The week nine “Kickz101 Perth” Men’s SBL Player of the Week has been awarded to Stanley Okoye of the Perth Redbacks.

The expectations were high when the Perth Redbacks signed import Stanley Okoye out of VMI in the off season and he has not disappointed currently sitting fourth in the SBL for total points (329 at 27.4pg) and fifth for total rebounds (129 at 10.8pg).

On Friday night the Perth Redbacks travelled to Lakeside to take on last year’s SBL champions the Lakeside Lightning. Okoye put in a herculean performance for the Redbacks to record 46 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals as they went down in a hard fought contest 112 to 107.

The Redbacks looked to bounce back on Sunday when they hosted the Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants at the Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre. Okoye put together a solid double-double to record 19 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in just 32 minutes to help give the Redbacks a thirty-five point victory, 108-73.

Perth are currently sitting in fifth position on the MSBL ladder with a record of 7 and 5 as we approach the halfway mark of the season.

With the offensive weapons of Wagner, Prior, Tawhiti and Okoye, the Redbacks certainly have the artillery to be considered championship contenders under experienced coach Nik Lakovic.

Other considerations for the award included;

Sunday Dech (East Perth), Gavin Field (Cockburn), Quinn McDowell (Willetton), Thomas Remmerswaal (Mandurah), Taylor Mullenax (Mandurah), Jordan Wild (Stirling), Rob Huntington (Joondalup), Brad Tinsley (Lakeside),  Seb Salinas (Joondalup), Ben Smith (Mandurah) , Ty Harrelson (South West), Jonathan Hendley (South West), Tom Jervis (East Perth), Luke Nevill (Kalamunda), Kyle Armour (East Perth), Cooper Land (Rockingham), Duran Blue (Goldfields), Odartey Blankson (Geraldton), Bennie Lewis (Geraldton), Clive Weeden (South West) & Anthony Borden (Cockburn).

 

The week nine “Kickz101 Perth” Women’s SBL Player of the Week has been awarded to Samantha Whitcomb of the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames.

The Rockingham Flames extended their undefeated winning streak to eleven games over the weekend on the back of the red hot form of Samantha Whitcomb.

After the Joondalup Wolves outed the Rockingham Flames in the playoffs last season and went on to win the 2013 WSBL championship, the Flames have come back in 2014 and defeated the Wolves on multiple occasions.

The Flames hosted the Wolves on Friday night at Mike Barnett Sports Complex where Whitcomb was at her best again recording 28 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals to lead her team to victory 77 to 63.

On Sunday the Flames faced the star studded line-up of the Willetton Tigers where Whitcomb went head to head with WNBL West Coast Waves MVP Antonia Edmondson in a tight match up.

Edmondson finished with 30 points after fouling out of the game and Whitcomb went on to score 24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals as the Flames came away with the win 80-76.

Whitcomb has now won four of nine ‘Kickz101 Perth’ Player of the Week awards in 2014 and many are predicting she will take out her second consecutive WSBL MVP award.

Other considerations for the award included;

Antonia Edmondson (Willetton), Hailey Dunham (Mandurah), Kari Pickens (Lakeside), Alison Shwagmeyer (Kalamunda), Amy Patton (South West), Tegan Walker (Stirling), Ebony Antonio (Willetton), Emily Burton (East Perth) & Emily Fielding (Lakeside).

CLICK HERE to see all award winners from 2014

Photo by Marg Prior: Stanley Okoye of the Perth Redbacks