NBL: South East Melbourne Phoenix star Craig Moller ruled out for season with knee injury

John Cain Arena was left stunned when South East Melbourne Phoenix star Craig Moller went down roaring in pain after suffering a devastating injury. Scans have confirmed the worst for the 29-year-old.

South East Melbourne Phoenix big man Craig Moller has been ruled out for the rest of the NBL season.

Scans confirmed the 29-year-old had suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee during a disturbing incident Sunday’s 90-79 win over New Zealand.

Moller, who had only returned to the court this season after spending nearly 18 months on the sidelines recovering from a horrific shattered left kneecap he suffered while playing in Germany, will have surgery on Monday night.

South East Melbourne Phoenix Head of Performance Eric Hollingsworth said the 208cm Sydney-born gun’s injury was a devastating blow for both he and club.

“Craig did a power of work to get back on court this season and his efforts in games have been incredibly important,” Hollingsworth said.

“We will wrap our arms around him and support him throughout his rehab period.”

Craig Moller has suffered a patella injury. Picture: Kadek Thatcher

Moller went down clutching his right knee and roaring in pain in a disturbing moment after he got caught in a tangle with Breakers guard Izayah Le’afa and import Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

The injury silenced the John Cain Arena crowd and several SEM players were visibly anguished as their teammate was helped from the floor by Phoenix high performance team members Simon Wigg and Av Kumar.

Moller was ruled out of the rest of the game and scans on Sunday morning confirmed the extent of the injury.

Only last month, the former Fremantle Docker detailed his harrowing recovery and optimism for the NBL season.

Surgeons in Germany used wire to reassemble the fragments of bone but, five months later, with no real improvement, scans confirmed the worst: “it had completely come apart” — again.

Back on court this season, Moller had become an early-season contender for defensive player of the year.

“It’s a really good opportunity for me to find my feet and I know there’s going to be some challenges throughout the season, I can’t help that,“ Moller said last month.

South East Melbourne's Craig Moller has been helped off the court and down the tunnel following an apparent knee injury. pic.twitter.com/rYRLqAqUwc

— NBL (@NBL) December 2, 2023

REALITY TV STAR’S ADVICE GIVES PHOENIX GUN ‘RICH REWARD’

When Ben Ayre returned to Melbourne from a stint playing pro basketball in Lithuania in the middle of a Covid lockdown, NBL clubs weren’t blowing up his phone.

So he had to find a way to make ends meet while he searched for a basketball job.

It’s when good friend and reality TV star Marley Biyendolo suggested he consider working with youth with special needs.

The South East Melbourne guard says it’s a move that changed his perspective on life and provided him with rich reward.

“I fell in love with it, connecting with these kids,” Ayre told Code Sports.

“You realise just the simple things, like going to the movies or going bowling and really just having conversations, it’s something you can take for granted and you forget how much joy it can bring.

“One of the kids was really into basketball, so we would go do some basketball drills or just shoot on an outside hoop.

Ben Ayre loves working with youth with special needs.

“Just being there, being supportive and creating normality and providing some comfort to them.

“Being able to see how much joy it can bring, it just shifted my perspective on how important small things are in life and just trying to enjoy each moment for what it is.”

Ayre’s learnt to embrace the small things in a career where he’s been gifted nothing, but achieved much through sheer will and perseverance.

The plucky 184cm guard spent two years at Washington junior college Skagit Valley before stepping up to an NCAA division II program Newman in Kansas. From there, he landed a development player gig with Adelaide, appearing in two games for the 36ers in NBL20 before jetting to Lithuania to play for BC Mazeikiai. It took nearly 14 months to catch the eye of Cairns, where, in NBL22, he initially joined as a training player, then as an injury replacement – dropping 20 points and 10 boards on Melbourne United in a late-season explosion.

He franked that into a two-year deal with the Taipans but, at the end of NBL23, he was left searching again when his second-year option wasn’t picked up.

There’s no bad blood there – Ayre always lands on his feet, joining the Phoenix as a bench exploder and opposition agitator.

That chirpiness he brings – whether it’s in training against his own teammates or jawing with some of the league’s greatest players, like United star Chris Goulding, is “just basketball” for Ayre.

“It just comes from a level of competitiveness and desperation and trying to get to the next level and trying to prove yourself, it comes naturally to me,” he said.

“There are a lot of guys in the league who play that way and they respect it.”

Ayre’s 27 – but looks like he’s 20 – and still, on the odd occasion, gets a question from reporters less familiar with his journey about a ‘breakout performance’ or ‘what his future looks like’ in a post-match press conference.

You’ll see him answer respectfully – after a raised eyebrow or incredulous look – but he kind of likes the perception that comes with a baby face.

Ben Ayre on the ball. Picture: Kadek Thatcher

“It doesn’t annoy me, it’s a good thing. You always want to have that young vibe about you and people thinking you’re young,” he said.

“I like to think of myself that yes, I’ve been in the league a short time but, at the same time, I’ve had a lot of experience in basketball and I’ve been around a lot of smart people and a lot of smart players.

“I don’t necessarily see myself as like a second or third-year guy in the league.

“I’m 27, so it’s one of those things, I’m a bit of a rookie and a vet, if you would say it like that.”

Now locked in with the Phoenix and, with an awareness across the NBL of what he can bring to the table, Ayre wants to get back into some part-time social work. He is using his basketball platform to champion the cause of International Day of People with a Disability, which is on Saturday.

He and the club were visited by The Voice talent Dylan Marguccio, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and he will present the game ball before Saturday night’s clash with New Zealand at John Cain Arena.

“This isn’t about me, it’s so important to provide these kids with support and so many other athletes in the league and in other sports are doing similar work in the space,” he said.

“(Sydney Kings) Shaun Bruce and Angus Glover do a lot of work, there are a lot of girls in the WNBL who do it too.

“It’s important for athletes to normalise working in this space and being role models for all kids.”

Marguccio, 18, has released a cover of John Lennon’s classic Christmas song ‘So This is Christmas’, which is raising funds for Australians living with muscular dystrophy and can be purchased via Spotify or iTunes.

Originally published as NBL: South East Melbourne Phoenix star Craig Moller ruled out for season with knee injury