Isaac
Years ago

Penney and DMac win Player and Coach awards

D-MAC STUNS ON DEBUT, PENNEY WINS AGAIN IN NBL MONTHLY AWARDS

New Zealand Breakers' superstar guard Kirk Penney has claimed his second National Basketball League Player of the Month award, while rookie Melbourne Tigers’ head coach Darryl McDonald has capped a stunning debut by winning the iiNet NBL Championship’s Coach of the Month honour for February.

MVP contender Penney, who also previously won the monthly player honour in December 2010, took the award this month by polling 62 votes and finishing ahead of Sydney Kings’ centre Julian Khazzouh (40 votes), and Gold Coast Blaze import Ira Clark (31).

Penney currently leads the league in scoring with an average of 20.7 points per game but stepped it up in February, averaging an impressive 24.7 ppg. He shot the ball at 56.5% from the field and 49.0% from the perimeter. In January he also had 18 rebounds and seven assists during the Breakers’ six games as he helped his team to a 4-2 record for the month and first place on the ladder. Penney has been an integral part of the Breakers’ having their best season ever and clinching the minor premiership.

"I am honoured to receive the award, but am definitely accepting it on behalf of the team," Penney said when told of the honour. “Everyone has worked so hard this season to achieve the success we have had to date. Everyone has sacrificed so much individually to make the team better, to help us win games and play how we need to play. Any awards we receive individually come back to what everyone in the team contributes, so that makes it more special.”

Melbourne’s Darryl MacDonald earned the Coach of the Month award for February with 50 votes, followed closely by Trevor Gleeson (Townsville, 48 votes), and Ian Robilliard (Sydney, 32 votes).

After replacing departed Tigers’ head coach Al Westover mid-season, the Melbourne Tigers have been making quite a turnaround under new interim head coach McDonald. Becoming head coach mid-season is not without its major challenges, but 'D-Mac’ has risen to the occasion and helped his team pull off three wins in his first four games as head coach of the Tigers.

Under D-Mac, Melbourne recorded upset wins against playoff contenders Cairns and Wollongong in February as well as Adelaide, with their only loss being to the number one ranked New Zealand Breakers.

“It is great to be named Coach of the Month,” McDonald said. “It was a tough lead up to February, however the guys have responded really well and that is one of the most pleasing aspects, the way the team has hit the ground running and turned the efforts into a couple of wins.

“In saying that the job isn’t done and there is still plenty to go. It’s not about me being coach now, it’s about us as a team putting in the effort and playing hard night in night out, both for us and for our members and sponsors.”
The NBL’s Player and Coach of the Month for February took into account Rounds 17 to 20 of the iiNet NBL Championship inclusive. All NBL Head Coaches and accredited media were eligible to vote for the awards.
Player of the Month - February 2011
Kirk Penney (New Zealand) 62
Julian Khazzouh (Sydney) 40
Ira Clark (Gold Coast) 31
Corey Williams (Melbourne) 10
Peter Crawford (Townsville) 8
Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne) 5
Matt Burston (Wollongong) 4
Gary Ervin (Wollongong) 2

Coach of the Month - February 2011
Darryl McDonald (Melbourne) 50
Trevor Gleeson (Townsville) 48
Ian Robilliard (Sydney) 32
Joey Wright (Gold Coast) 21
Andrej Lemanis (New Zealand) 11

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DJ Rod  
Years ago

Who the fark votes on the coaches award?

D-Mac??? seriously??

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Isaac  
Years ago

Gleeson got my 3 vote, FWIW.

Reply #311103 | Report this post




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