Penney Best For Month
Tagged in: NZ Breakers, Tall Blacks
NZ Breakers shooting star Kirk Penney and South Dragons coach Brian Goorjian have won the Player and Coach of the Month awards respectively in the Australian NBL for September/October.
Penney was a spitfire for the Breakers between Rounds One and Seven, averaging 26.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assist and 1.0 steal per game for the month. The former NBA player shot the ball at 49 percent from the field, a sizzling 37 percent from beyond the three-point line and made an impressive 87 percent of his foul shots. His efforts also saw him pick up Player of the Week honours in Rounds One and Eight along the way, as his team started the season at club record clip with a 7-2 win-loss record.
A highlight of Penney’s season so far has to be his 41-point explosion in his very first game of the year that led to a 114-93 Breakers victory against the Wollongong Hawks.
“Honestly, I just think it’s a product of the team playing so well,” Penney says, passing off the compliment to his teammates. “We’re a very, very good offensive team and when we get it going, we’re tough to stop. We’ve had a lot of close games lately and we’ve found a way to win them.
“We want to continue to be able to do that. It’s great having CJ Bruton and Tony Ronaldson in the mix. We’ve just got so many weapons and such a good group of guys. I’m really enjoying every moment of the season so far just because of the personnel we have.”
The 196cm guard was a no-brainer for the award in September/October, finishing with 89 votes, which is more than triple the votes of his nearest rival, Chris Anstey of the Melbourne Tigers (27). Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams of the Townsville Crocodiles finished third with 19 votes. In all, 16 players were named on the ballots of coaches and the media.
Goorjian claimed the Coach of the Month award for October after turning last year’s cellar dwellers into the most successful team in the league.
The Dragons ended their last season with a league-worst 5-25 record. Goorjian, the NBL’s most successful coach ever, stepped in to reshape the team into a legitimate title contender. Under his guidance, the Dragons ended Round Seven at the top of the ladder with an 8-2 record.
“I am really enjoying being back in Melbourne and catching up with so many familiar faces from the past,” says Goorjian. “There is an atmosphere of energy and excitement around the club at the moment, and it is great to be part of an organisation which has such passion and commitment.”
“Any awards or milestones are a tribute to the players, and this one is no different,” Goorjian added.
Goorjian was a clear winner in the October balloting, garnering 85 votes to leave him comfortably clear of Andrej Lemanis of the NZ Breakers (73) and third-placed coach Eric Cooks of Wollongong (39). In all, six coaches received votes.
The NBL’s Player and Coach of the Month for December take into account Rounds 1-7 inclusive. All NBL Head Coaches and accredited media are eligible to vote.
September/October Player of the Month
Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers) 89
Chris Anstey (Melbourne) 27
Corey Williams (Townsville) 19
Shawn Redhage (Perth) 17
Joe Ingles (South) 14
Mark Worthington (South) 12
CJ Bruton (NZ Breakers) 12
Luke Schenscher (Adelaide) 7
Sam Mackinnon (Melbourne) 5
Dusty Rychart (Wollongong) 4
Darnell Mee (Cairns) 3
Julian Khazzouh (Sydney) 2
Darnell Hinson (Perth) 2
Ebi Ere (Melbourne) 1
Glen Saville (Wollongong) 1
Adam Ballinger (Adelaide) 1
September/October Coach of the Month
Brian Goorjian (South) 85
Andrej Lemanis (NZ Breakers) 73
Eric Cooks (Wollongong) 39
Alan Westover (Melbourne) 9
Rob Beveridge (Sydney) 2
Scott Ninnis (Adelaide) 1
Conner Henry (Perth) 1
