Penney MVP, Phill Best 6th Man

MVP: Kirk Penney
This article is courtesy of http://www.stuff.co.nz/

The New Zealand Breakers may have come up short in their quest to make the Australian NBL's Grand Final, but received a pretty decent consolation prize with news that star player Kirk Penney had been named the league's Most Valuable Player.

On top of that, as the final series between the Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons was locked at one game apiece across the Tasman, the New Zealand club completed a rare double with Penney's team-mate, Phill Jones, named the league's Best Sixth Man.

Penney's MVP award is richly deserved, even if it did come as somewhat of a surprise after he failed to guide his club to an historic appearance in the Grand Final. The Breakers shooting guard led the league in scoring, averaging 24.2 points a game, and also had 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists as he completed a second straight standout season in the ANBL.

But with the Breakers falling 0-2 to the Tigers in the semifinals, and squandering a 20-point lead in the second game at home, many - including Penney himself - had presumed the judges (in this case the league's coaches) would look for someone from one of the two finalists.

However Penney's resume spoke for itself and when the likeable Tall Blacks star was announced as the first ever Kiwi MVP winner at the club's awards dinner on Friday night, he had to admit it was somewhat of a bittersweeet moment to receive the ultimate individual accolade at the end of a season where the team fell short of its main goal.

Describing an emotional awards night as a "celebration of the season we had and the history we made", Penney conceded that there were mixed emotions as he reflected on a campaign where the Breakers went into uncharted playoff territory.

"We, the players and coaches, definitely had a bit of a sour taste in how we lost to the Tigers. We felt like we should have played better and had a chance of winning the series," Penney told Fairfax Media in an exclusive interview.

"I guess it is a little [bittersweet] because you want to win a championship, and they're the memories that never leave you. But as a personal accolade it's just a huge honour."

Just in case he needed reminding, Penney's outstanding team-mate CJ Bruton wandered by, nudged his backcourt partner and told him that was now three MVPs he'd played alongside.

"Clearly he's claiming responsibility for it," added Penney with a broad grin. "He is a big part, and not just CJ, all the little pieces we had that put us in a place to finish third in the regular season, which was great progress for this club. To have a home semi, so many positives came from it, but once you get there your goals all change, and suddenly you're looking at a championship. You can smell it, because it's right under your nose."

Penney's right to throw a little love Bruton's way, for his team-mate also had an MVP-type season, curtailed perhaps only by injury that slowed him through the middle stages. Bruton averaged 15.4 points to finish 15th overall in scoring, but was second leaguewide in assists (5.4), third in steals (1.7) and had the best free-throw percentage (88.1) and third top three-point percentage (47.1).

Jones also richly deserved his Sixth Man award, the southpaw shooting ace coming off the bench to average 14.7 points, 3.6 boards and 1.4 assists an outing. His long-range percentage (42.4) was also fourth best in the league.

The sad part of Jones' accolade is that the Breakers are struggling to find a place for him on their roster for next season, though their thought processes may have to be revisited.

Having already secured Bruton, Penney, Forman and youngster Thomas Abercrombie for next year, and with the league reverting back to international-standard 40-minute games, club officials are battling over whether they have either the minutes or salary cap space to retain Jones who also carries close to the maximum points rating.

But Penney issued a heartfelt plea that the club retain as many pieces of the puzzle as they could as they look to continue their emergence as one of the Aussie NBL's premier sides.

"I feel like continuity is so important," said Penney. "This has been a really good year but it's important to build on it and decisions now are crucial."

It's inevitable, though, some players from this season will not return. With the league undertaking a makeover there could be some key new personnel available.

"It's also likely the club will look to replace import Rick Rickert at centre, while the disappointing Adam Tanner is one and done and Tim Behrendorff's spot may also be in doubt. Classy veteran Tony Ronaldson still has to negotiate another contract, but it's likely he'll stay on board.

"There's two steps above where we've been," said Penney. "Right now we've got a little ways to go obviously because we didn't get it done this year. As a player you're never satisfied and as a team we've got to keep working."

But both Penney, and Jones, spoke about the "special" bonds this team had formed. "I've never been on a team like this before, and I've played all over the world" said the league's MVP. "You touch it in college a bit because it's so pure and no one gets paid but in the pro ranks like this it's unheard of."

For that reason alone there will not be a major overhaul of this Breakers roster, with maybe one or two bigs on the shopping list, and not too much else.

Penney says he'll take a break over the off-season, spend some time touring New Zealand (he's keen to check out the South Island) and then probably head to the States to get himself ready for the next campaign.

But one thing's clear. The way it finished, for Penney who didn't get to show his best stuff against the Tigers, and for the club, there is plenty of fuel for the off-season fire.

"Over the last week certainly you wonder what more could you have done," shrugged Penney. "That's why I'm so glad that the coaching staff and most of the players will be back. So we're all on the same page starting off, and we all know the feeling we had at the end of the season, and know exactly what we've got to do to be successful."

Penney succeeds the Tigers' Chris Anstey as MVP. But with Anstey still battling for another title in Melbourne, it was more than clear which prize the Kiwi shooting star really wants.

Awards roll call:
Australian NBL MVP: Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers)
Best Sixth Man: Phill Jones (NZ Breakers)

Breakers club awards:
MVPs' MVP (voted by season ticket-holders): Penney
Player's Player of Year: Paul Henare
Club Player of Year: Penney