Gold Coast Blaze guard Adam Gibson has captured his second National Basketball League Player of the Week award for the 2011/12 iiNet NBL Championship season after a standout effort against the Melbourne Tigers in Round 16.
Gibson, who also won the weekly honours in Round 11, led his team to a strong 92-78 victory over the Tigers on Saturday night at the Gold Coast Convention Centre (AKA ‘The Furnace’).
The nuggetty point guard from Tasmania scored a game-high 23 points, as well as adding seven rebounds and three assists.
Gibson shot the ball at 62% from the field, connecting on 10-of-16 shots, and was big down the stretch. He had nine points in the fourth quarter alone to help the Blaze seal the win and move within striking distance of a spot in the four.
Cairns Taipans import point guard Jamar Wilson was narrowly beaten by Gibson for the weekly honours after a pair of strong games in Round 16. Wilson led the Taipans to a split of their two matches, and averaged 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the week.
New Zealand big man Gary Wilkinson was also a leading contender for the prize, scoring 21 points and adding seven rebounds as the Breakers scored a 91-77 win over the Tigers on Thursday.
Others considered for Player of the Week for Round 16 included Todd Blanchfield (Townsville), Cedric Jackson (New Zealand), Oscar Forman (Wollongong), Stephen Weigh (Adelaide), Mark Worthington (Gold Coast), Luke Nevill (Perth), Anatoly Bose (Sydney), Ronald Dorsey (Melbourne), Shawn Redhage (Perth), Alex Loughton (Cairns) and Jerai Grant (Sydney).
2011/12 iiNet NBL Championship Player of the Week Winners
Round 1 – Patty Mills (Melbourne Tigers)
Round 2 – Shawn Redhage (Perth Wildcats)
Round 3 – Julian Khazzouh (Sydney Kings)
Round 4 – Daniel Johnson (Adelaide 36ers)
Round 5 – Gary Wilkinson (New Zealand Breakers)
Round 6 – Eddie Gill (Townsville Crocodiles)
Round 7 – Jamar Wilson (Cairns Taipans)
Round 8 – Adris Deleon (Gold Coast Blaze)
Round 9 – Thomas Abercrombie (New Zealand Breakers)
Round 10 – Jamar Wilson (Cairns Taipans)
Round 11 – Adam Gibson (Gold Coast Blaze)
Round 12 – Eddie Gill (Townsville Crocodiles)
Round 13 – Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne Tigers)
Round 14 – Jerai Grant (Sydney Kings)
Round 15 – Jesse Wagstaff (Perth Wildcats)
Round 16 – Adam Gibson (Gold Coast)
