THE Adelaide 36ers have featured prominently at the Andrew Gaze Trophy gala event in Melbourne with Mitch Creek being named the fans’ most valuable player.
And long-serving captain and Sixers’ great Brett Maher was one of three players inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame at the glittering night at Melbourne’s Crown casino.
Creek’s award comes only days after the former captain of the Sixers was named his team’s most valuable player and after playing in the NBL summer league and having established himself as elite NBL player and a member of the national program.
The fans’ vote was conducted online.
The Sixers were also recognised with Ramone Moore being named the best sixth man and veteran centre-forward Daniel Johnson making the All-NBL first team.
The main award, the league’s MVP, went to Perth Wildcats’ Bryce Cotton, who capped off an outstanding season to win his first Andrew Gaze Trophy with 117 votes ahead of Illawarra’s Demetrius Conger (94 votes) and the Sydney Kings’ Jerome Randle (79).
Randle was the league’s MVP last season, when he played for the Sixers.
Creek was also named in the All-NBL second team.
NBL chief Jeremy Loeliger was quick to congratulate Cotton.
“Bryce has been an outstanding performer since he joined Perth and is a thoroughly deserving winner of this year’s MVP,” he said.
Loeliger also noted that the NBL had recorded its highest ever regular season attendance in 2017-18 and was now widely regarded as a world class league.
Maher’s name was inscribed in the Hall of Fame alongside fellow high-profile players in Tony Ronaldson and Glen Saville.
Maher, whose signature is now on the floor of Adelaide Arena, has made an impact like none other on the Sixers.
He is one of only three players to win the Grand Final MVP twice and one of only four 36ers to have their jersey retired.
When he finished up in 2009 he was the Sixers all-time leader in games played (525), points (8941), assists (2267) steals (703), field goals (3140) and three pointers (1162).
Maher was also part of three Olympics campaigns — in 1996, 2000 and 2004 — and played more than 100 games for Australia.
He captained the club for the final 13 of his 18 seasons for the club.
Tony “Bear” Ronaldson is the all-time leader for games played in the NBL with 665 games from 1990-2010.
He had a win rate of 64 per cent in a career with several clubs: Eastside Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers.
Ronaldson played in two Olympic Games — in 1996 and 2004 — two world championships and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
Saville, who had two stints with Wollongong Hawks split by a season with Sydney Kings, played in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and was part of the gold-winning 2006 Commonwealth team.
He racked up 563 NBL games with the Hawks.
Basketball Australia chief Anthony Moore was glowing in his praise of the trio.
“Induction into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame is one of the highest honours in our sport,” he said. “Tony, Brett and Glen’s legacies will now be preserved forever and continue to inspire future generations.”
The winners
Most Valuable Player — Bryce Cotton (Perth)
Coach of the Year — Dean Vickerman (Melbourne)
Rookie of the Year — Isaac Humphries (Sydney)
Best Sixth Man — Ramone Moore (Adelaide)
Best Defensive Player — Damian Martin (Perth)
Most Improved Player — Shed Ili (New Zealand)
Fans MVP — Mitch Creek (Adelaide)
Referee of the Year — Michael Aylen
Most Outstanding Media Coverage — Matt Logue (Daily Telegraph)
All-NBL First Team
Casper Ware (Melbourne)
Bryce Cotton (Perth)
Demetrius Conger (Illawarra)
Daniel Johnson (Adelaide)
Josh Boone (Melbourne)
All-NBL Second Team
Edgar Sosa (New Zealand)
Jerome Randle (Sydney)
JP Tokoto (Perth)
Mitch Creek (Adelaide)
Tai Wesley (Melbourne)
Top 15 — MVP Voting
1. Bryce Cotton — 117
2. Demetrius Conger — 94
3. Jerome Randle — 79
4. Casper Ware — 77
5. JP Tokoto — 74
6. Edgar Sosa — 70
7. Mitch McCarron — 66
8. Rotnei Clarke — 65
9. Josh Boone — 65
10. Perrin Buford — 59
11. Travis Trice — 58
12. Perry Ellis — 58
13. Cam Gliddon — 56
14. Mitch Creek — 55
15. Tai Wesley — 55
