It’s a bittersweet feeling for Sunbury Jets star Ishmael Sanders.
Following a grand final loss in the Big V championship division, Sanders’ incredible season has been recognised, taking out the league’s most valuable player award and named in the all-star five team.
Sanders was sensational for the Jets all season, coming second in the league’s scoring with an average of 28.5 points per game. The guard also averaged almost five assists a game.
This is the American’s fourth season playing Big V and his best having already claimed a division 1 and championship most valuable player award previously.
The 2022 season had its difficulties with a loss in the grand finals series for the Jets and a badly hurt shoulder for Sanders.
“It was obviously a disappointing year,” Sanders said.
“Not many people know but I had shoulder surgery, I tore my rotator cuff before the season… so I was battling with that all year.
“Coming into this year I wanted to make sure that I was 100 per cent, because I felt like I had come back too fast.
“So after last year I took two or three weeks off to rest it… I got back with my trainer back home in Tampa, Florida and somebody else helped with strength and conditioning and we just hit the ground running.
“So [this year] I was fully prepared to perform.”
While Sanders performed, he was unable to get his side over the line losing in week two of the finals this season, now winning a premiership is the only thing on his mind.
“That’s my first, second and third goal,” he said.
“Getting MVP isn’t my goal, I would rather be finals MVP because that means we win the finals.
“All the guys that I play with, they know, they know how intense I am in practice and in games, it’s not just for myself because I’m worried about what I’m doing.
“I try to go out there and do what’s best for the team for us to win.
“It’s left a sour taste in our mouths, but some things went on this year that were out of our control and we sort of went through some adversity that maybe we could have handled better.
“It definitely left a sour taste, but only one team can win it and it was just unfortunate that it couldn’t be us.”
Sunbury coach John White stepped down from his post following the teams finals loss to McKinnon, leaving the door open for fresh opportunity for success at the Jets.
“People will want to come and play for us whoever we have as coach because I feel like we have a good core group of guys,” Sanders said.
“You don’t want to make too much change with your core guys because they are the identity of the team.
“Because we have such a good core, Sunbury will always be up there in one, two or three and continuing to compete for a championship.”
However, being one of the Jets core players, Sanders is no guarantee to still be at the club in 2024.
“Still in talks, some conversations need to be had… so I’d be reluctant to give a yes, no, answer on that,” Sanders said.
“Sunbury will always be home, so I would definitely be up for those conversations.”
