Sean Conway, Jesse Macleod, Zoe Johnson and Meg Stagoll were recognised for standout seasons at Camberwell Dragons’ Big V Awards Night.
Conway won the Championship Mens team’s MVP Award, Macleod was named Player of the Year for the Dragons’ Youth League Men, Johnson collected MVP honours for our Youth League Women, and Stagoll was MVP for our Division 1 Women.
All Our Award Winners:
CHAMPIONSHIP MEN
Most Valuable Player: Sean Conway
Most Improved: Jaden Lai
Coach’s Award: Sean Clarke
Coach Shawn King on Sean Conway:
“Sean was consistently our best player. He led the league in scoring and was second in rebounds.”
Coach Shawn King on Jaden Lai:
“Jaden made the jump from Youth League and got better each training and game.”
Coach Shawn King on Sean Clarke:
“Sean is the ultimate teammate and was always willing to do whatever was asked of him.”
DIVISION 1 WOMEN
Most Valuable Player: Meg Stagoll
Players’ Choice: Rachel Jeffers
Most Improved: Tilly Grech
Coach Cara Jeffers on Meg Stagoll:
“Meg came into the team late when we really needed an on-court floor general. She smoothly stepped into the point guard role and instantly took on a leadership role amongst the group. She has a wealth of knowledge and really led and supported the group. She is an unselfish player who does a fantastic job of getting others into the game and creating scores for the team.”
Coach Cara Jeffers on Rachel Jeffers:
“Rach is the ultimate teammate, always offering support and guidance both on and off the court. When Rach had to stop playing, she continued to turn up and be a great, positive voice on the sidelines. A person willing to take on whatever the group needed.”
Coach Cara Jeffers on Tilly Grech:
“As the youngest member on our team, Tilly has shown incredible improvement and growth throughout the season. She is always open to feedback and does her best to put it into action. Her ability to ask great questions is a testament to her willingness to improve and make herself the best teammate she can be.”
YOUTH LEAGUE MEN
Player of the Year: Jesse Macleod
Relentless Competitor: Acelin Adama
Most Diligent, Dedicated and Determined: Matthew Marcun
Coach Fraser Kennedy on Jesse Macleod:
“Jesse had an extraordinary season, comfortably exceeding the expectations we had for him, and was instrumental in our success. Initially considered to be a terrific on-ball defender who could provide offensive value primarily through his ability to make strong drives to the ring and finish with power, he developed into a player who could do so much more than that.
“By the season’s end, Jesse had transformed himself into a player who can do just about anything on the basketball court. He forces defenders to guard him on the perimeter but punishes them with an unstoppable drive if they get too close, usually leading to his own score or a dump-off pass to a teammate.
“Defensively, not only does he manage to guard the ball incredibly well, but his understanding of our defensive schemes and the opposition’s offence makes him one of the best two-way players in the competition. He’s such a high IQ player on the court, but more impressively his emotional intelligence is through the roof, nobody wears their heart on their sleeve more proudly than Jesse.
“Perhaps the most exciting thing for Conor (assistance coach Conor Mathews) and I is Jesse has only scratched the surface of what he is capable of as a basketballer and a leader, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for him.”
Coach Fraser Kennedy on Acelin “Ace” Adama:
“Since coming to our tryouts back in September last year, Ace (Acelin Adama) has had such a profound impact on our team and proven himself to be an integral part of what we do. It’s difficult putting into words the intensity and hunger that Ace plays with every time he steps on the court. He gives his absolute best effort every possession and somehow keeps demanding more of himself. Already in impeccable shape, he asked Conor to design a conditioning program for him that would allow him to play full-court, high pressure defence for an entire 40-minute game, provided that’s what the team needed.
“In my experience, players who are this relentlessly competitive are usually difficult to coach or hard to play with, but that’s definitely not the case with Ace. He’s an incredibly selfless teammate, a brilliant leader and a sponge for soaking up coaching directives. He’s not competitive in the sense that he wants to be the best, he just wants us to be the best. After a few disappointing games in a row, he approached Conor and I, suggesting that it might be better for the team if he began starting on the bench and that other players were more deserving of his starting spot. After some very brief discussion, we politely declined, citing that his tenacity and intensity were too important for us to start games.
“His energy and determination is so contagious for our group, everyone walks a little bit taller when they’re sharing the court with Ace – coaching staff included.”
Coach Fraser Kennedy on Matthew Marcun:
“Matt has been involved in our program for a few seasons now and he continues to get better and better, and for those that know him, it’s no secret why. Matt devotes so much of his time to improving his game, whether it’s watching film, getting stronger in the gym, investing in his nutrition or simply sharpening his skills, and he does so without being prompted. Not only does he push himself to do the ‘extras’, but he commits himself to completing everything that comes before them, without ever compromising on intensity.
“We had a total of 67 formal training sessions and 32 practice or regular season games, Matt did not miss a single one. He gets to every session early, whether it’s to ask us about film clips, to get shots up or just to be around his teammates. While these are small acts of diligence, dedication and determination, stack them up over the course of a season and you’re left with an entirely different player.
“Matt is an exceptional role model for any young basketball player, but he’s also somebody that his peers and his coaches look up to, he challenges us all to be better and to meet his level of devotion. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to coach a player like Matt, he’s the epitome of what happens when hard work meets talent, and I can only admire what he will achieve on the court, but also in life outside of basketball.”
YOUTH LEAGUE WOMEN
Most Valuable Player: Zoe Johnson
Most Improved: Mia Demarte
Coach’s Award: Jessica Del Brocco
Coach Danni Fidge on Zoe Johnson:
“Zoe had an awesome season and was a huge part of our team’s success, earning her our Most Valuable Player award. She always gave 100 per cent, took on tough match-ups, and never backed down from a challenge. Zoe worked hard to improve every week and brought great energy to both training and games. Her effort and determination really stood out all season, as seen with her leading the lead in rebounds.”
Coach Danni Fidge on Mia Demarte:
“Mia is a worthy recipient of this season’s Most Improved Award. She showed great improvement throughout the year, especially in her confidence and attack on offence. Mia consistently stepped up to take on key match-ups in defence and never shied away from a challenge. Her growth and determination throughout the season did not go unnoticed.”
Coach Danni Fidge on Jessica Del Brocco:
“Jess is the well-deserved recipient of our Coach’s Award this season. She showed great improvement and led by example with her strong work ethic and positive attitude. Jess was a team player—always looking to involve others, playing unselfishly, and giving her all on defence. She should be really proud of her efforts this season.”
PHOTOS: Craig Dingle, Melbourne Sports Photography.
