By JARROD POTTER
GREATER Dandenong’s basketball strength was highlighted at a pair of awards nights in the last week.
Players from the Dandenong Rangers SEABL teams and Keysborough’s BIG V team swept their awards nights held recently.
While the spotlight shone brightly on NBL-bound Daequon Montreal, Rangers centre Tony Lewis earned the top SEABL honour as the Men’s MVP averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds a game in his best year yet as one of Dandenong’s import players.
Amelia Todhunter and Lauren Scherf were named in the SEABL Women’s All-Star team while Faith Probst earned the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Dandenong’s senior coaching duo Darren Perry and Larissa Anderson won their respective Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year accolades.
Backing up the SEABL effort were the Keysborough Cougars’ Big V representatives, with a number of Cougars making All Star Five and earning individual honours.
Eric Miraflores starred in his first season for Keysborough and earned the honour of starting point guard in the Division 2 All-Star Five.
Keysborough’s success continued in the Youth League 2 Men as the champions earned their applause on the awards night.
Staci Richardson was named MVP for the competition and was listed in the All Star Five as a forward alongside team-mate Matt Walker (centre).
Jamal Talo earned the Defensive Player of the Year award to go along with his Golden Hands trophy and coach Craig Smethurst signed off on his time in the Youth Men’s system as its Coach of the Year.
Dandenong’s Sophie Tarabolsi and Geraldine McCorkell were both named in the All Star Five for the Victorian Youth Championship Women’s competition.
