New Zealand's Kirk Penney has been rewarded for a scorching performance in his team’s 93-79 win over Cairns.

New Zealand Breakers’ star guard Kirk Penney has been rewarded for a scorching National Basketball League performance in his team’s 93-79 win over the Cairns Taipans by being named as the Player of the Week for Round Nine of the iiNet NBL Championship.
 
Penney scored a game-high 25 points and had six assists and two rebounds as the Breakers charmed the Snakes at the North Shore Events Centre on Thursday night in a clash between two top-three teams.
 
Penney went 9-of-14 from the field (64.3%), including nailing 7-of-10 three-pointers to stall the charge of the Taipans, who had been on a five-game winning streak.
 
The win over Cairns improved New Zealand’s record to 8-2 and temporarily moved them into top spot on the ladder before a win by Wollongong later in the round dropped them back to second.  It was also the third straight win for New Zealand.
 
The man considered the early season favourite to take out the NBL’s Most Valuable Player Award, Wollongong import Gary Ervin, was a hot contender for the weekly honours in Round Nine.  Ervin led his team to a pair of wins over Adelaide and Sydney, averaging 25.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the process.
 
Perth Wildcats’ forward Shawn Redhage was also a solid candidate for the Round Nine honours.   Redhage scored 22 points and added eight rebounds as the Wildcats scored an 87-76 victory over the Melbourne Tigers.
 
Sydney Kings’ new import Patrick ‘The Colonel’ Sanders was also in serious consideration.  Despite his team’s loss to Wollongong, Sanders almost singlehandedly kept his club in the game, scoring 27 points and adding five rebounds, three blocks and two assists.
 
Others who were in the running for Player of the Week included Adam Ballinger (Adelaide), Chris Goulding (Gold Coast), Gary Wilkinson (New Zealand), Luke Schenscher (Townsville), Peter Crawford (Townsville), Tim Coenraad (Wollongong), Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne), Luke Nevill (Melbourne) and Michael Cedar (Townsville).
 
2010/11 iiNet NBL Championship Player of the Week Winners

Round 1 – Julian Khazzouh (Sydney Kings)
Round 2 – Gary Ervin (Wollongong Hawks)
Round 3 – Luke Schenscher (Townsville Crocodiles)
Round 4 – Gary Wilkinson (New Zealand Breakers)
Round 5 – Shawn Redhage (Perth Wildcats)
Round 6 – Oscar Forman (Wollongong Hawks)
Round 7 – Michael Cedar (Townsville Crocodiles)
Round 8 – Corey Williams (Melbourne Tigers)
Round 9 – Kirk Penney (New Zealand Breakers)