South Australian Basketball Shines Bright at Halls
by Lachlan Eggers
Basketball SA’s premier event of the 2013 Central Australian Basketball League season was a gala luncheon with a special addition.
Players, coaches, officials and guests entered the Grand Chancellor Hotel in bright frocks, beautiful gowns and sharp suits on Sunday for the annual awards.
This year Basketball SA announced the decision to award retrospective Halls Woollacott Medals to former greats, who in their time were deemed ‘runner up’ after a count-back system was used to split a tie.
Julie Nykiel, Huba Nagy and Eddie Murtagh, among others, were proudly presented with retrospective Halls and Woollacott medals, recognizing their former achievements in attaining the highest honour in South Australian Basketball.
Nykiel and Nagy then presented the 2013 men’s and women’s ‘All Star Five’ awards, and male/female Most Valuable Player awards to Daniel Johnson and Tess Madgen.
It was a touching moment for Nykiel, a two time Olympian and WNBL MVP, she is honoured in the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame yet missed out on the SA medal in 1985 and 91 due to count-backs.
“It’s wonderful that the state recognizes you, and you really appreciate it when you can no longer play” said Nykiel. “I was always in to play for the team and to win premierships, but these awards are really special” she said. “It’s also great to meet the new generation, it makes you want to play again”, she continued.
For 11 years Ms Nykiel played for Australia, “I was fortunate enough to play at 2 Olympics, in 84 in Los Angeles and 88 is Seoul” she commented. As part of the first team from Australia to go to the Olympics for women’s basketball Julie and her teammates were pioneers of the sport.
Eddie Murtagh shared the same enthusiasm, albeit unexpectedly surprised by the news, “I was a bit taken back when they rang me up, but it is really good, I’m very thrilled with it all” he commented. With a smile on his face he chuckled as he recalled a particular memory “oh heavens, I suppose when I was playing against St Kilda in the interclub league, Ken Cole and I had a big row on court. That was big news at the time, I’ll never forget that.”
As the lunch went on Central Districts’ Scott Whitmore was awarded Coach of the Year for the men’s competition, while Simon Pritchard received the women’s league honours for his role as coach of the Norwood Flames.
Norwood enjoyed more success when Flame’s star Jess Foley took out the 2013 Halls Medal count ahead of the Rockets’ Jo Hill and Mavericks’ Tess Madgen.
For the men it was West Adelaide Bearcat Daniel Johnson who claimed the Woollacott Medal honours. He thanked the team and coaching staff and later commented “Obviously the boys have had a great year, and it has been a very easy year thanks to them. They play their role perfectly and really help make it easier for me to go out there and do what I do”.
REFEREES OF THE YEAR PHILL YUILL MEMORIAL TROPHIES
WOMEN: MICHELLE DYSON
MEN: NATHAN DURANTWOMEN’S ALL STAR FIVE
POINT GUARD: JESS FOLEY (Norwood)
SHOOTING GUARD: TESS MADGEN (Eastern)
SMALL FORWARD: JO HILL (North Adelaide)
POWER FORWARD: TAMIKA DUKES (Central Districts)
CENTER: OLIVIA THOMPSON (Forestville)THE FEMALE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD
TESS MADGEN (Eastern)MEN’S ALL STAR FIVE
POINT GUARD: ADAM DOYLE (Forestville)
SHOOTING GUARD: KYLE MILLER (Central Districts)
SMALL FORWARD: CHRIS CLAUSEN (Central Districts)
POWER FORWARD: PERO VASILJEVIC (North Adelaide)
CENTER: DANIEL JOHNSON (West Adelaide)THE MALE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD
DANIEL JOHNSON (West Adelaide)HALLS AND WOOLLACOTT RESTROSPECTIVE MEDALS
1969 WOOLLACOTT MEDAL: HUBA NAGY (Norwood)
1970 WOOLLACOTT MEDAL: MIKE MEGINS (North Adelaide)
1970 WOOLLACOTT MEDAL: EDDIE MURTAGH (West Torrens)
1977 WOOLLACOTT MEDAL: MELVYN NEED (North Adelaide)
1987 WOOLLACOTT MEDAL: MIKE McKAY (West Adelaide)
1965 HALLS MEDAL: JACKIE ASTON (West Adelaide)
1989 HALLS MEDAL: CASS PUJALS (West Adelaide)
1985 HALLS MEDAL: JULIE NYKIEL (Noarlunga City)
1991 HALLS MEDAL: JULIE NYKIEL (South Adelaide)
COACHES OF THE YEAR:
Coach of Female Team: SIMON PRITCHARD (Norwood)
Coach of Male Team: SCOTT WHITMORE (Central Districts)MERV HARRIS MEDAL for the Best & Fairest Female Player U21 years
OLIVIA THOMPSON (Forestville)FRANK ANGOVE MEDAL for the Best & Fairest Male Player U21 years
SAM DALY (Sturt)
HALLS MEDAL
JESS FOLEY (Norwood)WOOLLACOTT MEDAL
DANIEL JOHNSON (West Adelaide)
2013 Woollacott Award Leader-board
Comments
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.