Cougars’ on court leader Melissa Russell and Bulldogs’ dynamo Simon Berkefeld have been judged the South East Coast Basketball League Most Valuable players for the 2011/12 summer season. Berkefeld scored 27 votes and Russell 31.

Berkefeld has compiled an incredible list of individual MVP awards. In 13 seasons of playing basketball as a senior, he has won ten awards, five consecutively to date and runner-up in the other three. This record eclipses that of the brilliant Marianne Walters who won eight Women’s A Grade awards from 1984 to 2000. Berkefeld was in outstanding form prior to Christmas but was hampered to a degree after the break. He however continued to be the “go to” player for Bulldogs and the Lakers CBL state championship team.

Pioneers co-captain Erik Burdon, playing for Panthers, was a dominant scorer until Pioneers’ duties and finished runner-up with 23 votes. Ben Anderson, Roos’ captain, was next with 22 votes.

S.A. Country state juniors Kane deWit and Matt Parslow shared the Bill Cook Memorial Trophy, being the juniors scoring most votes, 9,  in this prestigious award.   

Melissa Russell was runner-up in the ‘97/ ’98 summer season and then won the award in winter 2009. She has had a stellar season at both club and representative levels especially in the Lakers team which won the state CBL title.         

SA Country State Junior Jasmin Howe of Cats scored 21 votes to finish runner-up in the Women’s award for the second consecutive season and hence back to back winner of the Sally-Jane/ Trisha Flett Memorial Trophy.

In the closing weeks of the 2011/12 Summer season Basketball Mount Gambier has conducted Most Valuable Player Counts in all senior grades.

The new initiative of the power point presentation of the counts has added to of the interest and excitement of the finals series. Association Clerical Officer, Karen Cunningham and Photographer, Rob Tremelling have given many hours to preparing the impressive presentations.

Results of the other MVP Award counts are as follows.

Men’s A Reserve: Joint winners Raegan Clarke of Bullets and Joe Ferguson-Lane of West on 21 votes.

Women’s A Reserve: Ebony McDiarmid of Bulldogs on 22 votes. Joint runners-up were Georgia Green (Cougars) and Brianna Walters (Panthers) on 20 votes.

Women’s Social: Dana Hirst of Violet Vixens on 22 votes. Brooke Williams of premier side Bay Waves was second on 18.

Men’s B Grade Blue Division: Dylan Bromley of Raptors on 32 votes followed by Kyle Jacques of Kings on 25.

Men’s B Grade Gold Division: Tyson Ploenges of Pines on 19 votes followed by Bay Boomers’ Will McDonald on 18.