Ben and Tyler Hansbrough keep Pacers all in the family

• Tyler and Ben Hansbrough both are in Pacers camp
• Ben is trying to make the team as third point guard
• Tyler is trying to keep his job as backup power forward

The last time Tyler and Ben Hansbrough played on the same team in a game that meant something, they were in the starting lineup in the Missouri state basketball championship game against Vashon High School.

Tyler was the dominating power forward and Ben was the feisty point guard on the Poplar Bluff High team that upset the nation's top high school team at the time to complete a back-to-back state championship run.

Fast forward seven years and the Hansbrough brothers are together again, with Ben attempting to pull off another upset.

Ben, 24, is trying to beat the odds and become the Indiana Pacers' third point guard. Tyler, 26, is David West's backup at power forward.

"You tend to take it for granted when you play together growing up," Ben said. "You don't really realize how fun it is to play together until he's off at college. To have an opportunity to do it at the NBA level is a dream come true. I'm trying to make the most of this opportunity and hope it comes true."

The Hansbroughs could join Tom and Dick Van Arsdale; Mark and Brent Price; and Dominique and Gerald Wilkins as the only brothers to play together in the NBA. That's if Ben beats the odds and makes the Pacers' final roster.

Kareem and Brandon Rush missed with playing with each other on the Pacers by a year in 2008.

Ben had chances to sign with other teams for training camp, but he chose the Pacers after a solid summer league showing. He also was excited about the chance to play with his older brother.

"The door opened up for me after the summer workouts and then there's the brother factor," he said.

Not much has changed in the seven years since the Hansbrough brothers were together in high school. Tyler still is blunt with Ben, and Ben gives it right back to his older brother.

The only difference now is the two aren't slugging it out with their fist where the fights often ended in a draw, according to Tyler, who is much larger at 6-9, 250 pounds to 6-2, 203 for Ben.

"We have that relationship where we can both be straight forward with each other," Tyler said. "I told Ben to come out here and work hard everyday, impress the right people, try not to do too much, not make mistakes and make plays when he's called upon."

The challenge to make the roster became even steeper recently, when coach Frank Vogel said Lance Stephenson is currently the team's emergency third point guard. The Pacers also have Blake Ahearn and Sundiata Gaines in camp competing for the spot behind George Hill and D.J. Augustin.

"You have to look at it as you have to come in and do the best you can, you can't control what other guys do," said Ben, who was the Big East Conference's 2010-11 player of the year at Notre Dame. "You have to focus on what you can do and not get focused on what you do against this guy or that guy."

Ben isn't the only Hansbrough with a challenge ahead of him.

Tyler has to bounce back from a disappointing third season. He started during his second season but played behind West last season. Tyler will also be a restricted free agent next summer.

He averaged 22 minutes a game for the second consecutive season, but his scoring, rebounding and shooting percentage all declined. His offensive game became predictable, which made it easier for teams to stop him.

The Pacers won't hesitate to play Jeff Pendergraph or Ian Mahinmi, who can play center and power forward, at Hansbrough's spot in the rotation if he struggles again this season.

"We want to see growth out of Tyler," Vogel said. "Grow his ability to see the floor, make proper passes, to not be predictable in the low post, play without fouling. We do want him to keep his motor right where it's at."