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The Burger King NZ Breakers last night hosted sponsors, guests and season ticket holders at their annual awards evening, looking back on the just completed Australian NBL season.

It was a night tinged with disappointment and yet a steely resolve to work hard in the off season to put aside the feeling of a “job left undone” after the Breakers league-high six-game unbeaten run proved not enough to get the North Shore-based club into the playoffs.

Dillon Boucher spoke from the heart when he addressed the audience after winning the Players’ Player of the Year, describing the desire and drive in the roster to learn lessons from this season and ensure there is no repeat next year.

“These guys in this squad genuinely believe we had the championship in us had we made the playoffs,” he said. “It is easy to look back and think of one game here or one game there, but it gets even closer than that.

“I think of one possession, one free throw, one turnover, maybe one moment when I might not have taken the skin off my knees to dive for a disputed possession, and that is what makes this hard to take.

“The playoffs might be on right now, but none of us have been watching. For us, the season is over and already our focus is on working harder than ever in the off season ahead of next year to make sure we are there when the prizes are handed out.

“As a group, we take responsibility for the losses, we take responsibility for what happened during the season, and that means focusing more than ever on improving for next year.”

Boucher was honoured to receive the award, voted by his team-mates.

“I remember last year when Paulie [Henare] was up here getting this award and I was thinking no one deserves it more than him. Here I am now in the same situation, accepting an award that means so much, because it is from my team mates … it is an acknowledgement from them.

“I am humbled and honoured to have my name alongside the likes of Paulie and others who have won this award in the past.”

Kirk Penney was named Fans’ Player of the Year and picked up the Most Valuable Player of the Year, voted on by media and coaches throughout the ANBL. He thanked his team-mates and coaches for their support through the season.

“This is for you guys on the team, this is a by-product of what I do in this team. Coach Lemanis runs the plays, and it is thanks to screens from Tony and the great looks I get thanks to passes from the likes of CJ, Tom or whoever is on court.

“I am proud to receive this award again this year, but accept it on behalf of the team and the coaching staff. I couldn’t do my job as effectively without them.

“We are already working towards a big year next year. The final six games of the season showed what we can and should have achieved more consistently this year.

“We have the makings of a championship in this club and we will continue to work hard to bring the title to the North Shore.”

The night was memorable for the theme of “Bear Fest” as the club bid farewell to one of the great players in the ANBL – Tony “The Bear” Ronaldson.

Ronaldson was acknowledged and feted by his contemporaries with video clips from Sam MacKinnon and Chris Anstey (Melbourne Tigers), a former coach in Doc Hurley (AIS), and former Breakers team-mate and international rival Phill Jones
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An emotional Ronaldson spoke at the end of the evening after receiving a standing ovation from the 300-strong audience, as he and wife Sarah received gifts from club directors Paul and Liz Blackwell.

“Part of my decision to retire was based on the club I am with right now,” he said. “I wanted to retire with a club that meant something to me and this club will always be close to my heart, I will always be a Breaker.

“To Andrej, for giving me the chance to come across and make a difference … to Paul and Liz for their incredible support of me and my family … to my team-mates for three great years and the friendships I will never lose and to my family for their love and support right throughout my career, but in particular to Sarah for her giving me the freedom to come here to New Zealand and the sacrifices she has made – I have so many people to thank.

“For me, I will always have some great basketball memories and the game has taken me to places I could never have dreamed as a 17 year old debuting back in 1990. But most importantly are the people, the friendships and the relationships I have made as a result of basketball, all the people I know in my life right now are because of basketball.

“I’m going to miss this club and the people, but to the fans, the sponsors and the media here tonight, stay with this club because the quality is here, the planning is good and the desire is strong. The Breakers will bring a championship home.

“It wasn’t to be this year and you can’t always be a winner – 20 years in the league has taught me that if nothing else.”

A special ovation was reserved on the night for Chris Millbank who picked up the Clubman of the Year award for his untiring work in his role as manager, cook, tour leader, water boy and general do-anything around the club. Chris is also behind the corporate table reserved each week for children and families from Starship Hospital and featured this year on TVNZ’s Good Guys on Sunday night, highlighting his unpaid work for the club.

The hard work towards a better season next year was referred to by all, from director Paul Blackwell, emphasizing that while good people make good Breakers the club was also very much about “winning” and that the two were not mutually exclusive, to chairman Burton Shipley, who is standing down after five years in the role, to general manager Richard Clarke and head coach Andrej Lemanis the theme was the same – work hard now to improve for next season and take the lessons learned into the championship next year.