WITH the National Basketball League (NBL)1 season wrapping up around Australia for 2024, the awards have been handed out for the respective divisions, recognising the best performers over the past four months of action.

With the Knox Raiders (Men’s) and Waverley Falcons (Women’s) emerging victorious at the NBL1 National Finals on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend, each of the five divisions has held their respective awards nights over the past few weeks.

Most recently, the National Finals saw Kyle Bowen and Rebecca Cole step up on the big stage to take home the Finals MVP awards after dominant performances in the Men’s and Women’s deciders on Sunday.

Up North, Sam McDaniel claimed the top gong after averaging 21.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game in a terrific campaign for the Brisbane Capitals, while AJ Johnson posted averages of 16.8 points, 11 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals to be named MVP of the Women’s competition.

Will Cranston-Lown was the best of the East Men’s competition for season 2024, leading his Maitland Mustangs to the title and averaging 20.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old. Nicole Munger took out the top award in the Women’s, averaging a double-double of 24.6 points and 11 rebounds and was a consistent force in the paint for the Newcastle Falcons.

There was no doubting that Joel Murray was going to take out the MVP for the West Men’s after putting together a campaign to remember for the Mandurah Magic. Posting numbers of 33.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.3 steals and delivering countless match-winning performances, he was arguably the top performer of the NBL1 in 2024. Teige Morrell became the first player to win MVP in multiple conferences, taking out the West Women’s award after doing so previously in the Central.

In the South competition, Nick Marshall starred for the Mt. Gambier Pioneers and was rewarded with the Men’s honour, thanks to numbers of 23.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, with some standout scoring performances proving crucial to his team’s campaign. At just 24 years of age, Isabelle Bourne took out her first NBL1 MVP award thanks to an excellent season with the Keilor Thunder.

South Adelaide Panthers star Alex Starling was the best of the bunch in the Central Men’s competition, stuffing the stat sheet in each game to average 23.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.4 blocks and claim the Woollacott Medal, while Central Districts Lions star Casey Samuels took home the Merv Harris Medal after posting 21.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.5 blocks.