“The Bear” Week’s Best
Tagged in: In The News, NZ Breakers
Fairfax Media
The New Zealand Breakers’ ageless forward Tony Ronaldson has been rewarded for an outstanding contribution in his side’s last two Australian National Basketball League victories by being named Player of the Week for round 14.
The NBL games played record-holder, (621, and counting) averaged 24.5 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists in victories over Sydney (in Auckland) and the Wildcats (in Perth) to return the Breakers to their winning ways after their shock home loss to Townsville and subsequent week off.
They were significant results, too, as the cagey forward they call “The Bear” stepped up for his club.
The 114-70 rout of the Spirit was the New Zealand side’s biggest ever NBL win, while the 24-point victory in Perth completed a three-game sweep of the Cats and was the Breakers’ first success in the wild west.
Ronaldson, the NBL’s winningest player, racked up 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists in just 25 minutes in the Sydney shellacking, and then followed that up with a virtuoso 31 points, three boards and three assists in 31 minutes against his former club in Perth.
Further stats back up the veteran’s rich vein of form. Over the two games he knocked down 17/32 field goals (53 per cent), was 6/11 from long-range (55 per cent) and 9/12 from the line (75 per cent).
Tipping the award further in Ronaldson’s favour was the degree of difficulty in the Wildcats win. The Breakers had to shake off a 16-hour delay-effected trip and four-hour time zone change.
The side’s luggage also only turned up in Perth shortly before they were due to leave for the game, and then they saw off an opponent hell-bent on revenge after dropping two inNnew Zealand already this campaign.
The two wins keep New Zealand (15-4) in second spot on the NBL ladder, just behind South Dragons (16-4) and well ahead of Melbourne Tigers (11-7) and Perth Wildcats (10-10). Townsville and Adelaide round out the top six.
Ronaldson narrowly edged out star Adelaide mid-season acquisition Julius Hodge and the Gold Coast’s James Harvey for Player of the Week honours.
Hodge compiled 31 points, 10 assists and three rebounds in the 36ers’ home victory over cellar dwellers Gold Coast on Saturday. Harvey heated up for 37 points and five rebounds in the Blaze’s victory over the Hawks on Wednesday and followed it up with 23 points and two rebounds in the loss to Adelaide
Ronaldson is the third Breaker to claim Player of the Week honours. Shooting guard Kirk Penney has won twice (rounds one and eight) and American centre Rick Rickert was the round nine winner.
