Basketball New Zealand

June 3, 2008

Round 14 of the Dominion Finance NBL was time for The Pope to deliver his message.

American import John “Pope” Whorton produced as the Marley Canterbury Rams celebrated their first win at Cowles Stadium this season after seven straight losses, earning Player of the Week honours in the process.

Whorton had 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in 38 minutes in the 86-79 win over the playoff-bound Easy LPG Bay Hawks.

The 2.08m centre became the second Ram to claim PoW honours this season, with point guard Jeremy Kench earning them in rounds seven and 10.

Whorton - 21st on the NBL Player Power Rankings – beat out Property Brokers Manawatu Jets forward Keith Davis, who had 25 points, 11 rebounds and nine steals, Waikato Pistons guard Jason Crowe, a 37-point game from Youthtown Auckland Stars forward Adrian Majstrovich and Century City Wellington Saints import Ernest Scott for the award.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

John Whorton (Marley Canterbury Rams)

19 points (7/15 FG, 5/7 FT), 15 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in 38 minutes against Easy LPG Bay Hawks

Players of the Week

Round One - Jamil Terrell (CPS Nelson Giants)
Round Two - Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
Round Three - Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
Round Four - Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
Round Five - Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
Round Six - Ernest Scott (Century City Wellington Saints)
Round Seven – Jeremy Kench (Marley Canterbury Rams)
Round Eight - Link Abrams (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
Round Nine - Kantrail Horton (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
Round 10 - Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons) and Jeremy Kench (Marley Canterbury Rams)
Round 11 - Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
Round 12 - Link Abrams (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
Round 13 - Michael Harrison (CPS Nelson Giants)

PLAYER POWER RANKINGS

1 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
2 *Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
3 Antoine Tisby (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets)
4 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
5 Ernest Scott (Century City Wellington Saints)
6 Brian Wethers (Waikato Pistons)
7 Michael Harrison (CPS Nelson Giants)
Lemar Gayle (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets)
8 *Link Abrams (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
9 *Nick Horvath (Century City Wellington Saints)
10 *Jeremy Kench (Marley Canterbury Rams)

The Next 10 . . .

Kantrail Horton (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets), Oscar Forman (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat), *Adrian Majstrovich (Youthtown Auckland Stars), *Phill Jones (CPS Nelson Giants), Jamil Terrell (CPS Nelson Giants), *Hayden Allen (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat), *Dillon Boucher (Youthtown Auckland Stars), Kevin Owens (Century City Wellington Saints), Tim Behrendorff (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat), *Paora Winitana (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)

* Non-restricted players

Dominion Finance NBL Player Power Rankings Top-50 (Round 14) (16KB pdf)

**The Player of the Week and Player Power Rankings are decided by a formula which takes into account points scored, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers and missed shots**

ROUND 14 STATS LEADERS

Points
37 Adrian Majstrovich (Youthtown Auckland Stars) vs Cartridge World Otago Nuggets
27 Brent Charleton (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets) vs Youthtown Auckland Stars
25 Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars) vs Century City Wellington Saints
25 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets) vs Century City Wellington Saints
24 Multiple (three players)

Rebounds
15 Antoine Tisby (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets) vs Youthtown Auckland Stars
15 John Whorton (Marley Canterbury Rams) vs Easy LPG Bay Hawks
13 Tony Rampton (Devon Dynamos Taranaki) vs CPS Nelson Giants
12 Kareem Johnson (Easy LPG Bay Hawks) vs Marley Canterbury Rams
11 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets) vs Century City Wellington Saints
11 Darryl Jones (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets) vs Youthtown Auckland Stars

Assists
10 Paul Henare (Easy LPG Bay Hawks) vs Marley Canterbury Rams
9 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons) vs Appliance Shed Harbour Heat
9 Jarrod Kenny (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat) vs Waikato Pistons
8 Phill Jones (CPS Nelson Giants) vs Devon Dynamos Taranaki
6 Multiple (four players)

Steals
9 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets) vs Century City Wellington Saints
5 Ernest Scott (Century City Wellington Saints) vs Youthtown Auckland Stars
3 Multiple (six players)

Blocks
4 Michael Harrison (CPS Nelson Giants) vs Devon Dynamos Taranaki
4 Nick Horvath (Century City Wellington Saints) vs Youthtown Auckland Stars
2 Oscar Forman (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat) vs Waikato Pistons
2 Mike Homik (Waikato Pistons) vs Appliance Shed Harbour Heat
2 Brian Wethers (Waikato Pistons) vs Appliance Shed Harbour Heat

NBL LEAGUE LEADERS

(After round 14)

Points
27.4 Brian Wethers (Waikato Pistons)
24.6 Antoine Tisby (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets)
23.8 Kantrail Horton (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
21.7 Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
21.5 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)

Rebounds
10.7 Antoine Tisby (Cartridge World Otago Nuggets)
9.7 Kevin Owens (Century City Wellington Saints)
9.5 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
9.3 Link Abrams (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
9.2 Nick Horvath (Century City Wellington Saints)

Assists
8.5 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
6.6 Luke Martin (Century City Wellington Saints)
5.8 Paul Henare (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)
4.6 Jarrod Kenny (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat)
4.3 Hayden Allen (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat)

Steals
3.4 Jeremy Kench (Marley Canterbury Rams)
3.0 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)
2.6 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
2.3 Dillon Boucher (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
2.2 Hayden Allen (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat)

Blocks
2.4 Michael Harrison (CPS Nelson Giants)
1.7 Nick Horvath (Century City Wellington Saints)
1.3 Ernest Scott (Century City Wellington Saints)
1.2 Kevin Owens (Century City Wellington Saints)
1.1 Miles Pearce (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)

FG % (Min 5 FGA/PG)
65.6 Brendon Polyblank (Century City Wellington Saints)
61.4 Link Abrams (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
61.0 Puke Lenden (Waikato Pistons)
59.1 Lindsay Tait (Century City Wellington Saints)
57.0 Keith Davis (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)

3pt % (Min 3 3PA/PG)
48.8 Chris Daniel (CPS Nelson Giants)
47.3 Oscar Forman (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat)
47.0 Ernest Scott (Century City Wellington Saints)
46.2 Michael Fitchett (CPS Nelson Giants)
46.1 Casey Frank (Youthtown Auckland Stars)

FT % (Min 3 FTA/PG)
88.5 Kantrail Horton (Property Brokers Manawatu Jets)
85.1 Keith Salscheider (Devon Dynamos Taranaki)
83.6 Tim Behrendorff (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat)
81.0 Paora Winitana (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)
80.9 Jason Crowe (Waikato Pistons)