By ROY WARD
DANDENONG Basketball Association won Basketball Victoria’s Association of the Year award at Basketball Victoria’s annual awards in Rowville last week.
The DBA had five individual award winners along with its overall award.
Dandenong Rangers WNBL star and Australian Opal Jenna O’Hea won the Betty Watson Medal for best female basketball athlete of the year.
O’Hea played a key role in the Rangers’ WNBL title win and is also expected to play for the Opals at the London Olympics.
O’Hea and Rangers point guard Kath Macleod have both been named in the Opals selection squad for training camps in May.
Volunteer Bob Tyler was awarded Volunteer of the Year, Disability Programs for his work coaching in the Access All Abilities competitions.
Dandenong Rangers SEABL women’s coach Larissa Anderson was named Female Coach of the Year after leading the Rangers to a second straight SEABL women’s title last September.
Australian Rollers player Jannik Blair, of the Victoria Dandenong Rangers in the National Wheelchair Basketball League, was named Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the Year.
DBA referee Robyn Manhire won the Female Referee of the Year award for the third consecutive year.
■ WNBL champions Dandenong Rangers have signed two key players for their championship defence.
Athletic forward Tegan Cunningham has re-signed while Australian Institute of Sport forward Sara Blicavs has signed on with the Rangers.
The club is expected to announce more signings in the coming weeks with the majority of the team expected to return.
