Best in class: Club champions crowned as Finals loom

With the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 regular season wrapping up this weekend, a number of teams have staged their annual awards night to recognise the successes of their campaigns.

On Friday night, South East Melbourne, Cairns and Illawarra all held their respective presentation evenings, with Nathan Sobey, Jack McVeigh and JaVale McGee taking home their respective club MVP awards.

Joining Sobey in the Phoenix’s award winners list at Centrepiece were John Brown III, who claimed Defensive Player of the Year, The Locker Room Award and Fan Voted Player of the Year, Malique Lewis, who took out the Community Impact Award, Tracey Helman, Heartland Volunteer of the Year, and Simon Wigg, Staff Member of the Year.

Up in Cairns, McVeigh also took out the club’s Members’ Choice MVP, while other recipients on the night were Andrew Andrews (Players’ Player Award), Kyrin Galloway (Defensive Player of the Year), Lachlan Barker (Coaches’ Award), Jed Richardson (Commitment to the Community) and John Richardson (Club Person of the Year).

In Wollongong, Daniel Grida claimed three trophies: Most Improved, Players’ Player and Member’s Choice Award.

Other Hawks to be recognised were Mason Peatling (Coaches’ Award), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (Defensive Player of the Year), Kobe McDowell-White (Community Award), Bob Purcell (Volunteer of the Year) and Kumar Manix (Club Person of the Year).

Then on Saturday, both Tasmania and Brisbane staged their end-of-season awards.

In the Apple Isle, Josh Bannan was named the JackJumpers’ MVP, with Will Magnay (Defensive Player of the Year), Nick Marshall (Players’ Player and Coaches’ Award), Majok Deng (Fan Favourite Award) and Christine Finnegan (Spirit of the JackJumpers Award) also being recognised.

Then, in Brisbane, big man Tyrell Harrison claimed the Leroy Loggins MVP trophy, as Mitch North (Players’ Player Award and Defensive Player of the Year), Jacob Holt (Young Player of the Year), Olly Reid (Narelle Kelly Award for outstanding service) and Craig Leaney (Volunteer of the Year) also took home silverware.

The inaugural NBL Ignite Cup Final between Adelaide and New Zealand tips off at 4.30pm AEDT on Sunday, live on ESPN and Channel 10.

Then the NBL26 Finals tip off on Wednesday, March 4, with the Seeding Qualifier between South East Melbourne and Perth at John Cain Arena from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.

Kendric Davis took out the Sydney Kings' MVP award earlier this month .

Photo: Jess Peterson.