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Rohanee Cox, Townsville Aubrey & Assoc. AMP Flames
Rohanee Cox has been the crown jewel in the Townsville Flames push towards a National Championship in 2007. So far, things are on-track with the team winning both their Quarter and Semi Final with a little help from Cox, and the team now vying for a State Championship next weekend. In their Quarter Final clash up against the Dolphins, Cox had minimum court time (18 mins) but certainly made the most of it with a massive 25pts, 7rbs and 4stls to stun the opposition, including 9 of 12 from the field and 2 of 2 three-pointers. Backing up in the Semi Final on Saturday night against a strong Rockhampton outfit, she hit a ‘double-double’ of 21pts, 16rbs, 3asts and 4stls to cap off a top weekend, as the team now prepares to face the Maroochydore Clippers in the Grand Final. Elsewhere, Jade Kennedy of the Dolphins finished the year on a high of 24pts, 15rbs; Jenny Whittle closed out a huge year with the Cyclones with an 18pt, 20rb double-double; Ezria Parsons of the Mountaineers doing all she could in the teams Semi Final loss to the Clippers with 9pts, 18rbs, 3b/s, 5stls; and Maree Simpson of the Meteorettes with 23pts, 11rbs, 4asts and 4stls.
Jason Aucion, Gold Coast Goannas
Jason Aucion brought his A-game to the floor over the weekend at a time when it was most required- the finals! In the Goannas Quarter Final against the Maroochydore Clippers, Aucoin ploughed through the opposition with 39pts, 14rbs and 3asts, hitting 16 of 28 from the field and sending his team into a Semi Final (135-123). As if Friday night’s effort wasn’t enough, he stepped things up a notch during Saturday’s Semi Final with 38pts, 15rbs, 4asts, 3b/s and 6stls to get involved in all facets of the game and carry his team over the line (106-89 over the Pirates) and into a Grand Final with the Cairns Marlins this weekend. Aucoin was on-fire with 17 of 23 from the field and 3 of 4 three-pointers and collects the Player of the Week Award. In other finals action, Matt Smith of the Marlins raced away to 25pts, 12rbs in 23 minutes against the Bulls; Cameron Tragardh worked tirelessly against the Heat to secure 41pts, 15rbs, backed up by 25pts, 12rbs against the Marlins in their Semi Final loss; Troy Thompson of the Pirates grabbed 26pts, 18rbs with 5 of 9 three-pointers in the teams single point win over the Wizards; and John Fitzgerald put in a huge last game effort in ’07 with 48pts, 11rbs to easily finish the highest points scorer across the League.
Amber Stefanovic, Ipswich Force
Amber Stefanovic has proven to be a vital link in the make-up of the Ipswich Force this year, with their inclusion in the new full state League. She finishes the year with an average of 21.2ppg which has her placed third highest overall across the state. The team had a small window of opportunity to make the finals in Round 15 with two from two being enough to get them over the line and knock the Pirates out. This did not pan out as planned with the team only winning one, but Stefanovic and the team can hold their heads high after a very positive first year in the full state League. Stefanovic hit two double-doubles over the weekend, with 24pts, 15rbs in game one against the Gliders (64-58), followed by 28pts, 13rbs in game two against the Mountaineers (54-68). She has been a leader and motivator on the court, playing just under 36 minutes per game in ’07 and collects the Player of the Week Award in the final regular season round of the QABL. In other games, Rachel Flannagan of the Flames nailed at triple-double with 11pts, 12rbs, 12asts; last weeks Player of the Week Ezria Parsons of the Mountaineers helped to guide her team to a home court quarter final with 14pts, 23rbs, 4asts, 4stls; Jenny Whittle of the Cyclones proving too much height for her opponents with 21pts, 10rbs, 3b/s in game one in Brisbane, followed by 15pts, 16rbs, 3asts, 4b/s, 2stls in game two; and Belinda Stubbs of the Gliders finishing the year with two double-doubles of 25pts, 14rbs and 10pts, 16rbs.
Rhys Martin, Caloundra RSL Suns
Rhys Martin of the Caloundra RSL Suns collects the Player of the Week Award in Round 15 of the QABL with the team finishing their year on a high with two wins from two starts. Against the Brisbane Capitals on Saturday night, Martin easily penetrated their defence with 36pts, 10rbs, 3asts and 2stls to lead the team to a 107-98 victory, which ultimately blocked the Capitals out of finals contention. He hit 12 of 22 from the field and 6 of 9 three-pointers to upset and topple the Capitals, with the team’s second quarter efforts doing the damage (32-22). On Sunday the Suns lined up against the Logan Thunder and collected a 120-100 victory, and by doing so gladly handed the wooden spoon to the Gladstone Power. Martin nearly reached a triple-double here, with 28pts, 8rbs, 7asts and 4stls, shooting at 44% from both inside and outside the arc. He finishes the year with an average of 25.5ppg (8th highest across the League), having played in all 18 games. Other efforts from Round 15 include Colin Oriard of the Bulls with 34pts, 22rbs, 6asts to beat the Wizards (116-97) and secure the team a finals position; Toby Zaremba of the Goannas with a pair of double-doubles with 28pts, 15rbs, 3asts in game 1 and then 16pts, 18rbs, 3asts in game 2; Peter Bullock muscling his way to 34pts, 16rbs against the Goannas, followed by 16pts, 20rbs, 3asts, 3stls against the Pirates; and Dante Skyes of the Wizards with 24pts, 8rbs, 3asts, 5stls on Saturday, with another 20pts, 9rbs, 7asts, 4stls on Sunday showcasing his wide skill-set.
Ezria Parsons, Toowoomba Mountaineers
Ezria Parsons collects the Player of the Week Award in Round 14 of the QABL after the team managed a 10-point win over the Capitals on Saturday night (81-71). Parsons continues her dominance off the boards and has developed into the real backbone of the Mountaineers quest for a title in 2007. She hit 16pts, 18rbs, 5asts and 3b/s and sits in a very commanding spot in many categories of the top 10’s report across the League (1st rebounding- 16.8rpg; 3rd blocks- 1.6bpg; 5th steals- 3.4spg; 6th field goal %- 50% with 99 of 198). Other notable performances include Stephanie Rehbein of the Bears getting busy with 20pts, 14rbs, 5asts, 3b/s and 5sls; Jenny Whittle of the Cyclones with a hard fought 29 minutes against the Clippers grabbed 26pts, 14rbs, 4asts and 2stls; Jade Kennedy of the Dolphins with a three-game combined 47pts, 43rbs, 3asts, 7b/s and 6stls from her Brisbane road-trip; and Renae Read of the Meteorettes hit 21pts, 10rbs, 4asts and 3stls in a 3-point loss to the Clippers (61-58).
Cameron Tragardh, Rockhampton Stadium Nightclub Rockets
Rocket Cameron Tragardh collects the Player of the Week Award for the second time in 2007, after tipping the scales back in Round 3. The Rockets took on a tough southern competitor in the Maroochy Clippers on Sunday, in a game where Tragardh showed no mercy. Signing off the regular season home game schedule for the Rocky fans, Tragardh took an amazing 45pts, 23rbs and 5asts to showcase his superior offensive and defensive ‘bag of tricks’. With the majority of the work done in close range, he managed 20 of 33 from the field and helped to move the team one step closer to the possibility of hosting quarter and semi finals. Other Round 14 mammoth efforts include John Fitzgerald of the Clippers continuing his rampage with 37pts, 11rbs in game one against Mackay, then 33pts, 14rbs against Rocky in game two of the teams road double; Todd Meyerding of the Bulls hit 5 of 7 three-pointers to claw his way to 36pts, 7rbs, 11asts and 3stls in a huge win over the Power (155-105); Ben Thompson of the Rockets nailing a triple-double of 17pts, 10rbs, 13asts showing his value to the program and finals campaign; and Jason Aucoin of the Goannas with 36pts, 15rbs, 3asts at 50% from the field to give the team the top southern pool position.
Terri Page, Maroochydore RSL Clippers
Leading her team from the sidelines in her first year as Head Coach of the Maroochydore RSL Clippers is Terri Page, who collects the Coach of the Month Award in the QABL. Page was given a mixed bag at the start of the year with new faces in Shannon Proffit and Kirsty Dallas along with a handful of local junior talent. Combining this with the teams high expectations after being crowned the Southern Cross Champions in ‘06, has not fazed her in the slightest, with the team screaming along at 11 and 3 and 4th overall in the competition so far in ’07. The losses this year have been few and far between, with Ipswich getting the better of them in Round 3 (68-60), the Dolphins doing the damage in Round 4 (74-66) and most recently the League-leading Flames collecting a 79-48 win in Round 12. The Clippers co-captain Julie Stringer describes her Coach as very motivating but also passive from the sidelines. “Terri takes input from both players and the Assistant Coach well. The team has a lot of potential and it was just a matter of glueing everybody together under the tougher format of the full-state competition of which Terri has done a great job” Stringer said. The Clippers are red hot favourites to end on-top of their central pool, which could see them host a quarter final on Friday August 3rd. Between now and then though, they have a handful of tough opponents to face, specifically on their central road-double to Rocky and Mackay in Round 14. This won’t faze Coach Page though- it’s all in a days work for her….
Maree Simpson, Dixon Homes Mackay Meteorettes
Playing three games in forty hours is a feat in itself, but Maree Simpson of the Mackay Meteorettes achieved more than that in Round 12 of the QABL to collect the Player of the Week Award. Carrying an average of 11pts and 9rbs into the ’07 season from her efforts with the Meteorettes in ’06, Simpson has increased her intensity on-court which has been a real asset to the Mackay camp this year and helped them slip into third overall. In game one against South West, the team was pushed all the way to the bank with Simpson having her hand in everything at 8pts, 8rbs, 6asts and 7stls which saw the team collect a win at 70-68. The following night she continued her good form and managed 15pts, 7rbs, 6asts and 4stls at 50% from the field to get the team on a winning streak (77-55 over the Gliders). This continued on Sunday, with Simpson showing her endurance and experience to surge onto 16pts, a massive 20rbs, 2asts and 3stls. The team is now heading towards a show down with Rocky in the quarter finals and if Simpson can carry her current 15pts at 42% from the field, average into this one, look out! Elsewhere, Julie Stringer of the Clippers hit high numbers with 25pts, 5rbs, 2asts, 4stls in game 1, followed by 27pts, 10rbs in game 2; Jenny Fraser of the Mountaineers also on the double with 21pts, 7rbs in game 1 and then 23pts, 9rbs in game 2 to see the team leading the southern pool; Biancia Abbott with 21pts, 11rbs in 27minutes for the Cyclones; and Kellie Ball of the Pirates with 14pts, 16rbs, 8asts to go super close to a triple-double.
Michael Cedar, Townsville McDonalds Heat
Michael Cedar showed incredible endurance in Round 12 of the QABL and in doing so collects the Player of the Week Award. With the team on a very long triple-header, Cedar showed that even a 2 hour flight plus 600km on the road would not slow him down. In game one against Bundaberg, he managed 23pts, 6rbs, 5asts at 50% from the field (8 of 16) and 100% from the line (4 of 4) in only 24 minutes, to warm up his weekend quite nicely. Traveling south to Maroochydore for game two, Cedar stepped up to the plate and delivered another home run with 39pts, 3rbs and 4asts, again with super high percentages- 48% from the field (13 of 27), 46% of three’s (7 of 15) and 6 of 7 from the line. Finally in game three against Caboolture, just when you’d think fatigue would be setting in, he put away 21pts, 7rbs and 5asts with another collection of 5 three-pointers just because he could! This caps off a big weekend of basketball for Cedar who has earned a much needed five day break before Round 13 arrives. Other players crunching large numbers include Ben Thompson of the Rockets with 47pts, 5rbs, 5asts, in 33 minutes with 11 of 19 from the field, 6 of 9 three-pointers and an untouchable 19 of 19 from the line; the duo of Zane Meehl and John Fitzgerald of the Clippers taking a combined 73pts, 22rbs in game 1, then 72pts, 26rbs in game 2; Kelvin Robertson of the Heat with an 89pt triple-header haul for the weekend at an average of 45% from the field and 66% from the line; and Michael Wellings of the Force throwing down 7 of 9 three-pointers in 22minutes in a victory over the Mountaineers.
Jenny Whittle, Rockhampton Hogs Breath Café Cyclones
In only took 30 minutes for Jenny Whittle to make her mark in the Cyclones Round 11 clash with the Suns on Friday night. In doing so, Whittle collects the Player of the Week Award for the second time 2007. She quickly worked her way in double-figures, finishing up with 27pts, 21rbs, 1asts, 3b/s and a steal, with very impressive percentages- 62% from the field with 10 of 16, 100% from outside the arc with 2 of 2, and 83% from the line with 5 of 6. A well rounded effort that is multiplied when considering it was achieved in 30 minutes of court time. Other individual efforts worth noting in Round 11 include, Eriza Parsons of the Mountaineers with 14pts, 29rbs, 2asts and 7stls as the team continues to charge up the ladder; Rohanee Cox of the Flames managed 27pts, 13rbs, 7asts and 6stls in only 27minutes against the Wizards; Jade Kennedy with 28pts, 17rbs, 4asts and 3stls for the Dolphins to dispose of the Wizards; and Maree Simspon of the Meteorettes working hard to collect 20pts, 16rbs, 3asts and 7stls.
Aaron Grabau, Cairns Bartercard Marlins
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!! The Marlins Aaron Grabau knew a large effort was required when the top team in the south landed on Friday night- the Northside Wizards. Grabau had his way with the Wizards, as the Marlins blew the traveling team out of the water 146-97. In only 25 minutes on the court, Grabau hit 31pts, 6rbs, 4asts and 5stls to single-handedly dismantle the Wizards from the core. Adding to this, he managed 66% from the field (10 of 15), 100% from outside (2 of 2 three-pointers) and 90% from the line (9 of 10)- wow!!! Consistency is the name of the game, with Grabau holding serious form in the QABL for many years. In 2003, he averaged 20.6ppg; in 2004 20ppg; in 2005 17ppg; in 2006 23ppg and is leading the Marlins in 2007 with 20ppg. Grabau collects the Player of the Week Award in Round 11, with the team staring down the barrel of a State title. Other big performances in Round 11 included, John Fitzgerald of the Clippers with 34pts, 22rbs, 6asts and 2stls in a 12-point win over the Pirates; Colin Oriard of the Bulls grabbed a huge 37pt, 23rb double-double to defeat the Force; Chris Gureckis hit 40pts, 4rbs, 8asts as he threw down 10 three-pointers; and Drew Williamson a fraction off a triple-double with 23pts, 9rbs, 9asts and 5 stls.
Rohanee Cox, Townsville Aubrey & Assoc. AMP Flames
Rohanee Cox collects the Player of the Week Award in Round 9 after a smashing effort at home against Gold Coast on Saturday night. Cox was all business in her 27 minutes of court time, with 38pts, 11rbs, 6asts and 4stls. She hit an amazing 5 of 6 three-pointers and shot at 75% from the field with 15 of 20. The Gliders had no answers to the firepower of the Flames, with Cox leading from the front and the team continuing to sit confidently atop of the competition ladder at 11 and 1. Elsewhere, Jenny Fraser of the Mountaineers managed 37pts, 11rbs in 28 minutes against Gladstone (102-60); Jenny Whittle of the Cyclones hit a double-double of 15pts, 19rbs in 25 minutes in a dominating win over the Capitals (70-45); Candice Blogg of the Bears impressed the South West locals with 5 of 7 three-pointers to collect 28pts, 3rbs; and the Force’s Amber Stefanovic racked up 27pts, 5rbs, 5asts to defeat the Power 94-76.
Michael Kingma – Yaralla Port City Power
Standing at 210cm, weighing in at 120kg, is the QABL Player of the Week, Gladstone’s own Michael Kingma. Pushing his team to their second win in ’07, Kingma grabbed a double-double (34pts, 17rbs, 4asts) against the Force on Saturday night, helping to steer his team to a 20-point victory (109-89). At just under 65% from the field, he was definitely on-track for a solid weekend double-header on the road. Heading further west on Sunday to face the Mountaineers, Kingma amazingly worked his way to another double-double (31pts, 17rbs, 4asts) with the team giving their all but unable to see the competition points going down 99-114. Kingma however, held his form again at 65% from the field. He collects the Player of the Week Award in Round 10, for big numbers, consistency and inspiration even with his team towards the bottom end of the ladder. In other Round 10 games, Cameron Tragardh of the Rockets with 40pts, 21rbs with his team seemingly unstoppable at home; John Fitzgerald of the Clippers with a massive season-high of 51pts, 12rbs; Colin Oriard of the Bulls managing to continue good form with 32pts, 16rbs, 3asts on the road; and young prospect Brendan Teys of the Pirates with 24pts, 3rbs, 3asts, 3stls in game 1, followed by 28pts, 5rbs, 3asts and 2stls with 5 of 9 three-pointers and hitting a combined 58% from the field for the weekend.
Ezria Parsons, Toowoomba Mountaineers
Arriving from Manhattan New York, Ezria Parsons joined the ranks of the Mountaineers in 2007 in the hope of bringing success to the team. The Mountaineers have had a mixed-bag of success so far, with Parsons effort over the weekend boosting the teams chances and earning her the Player of the Week Award. The team faced a motivated Pirates line-up and Parsons really proved her worth. She grabbed 28 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in only 30 minutes of court time at 72% from the field. This pushed the team to a 13-point victory over the Pirates (79-66) and overall to 5 and 6 for the year. In other games around the state, Julie Stringer of the Clippers adding a 2-game combined 51pts, 23rbs, 6asts and 6stls to her bag after a successful double-header; Khalihah Este-Shehu of the Cyclones managed 23pts, 15rbs in the face of the Dolphins; and Belinda Fischer of the Pirates with 34pts (at 60% with a bonus 6 of 10 three-pointers), 11rbs, 2asts and 3b/s.
John Fitzgerald, Maroochydore RSL Clippers
John Fitzgerald of the Maroochydore Clippers collects the Round 9 Player of the Week Award, for the second week in a row in the QABL. He traveled north with the team to central Queensland to face Bundaberg and Gladstone over the weekend and in doing so continued his rampage on the League. In game 1 against Bundaberg, Fitzgerald hit 36 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, to lead the team to a 22-point victory over the Bulls. In game 2 against Gladstone, he was able to find even more with 47 points (with 7 three-pointers), 19 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal, in only 38 minutes, to see the Clippers cap off a successful weekend with a 36-point win over the Power. Fitzgerald can be described as an offensive juggernaut and is way out in-front of the League with an average of 37 point per game. The Clippers face some tough oppositions in coming weeks in South West, Brisbane and Townsville, with these games being a solid test of Fitzgerald’s consistency. In other Round 9 games, Shane Davis of the Wizards hit 33pts (8 three-pointers!!), 9rbs, 4asts, 2stls to move his team north on the competition ladder; Colin Oriard of the Bulls with a big double-double of 21pts, 21rbs; Brad Rasmussen of the Meteors who nearly toppled the Marlins with 25pts, 7rbs in 32mins at 65% from the field; and Kelvin Robertson closing out a successful road-double for the Heat with 35pts, 8asts, 5stls.
Jenny Whittle, Rockhampton Hogs Breath Café Cyclones
After recently announcing her retirement from the Australian Opals, Jenny Whittle seems to be focusing her attention on her new team, the Rockhampton Cyclones. The team faced the Mackay Meteorettes on Saturday night, who are a well built squad sitting very competitively in the League at 5 and 3. Whittle was a standout in this game from tip-off, with 27 points, 16 rebounds and 2 assists to help the team take a 88-71 victory. She achieved this in 34 minutes of court time at 52% from the field and at an average of 16.8ppg after 10 games in ’07, Whittle is a deserved winner of the Player of the Week Award in Round 8. Other big number crunchers in Round 8 include, Rohanee Cox of the Townville Flames who put away 34pts, 13rbs, 4asts and 2stls in 27 minutes in a one-sided affair with Gladstone (120-22); Jade Kennedy of the Cairns Dolphins (29pts, 19rbs, 4asts) who were given an early run by Gladstone but pulled away easy winners (119-75); Erica Parsons of the Toowoomba Mountaineers with two ‘double-doubles’ - 14pts, 18rbs, 4asts, 5stls in game 1, followed by 13pts, 14rbs, 2asts, 3stls in game 2; and finally Julie Stringer of the Maroochydore Clippers hit 21pts, 14rbs, 2asts, 5stls to defeat the Mountaineers 57-46.
John Fitzgerald, Maroochydore RSL Clippers
What can be said about 46 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals? Wow!!! John Fitzgerald of the Maroochydore Clippers was in crushing form on Sunday against the Toowoomba Mountaineers and collected a bevy of stats. He helped the team secure a 40-point win (147-107) and 7th position on the competition ladder, with the team now in the hunt for their nearest pool competitors Brisbane and Northside. Fitzgerald hit 17 of 25 from the field (68%) and 4 of 5 three-pointers to continue to exercise his dominance within the League. He leads the League with 34.8ppg and when put on the same line as team mate Zane Meehl, forms a team capable of greatness this year. Keep your eye on this guy! In other games, Toby Zaremba of the Gold Coast Goannas racked up 39pts, 17rbs, 3asts to take the team to 1 – 1 against the Thunder; Michael Kingma of the Power hit 21pts and 19rbs despite taking on the mighty Townsville Heat; Zane Meehl taking back-to-back ‘triple doubles’ with 40pts, 10rbs, 10asts and 5stls for the Maroochydore Clippers; and Dante Sykes of the Northside Wizards working his way to a near ‘quadruple-double’ with 33pts, 9rbs, 8asts and 6stls.
Renea Read, Dixon Homes Mackay Meteorettes
Renae Read of the Mackay Meteorettes collects the Player of the Week Award after an outstanding road-double in Round 6. In game 1 against Rocky on Saturday night, the team went down (80-90) but the individual effort from Read was super energetic as she hit 27pts, 6rbs, 3asts and 3stls, with 4 three-pointers thrown in for good measure. On Sunday the team traveled to Gladstone to destroy their opposition (84-48), with Read stepping up again. She grabbed 25pts, 5rbs and 3asts to cap off a solid weekend, one that puts her at the front of the pack in Round 6. In other games around the state, Amber Stefanovic of the Force in game 1 hit 19pts, 7rbs, followed by game 2 with 26pts, 9rbs and 2asts; Rohanee Cox of the Flames helping to dispose of the Dolphins easily (93-40) with 29pts, 12rbs; along with her team mate Rachael Flannagan with 26pts, 5rbs and 7asts; and Jenny Whittle of the Cyclones with 27pts, 9rbs and 2asts to put the team on a three-game streak.
Drew Williamson, 4MK Goodguys Mackay Meteors
In the face of a very strong Gladstone outfit, Drew Williamson of the Mackay Meteors powered through his opposition on Saturday night to light up the scoreboard with a massive 46 points / 13 rebounds / 3 assists and 7 steals and takes out the Round 1 Player of the Week Award in the Defence Jobs QABL. Hitting only 33% of his three-pointers for the Townsville Crocs in the NBL in ’07, Williamson was on fire from the arc in front of his home crowd, and nailed 9 from 15 to help his team take a 12-point Round 1 win. In a great confidence boost for the Meteors, they have recruited new faces this year and still await the arrival of 200cm, 105 kg forward Stephen Pennisi from the Spanish National League. Players coming in a very close second this week include Colin Oriard of the Bundaberg Bulls with a double-header total of 58pts, 37rbs, 3asts and 4 stls; Michael Kingma of the Yaralla Power taking 35pts, 29rbs; Thalo Green of the Logan Thunder with a two-game 66pts, 28rbs; Toby Zaremba 34pts, 17rbs for the Gold Coast Goannas; and David Gurney of the Toowoomba Mountaineers nailing 35pts, 11rbs.
Final QABL 2006 Position
Meteorettes: 5th
Meteors: 8th
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