 20-point, 10-assist game in #NBL22 and he puts it all down to the daily habits he learned from his family to keep his dream alive.

Ayre did previously get an opportunity as a development player with the Adelaide 36ers, but now aged 26, all he could do was hope someone noticed his dedication to continue to improve and give him a shot.

That person became Adam Forde at the Taipans and now all of a sudden he's the only player this season to have 20 points and 10 assists in a game not named Cotton or Adams. He's also the first player to ever have that double-double combination against Dean Vickerman in the NBL.

Above everything else, Ayre is just grateful for the chance he's been given fresh off the night of his life in his hometown of Melbourne on Monday night.

"It's obviously a hard feeling to describe but I'm grateful for the opportunity first and foremost," Ayre said. 

"It probably hasn’t really sunk in and I haven’t fully reflected on it yet just with the season still going and two games left with a short turnaround, and especially with lots of travel in between. 

"It has been a whirlwind I guess with a lot of messages from friends and family, but I've kind of tried to not let the moment get too big or to get outside of myself too much. I've just tried to understand there's still two games to go so I'm trying to stay locked in and focusing on the next thing at hand."

When Ayre thinks about what has helped him remain positive to keep putting in the work with hope that this NBL chance could still come his way, it all comes back to his family that have instilled in him the beliefs and work ethic that he still lives by every day.

"I've just stayed pretty grounded and I've got a pretty big family, and I talk to them a lot whether it's about basketball or not," he said. 

"I just have good daily habits and work out a lot, am in the gym as much as I can and in the weight room and on the court just working out. I've just tried to stay consistent with my work knowing that eventually I will get a chance so I just had to keep on working to be ready for a chance that might come along. 

"Obviously it's been a long road and I was a DP who didn’t really play at Adelaide and came up here just out on a limb and backing myself in. I had a good feeling and relied on my daily habits, but family for sure has been a thing to keep me ground and the daily habits I learned from them has been a huge factor."

Growing up in Melbourne, Ayre dreamed of playing in the NBL and when he returned from his college stint at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, he had good reason to think things would fall his way with his point guard talents.

He got a look in as a development player at the Adelaide 36ers and will always be thankful to Joey Wright for that opportunity, but it only ended up with him seeing four minutes of court time in total for the 2019/20 season.

Ayre never gave up on the dream, though, and after a standout NBL1 South season at the Knox Raiders where he got to play alongside current Taipans teammate Bul Kuol and NBL legend Adam Gibson.

That's where new Snakes coach Adam Forde saw him and brought him into the fold earlier this season. He was set to be the injury replacement for Scott Machado when another obstacle was thrown in the way.

A knee injury threatened to rob him of his NBL chance, but the 26-year-old kept positive and now his chance has come once more. Seven games later, he is looking so impressive out on the floor he looks a lock to earn a full contract somewhere next season.

He first hit the floor back on April 2 in Cairns' home win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix before then scoring his first NBL points against the New Zealand Breakers.

His minutes and role then increased significantly following a season-ending ankle injury to Machado and what Ayre has done since has been remarkable.

That's even more so the case when you consider he's been up against the likes of Matthew Dellavedova, Shea Ili, Bryce Cotton and Mitch Norton in these last three games as a starter, but rather than being overawed, he has risen to the occasion.

He had seven points and five assists at home to Melbourne United, then eight points, three rebounds and two assists in Perth.

Then on Monday night, he was just incredible with 20 points, 10 assists., four rebounds and three steals while hitting 4/8 from beyond the three-point line in an eye-catching performance against the best defensive backcourt from United in the league.

Making that performance on Monday night even more special for Ayre was doing it at John Cain Arena in front of so many friends and family is his hometown of Melbourne.

He even had a little run in with United captain Chris Goulding at one point and the Melbourne crowd was booing him, which could very well be the highlight of his career so far for him.

"It made it super special playing in front of my mum, dad and siblings, and my extended family who were there," Ayre said.

"I had some mates in the crowd as well so it was a great feeling to be able to put on a performance like that first and foremost. They've done so much to help me in my career and it's nice to repay them in a way for everything they've done for me.

"It was cool doing it in Melbourne and to be honest, it felt even better being booed. That was probably the best moment of the game for me. 

"It's not that I want to be a villain or anything, but it's just cool being part of that experience and you know you're doing something right if the oppositions fans are booing you. It was just a cool experience overall but the most special part will always be doing it in front of my mum and dad."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CairnsTaipans</a> injury replacement player joined some elite company and made a lot of fans yesterday, none bigger than <a href="https://twitter.com/chomicide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chomicide</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://t.co/Og9NFRQlrg">pic.twitter.com/Og9NFRQlrg</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1516288590799851524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ayre isn't in reflection mode right now. After all, he is getting ready for the last game for the Taipans of the season against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday at Cairns Convention Centre.

He will be staying in Cairns too to play NBL1 West North with the Marlins, but playing against the likes of Cotton, Norton, Dellavedova and Ili over these last three games has been a dream come true.

"They are just a bunch of guys I've got a lot of respect for and I've watched them a lot, and now obviously to play against them is a huge thrill," he said.

"But at the same time I approach the basketball not worrying about who's in front of me and anyone who can play at this level has my full attention and respect. It does make it cooler playing against guys like that and especially to experience what it's like to play against the best players in the league, and to test yourself. 

"But at the end of the day I put myself in that category of guys who can play in this league and I have full confidence in myself to do that, and I feel like I've shown that the last few games and I hope I get to keep showing it whether it's over these next two games or further down the track. 

"These teams are probably the ones I'd pick if I could to give myself the biggest challenges. That's how I want it with guys to play against and it's cool. It's an exciting thing for me."

While Ayre has thrived on the challenge of those superstars he's gone up against on the NBL floor, it's his chance to spend this season training up against Scott Machado and Tahjere McCall that he credits with him getting ready for that opportunity.

"On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning I show up to training and I get to see guys like Scotty and Tahj and they're obviously no easy guys to go against," Ayre said.

"Scotty has probably been the best point guard over last two or three years so he's legit and I've definitely learned a lot from testing myself against him, and the same with Tahj. 

"He gets after it so hard in practice and doesn’t take it easy on anyone so those guys have definitely helped me prepare for this moment no doubt."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">All aboard the Ben Ayre train, driven by <a href="https://twitter.com/chomicide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chomicide</a> ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> live on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/aMj4PfcxNk">pic.twitter.com/aMj4PfcxNk</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1516004548669673477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Above all else, though, Ayre would never be getting that chance to practice and learn against the likes of Machado and McCall, or to play against Dellavedova, Cotton and company unless it was for the opportunity provided in Cairns by coach Forde.

He will never be able to thank him enough however things pan out moving forward.

"I have to give a lot, if not all, the credit to Fordey. In my time in Australia I haven’t had any coaches outside of Joey Wright really show me any love or give me an opportunity other than Fordey this year," he said. 

"Obviously I've put myself in a position to do that, but at the same time he has to put the ball in my hands and trust me. I appreciate Fordey so much for the opportunity he has given me and not too many people have done that so it makes it even more special and a lot of credit goes to him for sure."

It was a chance for Ayre that almost ended before it even started, though, going back to the early periods of the season when he first got to Cairns and was in line to replace the injured Machado.

A nasty knee injury from an innocuous rebound drill at practice put him on the sidelines, but he remained positive, got himself healthy and was ready if the call up came his way again.

"It was pretty unfortunate but that was originally when Scotty got hurt early in the season and then at the next training, me and Keanu were just doing a normal rebounding drill and collided knees," Ayre said. 

"I ended up fracturing my knee and was in a brace for the next two months, but I just kept going back to those things of sticking to my daily habits, kept my head down and knew something would eventually pop up. 

"I do a lot to work on my mind and take care of my thoughts whether it's reading or meditation or whatever it is, but I stick to those daily habits and it helps to have those habits to get through some of the tougher moments."

Whatever happens for Ayre beyond this last game of the NBL22 season is out of his control, but there's little doubt he has now proven he belongs in the league on a full contract whether it's in Cairns or somewhere else.

While that's the dream obviously for Ayre, he knows all he has to do is go out there again against the  Bullets and keep performing and let the rest take care of itself.

"I've tried to not let it cross my mind too much but obviously I hope I do get that contract. That's obviously the dream and that's what I'm here for," Ayre said.

"I didn’t come up here to have one good game and get the pats on the back, and then just be satisfied with that. 

"That's cool but it's not ultimately what I'm here and I want to be able to contribute long-term to an NBL team and find a role in the league, excel in it the best I can and keep growing as a player and person. 

"That's completely out of my control too, though, so I just have to focus on what I can control and that's playing hard, being a good teammate and things of that nature along with my attitude. That's what I'll focus on for this last game and then we'll see what happens."