Cal Bruton

Calvin "Cal" Bruton (born 29 September 1954) is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Originally an American import, but later becoming a naturalised Australian, Bruton has been an integral part of the league since its inception. As a result, Bruton became one of the first inductees into the NBL Hall of Fame when it opened in 1998.

Bruton's son Calvin Bruton Jr., better known as C.J. Bruton, played in the NBL and become successful in his own right winning six NBL Championships with three different teams (Sydney Kings, Brisbane Bullets and New Zealand Breakers) between 2004 and 2013.

Professional career

Bruton was a basketball playground legend from Jamaica in Queens in New York City. Bruton played his high school basketball at Springfield Gardens. Bruton attended Wichita State University on a basketball scholarship and as a senior was first team all Missouri Valley Conference on an NCAA Tournament Team and was rated as one of the top point guards in the nation despite being only 5'9 (175 cm) tall. Bruton was one of the first imports to play in the NBL, joining the Brisbane Bullets for the inaugural 1979 NBL season. Bruton led all scorers in the NBL's first year, averaging over 33.2 points per game.

Bruton later joined the Geelong Supercats in 1982 as a playing coach where he would win the NBL Coach of the Year in his first season. During his tenure with the Supercats, Bruton was also named to the All NBL First Team in 1983 and 1984. As coach of Geelong, Bruton led the team to the 1982 NBL Grand Final where they were defeated 80-74 by the West Adelaide Bearcats.

Bruton rejoined the Bullets in 1985 and helped them to their first NBL championship over the Adelaide 36ers. This success was followed in 1986 when the naturalised Bruton represented the Australian Boomers at the 1986 FIBA World Championship in Spain. After returning from Spain Bruton helped the Bullets into their 4th straight Grand Final where they would again face the Adelaide 36ers. For 1986 the NBL had extended the Grand Final to a best of three series. Game 1 was played at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and saw a 122-119 win for Adelaide in overtime saw them overwhelming favourites to go home and wrap up the championship at the Apollo Stadium where they had an imposing 14–0 record up until that point of the season. Brisbane, led by Bruton, Ron Radliff and Larry Sengstock, stunned the 36ers with a 104-83 win to force a third and deciding game just two days later. Bruton's best friend off the court also happened to be Adelaide's point guard Al Green who was also a native of New York. The two, best mates off the court but the fiercest of rivals on it, had a running battle in Game 3 with Green eventually coming out on top leading Adelaide to a 113–91 victory for the 36ers first NBL title. Bruton averaged 30.0 points and 3.3 assists per game over the Grand Final series.

Following the 1986 Grand Final series, Bruton had a public falling out with Bullets coach Brian Kerle and was sacked from the club under controversial circumstances. He was immediately snapped up as playing coach of perennial easy-beats the Perth Wildcats for the 1987 NBL season and immediately set about building a championship contending team. He recruited two players who would become stars with the Wildcats, Center/Power forwards James Crawford and Kendal "Tiny" Pinder. As playing coach of the Wildcats Bruton built a team to beat the reigning NBL champions, the Adelaide 36ers. His plan paid off when the Wildcats defeated Adelaide 2–1 in the semi-finals (both wins were on Adelaide's home court were the 36ers had only lost twice during the season). Unfortunately Perth were unable to overcome Bruton's old team Brisbane and went down in the Grand Final series 0–2.

Bruton played three seasons in Perth (two of which he shared playing and coaching duties), before becoming the head coach in 1990 in somewhat controversial circumstances. Alan Black was the head coach for the Wildcats at the beginning of the 1990 season, but after only two matches he was replaced by Bruton. Despite this eventful start to the season Bruton guided the Wildcats to its first NBL championship when they defeated the Brisbane Bullets (still coached by Kerle) 2–1 in the Grand Final series. Bruton himself was replaced the following year by Murray Arnold.

Cal sat out the 1991 NBL season, but returned in 1992 with the Hobart Devils, which would again later result in Bruton becoming the head coach for the Devils in their final season in 1996.

In 2000 Bruton once again returned to coaching, this time for the Canberra Cannons. Like with the Hobart Devils, the Cannons were in financial difficulty at the time and their future was looking bleak. The 2002–03 season saw the financial difficulties of the Cannons reaching boiling point and it was announced their license would be sold. This series of events resulted in Bruton quitting the Cannons and not following the club in their move to Newcastle as the Hunter Pirates.

During the 2006–07, Bruton was signed as head coach of the West Sydney Razorbacks, taking over in the middle of the season though he wasn't retained as coach for 2007–08.^[1]

Bruton now also helps out coaching for junior teams in his spare time, being a great role model to the junior basketball players.

He was also once in a celebrity episode of 1980s gameshow It's A Knockout where he dressed in a horse suit alongside Big Sports Breakfast co-host and journalist Terry Kennedy.

References

• Oz Hoops Almanac