1. Black, CAI
91.0
2. Rillie, TOW 90.5
3. Jones, NZB 87.0
 Australiabasket.com All-Australian NBl Awards 2008
All-NBL 1st Team
Anstey
Ere
Worthington
Penney
Redhage
Player of the Year:Chris Anstey of Melbourne Tigers Domestic Player of the Year:Chris Anstey of Melbourne Tigers Import Player of the Year:Ebi Ere (195-G/F-81) of Brisbane Defensive Player of the Year:Chris Anstey of Melbourne Tigers Most Improved Player of the Year:Cameron Tragardh (209-C/F-83) of Wollongong Hawks Sixth Man of the Year:Dontaye Draper (180-G) of Sydney Kings Rookie of the Year:Nathan Jawai (207-C-86) of Cairns Taipans Coach of the Year: Brian Goorjian of Sydney Kings
 Brisbane Bullets won NBL Championship 2007
Sydney - Melbourne 73:85 The Melbourne Tigers completed the Grand Final series with a
close victory at the Sydney Entertainment Centre today and clinched the
NBL title. The spirit could have been low for the Tigers after they lost
the chance to decide the series at home. But Melbourne did not say die
and resurrected in the fifth game to upset the regular season champs and
the hosts of the game Sydney to be crowned the new NBL champions. The
encounter turned out to be a bunch of nerves with the outcome being
solved in the last minutes. Sydney rushed into the game taking it
aggressively at both end and supported well by a sell-out home crowd. As
the defense prevailed the Kings accumulated a 19:16 lead after the
opening frame. The home side stretched the gap to 7 points at the start
of the second period but now the Tigers began waking up. They trimmed
the deficit and surged ahead when
Chris Anstey (213-C-75) fired from downtown.
Dave Thomas (204-G/F-76, college:
Michigan St.) picked up the scoring frenzy and dropped back-to-back
triples to enlarge the margin to 9 points for the Tigers. Sydney however
cut to 6 at halftime 38:44. The seesaw battle continued after the break.
Brian Goorjian 's outfit quickly denied the difference and retained
the lead.
Chris Anstey had to head to the bench getting his fourth personal
foul but it never prevented Melbourne from regaining the advantage and
entering the fourth period up by 2 points 63:61. Melbourne dropped 8
straight points at the start of the final quarter and ran away to a
10-point distance. It was too much for the hosts. And though they
battled bravely throughout the fourth stanza it was too much too handle
for the Sydney Kings and they lost the game at the end.
Chris Anstey finished with 21 points and 12 boards.
Dave Thomas secured the same 21 points and 12 boards, while
Sean Lampley (201-F-79, college:
California) added 12 points and 6 boards for the champions.
Mark Worthington (202-F-83, college:
Metro St.) had 17 points for the Kings.
Isiah Victor (206-F-78, college:
Tennessee) dropped 16 points and pulled down 8 boards in defeat.
Both teams struggled in accuracy as the Kings converted 32%, while the
Tigers notched 34% of field goals. The visitors at the same outrebounded
Sydney 56:47 and forced the hosts to 12 turnovers. Sydney:
Mark Worthington 17,
Isiah Victor 16+8 boards,
Russell Hinder (208-F/C-79, college:
Augusta St.) 8 Melbourne:
Chris Anstey 21+12 boards,
Dave Thomas 21+12 boards,
Sean Lampley 12
Aussie All-Stars - World All-Stars 146:141
The NBL All-Star Game took place at the Cage in Melbourne and
gathered a sell-out crowd of basketball fans. Cairns rookie
Nathan Jawai (207-C-86, college:
Midland CC) exploded with a 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead
the Aussie All-Stars to an impressive victory. A 21-year-old
prospect was named the All-Star Game MVP. Aussie led all the way
through the encounter and celebrated a spectacular victory in the
annual show. Aussies led by as many as 9 points after the opening
break.
Stephen Black (186-G-80) drained consecutive three-pointers for
Aussies to extend the margin to double digits.
Corey Williams (191-G-77, college:
Alabama St.) and
Kirk Penney (194-G-80, college:
Wisconsin) nailed a couple of jumpers late in the second frame
as the deficit grew thinner and Australian All-Star were up by 9 at
halftime. The gap was well-maintained by Aussies in the third stanza
as they headed into the fourth term leading by 11 points.
Stephen Black was massive with three triples early in the fourth
period to clear Aussies off for good.
Stephen Black drained game-high 27 points for Aussie All-Stars.
Joe Ingles (203-G/F-87) produced 18 points and 8 assists, while
James Harvey (196-G/F-79) came up with 14 points for the hosts.
Sean Redhage (202-F-81, agency:
Warren Sports, college:
Arizona St.) answered with 23 points for World All-Stars.
Rod Grizzard (203-G-80, college:
Alabama) scored 19 points, while
Kirk Penney,
Ebi Ere (195-G/F-81, college:
Oklahoma) and
Larry Abney (206-F/C-77, college:
Fresno St.) finished with 16 points apiece.
The three-point shootout was won by West Sydney Razorbacks guard
Troy DeVries (193-G-82, college:
N.Mexico). He was challenged by NZ Breakers sniper
Kirk Penney. DeVries scored 14 points from beyond the arc, while
Kirk Penney picked up 9 points in the final round.
 Australiabasket.com All-Australian NBl Awards 2008
Melbourne
Tigers win NBL Championship (Photo: Herald Sun)
