Sunbury Jets Basketball Association has been named the Big V club of the year.
The club claimed the honour at the Big V awards late last month, in what turned out to be an exceptional night.
Jets’ coaching director and women’s state championship coach Kennedy Kereama said for the club to be recognised, not just for its on court performance but as an association as a whole, was very satisfying.
“It is really good to show the hard work of the club … the volunteers, the door staff, the teams, the coaches and the officials,” he said.
“It’s certainly nice to see other people recognise what we are doing is really successful.
“It’s recognition that direction-wise we are doing some things really well. There are some things we need to work on and improve and we’re not going to rest on our laurels. It was a very big surprise.”
The award was just one of several the Jets claimed for the night, with both their state championship and youth league women’s division 2 championship sides well recognised.
Courtney Duever was named the women’s state championship’s most valuable player.
Duever, who is playing with the Melbourne Boomers in the Women’s National Basketball League, averaged 22.59 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game for the Jets this year.
She had already taken home the grand final MVP, the second straight season she’s won a grand final MVP, having won the division 1 title last season.
Kereama said it was a massive honour for Duever.
“She’s been a consistent performer all season and came up really big when we needed her in the finals,” he said.
Orla O’Reilly, in her first season at the Jets, was named in the All-Star Five team along with Duever.
Kereama said in a massive boost for the club, both players had already signed for next year.
“Orla has worked out really well for the club,” he said. “Both Courtney and Orla re-signed two months ago and pretty much our whole team will be back.
“Monique [Stevens] has signed, Chelsea [Burns] will sign and Josie [Stockill] wants to come back.
“We’ll have open tryouts as well. We’re not having much of a break.”
Kereama himself was recognised with the state championship women’s coach of the year. He won the division 1 coach of the year last year. Kereama said any of the nominees for the award would have been worthy winners.
“I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s nice recognition,” he said. “I can’t do it without the girls that do the hard work.
“I try to put something in place and they make it a success.”
Chloe Angove took out the youth league women’s division 2 MVP and the rising star award and was named in the All-Star Five team, while coach Andrew Seidel shared the coach of the year award for that division.
Kyle Collins was named in the youth league men’s division 1 All-Star Five team.
