BADGERING...
BEN BRUST
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After a multitude of solid performances from 3-point range last season, Ben Brust has cemented his
reputation as one of the conference's most lethal shooters. This season, Brust has displayed his all-around
talents as he, along with teammate Ryan Evans, ranks third in the Big Ten with four double-doubles apiece.
How and why did you become so comfortable shooting from long range?
"I used to play basketball all the time with my older brothers. They would kill me but it made me better and
made me work harder because I wanted to someday beat them as bad as they beat me. The area we played
had cement that was separated in blocks, so we had a rule where each person had this square of relief. The
way I learned to shoot from deep was by shooting behind that square of relief so they couldn't come and get
me."
You played various sports growing up. Why did you eventually stick with basketball?
"My parents never let me play football, which I'm fine with. I played volleyball for a year, which was fun, but
I never really got into that. I also played soccer and baseball a lot. Soccer was fun only because of the games
― I never had the passion to play that after eighth grade, though. Baseball was too boring for me with all the
standing around. I found myself having fun with basketball a lot more once I was done with those sports."
Has your love for NASCAR rubbed off on any teammates or family members?
"It's been hard trying to get people to enjoy NASCAR like I do. I've given up trying to convince some of my
teammates and most of my family hates it just as much as I did when I was younger. But I think if you go to a
race it gives you a whole different perspective. So maybe if I get a couple of them to a race I think I'll change
their minds."
Where do you think your athleticism and ambition comes from?
"I think those competitive juices just run in my family. I've watched my dad take care of my family ― he
owns his own business, so I'd see him working hard to provide for us. Then I'd see my older brothers playing
sports and how much passion they had for what they were doing. If you asked her, my mom would say I got
all of my shooting skills and athletic ability from her and, even though I agree to an extent, I'm pretty sure
it's my dad's competitiveness and passion that has rubbed off on me."
24 » VARSITY
JANUA RY 31, 2013
