Hoop Addict
Years ago
Funny My 2006 ABL Awards
Here are my All Star 5 teams for the 2006 ABL season, as well as other awards. Would be good if someone may be able to do something similar for the girls.
1st Team
PG - Brad Hill (Eastern) : While he still may not be (and may never be) a pure PG, he's run the point for Eastern all year, with quite a bit of success. With Hill & his running mate Madgen, the Mavs have possessed the most offensively potent back court in the ABL in 2006.Hill was the best rebounding guard in 2006, snaring 9.4 rpg to go with his 20ppg & 4.7 apg. While there's still room for improvement in his shot selection, conversion rate & turnovers, I think Hill has taken a step forward towards being more "NBL-ready" in 2006-07.
SG - Damian Scanlon (South) : After a bit of a breakout season in 2005, Scanlon certainly raised his game in 2006. His 26ppg were good enough for 2nd in the league and while his shooting %'s weren't flash, he was asked to take (and make) some tough shots for the offensively-limited Panthers. It was a bit of a case of either being really hot (see : 42 points @ 53% vs West, 51 points @ 60% vs Woodville & 46 points @ 57%, also against Woodville) or really cold (see : 5/26 game vs Norwood, 2 X 6/26 games against Norwood & Centrals & one 2/18 game against Eastern). I also think he's an under-rated defender, and is certainly one of the best at getting himself open looks by working off the ball. Figures to feature prominently in the Wollacott race.
SF - Darren Ng (Sturt) : My favourite for the Wollacott. Ng has had an exceptional season, capped off with a season-high 52 against South in the last round. His form has rarely fluctuated & his shooting percentages (48% FGs, 43% 3's) have been fantastic. It speaks volumes of his talent that an almost-strictly jump shooting guard can crack the top 10 in FG %. Ng has also displayed great anticipation on the defensive end to gather close to 2 steals per game, while also reeling in 6 rebounds per game. Ideally he'd be a 2 man, but for the sake of trying to get close to the best 5 in the 1st team, he's playing the 3spot.
PF - Jason Dix (Forestville) : While he may not have quite duplicated his 2005 form, he's still one tough customer & good enough to make my 1st team. His averages dipped from 24ppg & 14rpg in 2005 to 21ppg & 11rpg in 2006, but he's always a threat & reliable in big games. With Forestville losing Farman after 2005 & gaining Arnold & regaining Campbell, they were probably a little more perimeter oriented this season. Despite a couple of hiccups in the last 2 rounds of the season, Forestville are still very much in the title hunt, and Dix is a big reason for that.
C - David Cooper (Norwood) : It may be painful for 36ers fans see Cooper not dominating the ABL offensively, but there's no denying his defensive talent & importance to the Flames. Cooper easily lead the ABL in rebounds & blocks per game this season, and was the Flames anchor. Devoid of a go-to post move, Cooper still managed to score an average of 14ppg on put backs & gets good position to be a receiver when Matthews & Webber penetrate. He may never be a big scorer, but in my opinion, he was still the best 5 man in the ABL in 2006.
2nd team
PG - Michael Zorich (North) : Took the reins as the Rockets' on court leader in 2006 & has lead them to another finals campaign. His stats increase may have been relatively minimal (from 12ppg, 6rpg, 5apg in 2005 to 14ppg, 6rpg, 6apg in 2006) but I think he's clearly established himself as North's leader in the absence of Hawkes & McKay. Zorich featured prominently on the stats leaderboard, with his 6.2apg ranking 3rd (1st amongst regular players), 1st in steals & 10th in minutes. His shooting leaves a bit to be desired (48% FTs, 21% 3s) but his all-court game is solid & still improving.
SG - Ben Madgen (Eastern) : One of the big improvers of the 2006 season in my opinion. Proved himself to be one of the hardest covers in the league by scoring 22ppg, good for 3rd in the league. Madgen has been remarkably consistent in 2006, and has shown an ability to score inside & out, with his improved 3 point stroke leading him to hit on 38% of his attempts. A potential star of the future, one has to wonder how good he could possibly be after a stint at a US college.
SF - Oscar Forman (Sturt) : Has had a bit of a disappointing 2006 ABL season, with his shooting stroke seemingly deserting him for long stretches . After averaging 24ppg & 15rpg in 2005, his averages dropped to 16ppg & 11rpg in 2006. Appeared content to take a back seat to the Darren Ng show too often this year, and his shooting %'s plummeted to 36% FGs & 32% 3s (from a guy who has hit 48% on 3s the past 2 years in the NBL). Forman still attracted one of the oppositions top defenders every game & would often hit clutch shots in tight games to help Sturt to tough victories.
PF - Austin Smylie (Sturt) : After watching his 1st game against the Rockets, I wondered why on earth Sturt even wanted him. Once he got himself acclimatized though, he proved to be one of the better big men in the league. Showed himself to be a very competent scorer with his back to the basket, as well as being able to step outside and knock down mid range jumpers & even connected on 41% of his 3s. Smylie is a deceptive athlete who entertained crowds with some nice finishes & was also a great rebounder.
C - Nick Hambour (North) : Another who arguably had a better season in 2005, Hambour finished 2006 with very respectable averages of 16ppg, 10rpg & 4apg. I think the biggest improvement in his game was his court awareness & passing, as evidenced by the increase in his assists from 1 per game in 2005 to 4 per game in 2006. Hambour's mid-range game has improved in the past few years, to the point that he's a threat out to 18 feet, and he's still tough in the paint & on the offensive boards.
Honourable mention : Keith Krause (Norwood), Andrew Puddifoot (Woodville), Matt Sutton (Forestville)
Not considered due to lack of games : Brett Maher (Sturt), Jacob Holmes (Eastern), Brad Gerlach (Southern), Jye Watson (Centrals).
Rookie of the Year
Chris Molitor (West) : Molitor was highly inconsistent in his rookie season, but had enough impressive games to average 11ppg & 6rpg. At 6'7", he has the height to match it with the big boys, but also a nice outside stroke that allows him to play on the perimeter. His stats were probably bolstered by the apparent attitude of "if I get mine, who cares about the win?" coming from the Westies camp. With a solid young core though, hopefully the Bearcats will be able to rebuild relatively quickly.
Honourable Mention : Jordan Dodman (Sturt)
Most Improved
Tristan Braithwaite (Southern) : Braithwaite's 2nd half of the season was phenomenal. In the final 10 games of the season, Braithwaite averaged nearly 25ppg, including 2 games of 40+. While his shot selection can be suspect, he makes enough to always be a danger, and his blistering pace allows him to get to the hole with relative ease. Still has some improving to do on the defensive end, but his improvement offensively in 2006 was great.
Honourable Mention : Ben Madgen (Eastern), Rory Craddock (West), Daniel Lalic (Southern)
6th Man
Brenton Campbell (Forestville) : Without question, I think Campbell would have to be a starter on any other ABL team. In fact, had he had a full pre-season with Forestville, he may well have started ahead of Sullivan. Campbell has the ability to change the game in a very short space of time with his shooting ability and quickness. Like Braithwaite, he's the kind of guy who needs the ball in his hands to influence the game, but I think he's returned to Adelaide with improved PG skills.
Honourable Mention : Doug MacDonald-Taylor (Forestville), Mark Fuller (South)
