News

Camberwell Dragons Under 16 Boys 2023-24 VJBL season award winners and coaches' comments.

16.1 Boys
Most Valuable Player: Max Pavey
“Max led the way for a group that became the first Under 16 team from Camberwell to compete at the National Junior Classic and qualify for Victorian Championship (VC) finals. He’s put in some serious work over the past two years and thoroughly deserves the opportunities that are now coming his way. I’ve enjoyed watching Max’s growth on and off the court and look forward to seeing where the game takes him in the future.” – Coach Andrew Johnstone.

Most Improved: Saad Al-Qatatsheh
“Saad impressed all with his dedication to being the best he could be and emerged as a real X-Factor for our group at both ends of the floor against the best teams and players in the state. Humble and hard-working, Saad only started his rep journey with the Dragons as a bottom-age player in the Under 16s in 2022 so has had to learn a lot in a short period of time. His rapid growth, on and off the court, has been fun to watch and to be a part of.” – Coach Andrew Johnstone.

16.2 Boys
Best Team Player: Tommy Jones
“Tommy was the heart and hustle of our team week in and week out, always putting in 100 per cent and never took a week off! He displayed his importance with his crafty ability to handle, shoot the ball and bring immense energy every night!” – Coach Jarrod Whelan.

Best Offensive Player: Lachlan Harper-Kerrigan
“Lachie brings a unique and very valuable talent to the team. He mixes great size with an impressive ability to shoot the ball, he showed terrific development and became a great weapon playing that stretch 5 for us. He shows great commitment and is a very talented offensive player in the making.” – Coach Jarrod Whelan.

16.3 Boys
Most Valuable Player: Andom Rendell
“The boys all voted for their MVP for the season and they selected Andom. He shot the ball impressively well all season and displayed great leadership while bringing a positive attitude to trainings and games.” – Coach Liam O’Hoy.

Defensive Player of the Year: Christian Saman
“Throughout the season, Christian showed consistent leadership defensively, being the loudest – even when off the court. He was always stepping up to defend anyone on the other team and was the heart of a great defence.” – Coach Liam O’Hoy.

16.4 Boys
Impact Award: Peyton Beattie
“Every time Payton steps on the floor he has a big impact on the game. Most notably on the defensive end where his high pressure on-ball defence constantly leads to him getting steals or the other team turning the ball over.” – Coach Jack Noisette.

Most Improved: Ethan Willey
“Ethan is one of the hardest-working guys in the age group. The countless hours he spends getting extra shots up and working on his game have helped him take a big step as a player this season. Not only has he continued to develop his inside game, but his continued work on his ball handling and outside shot has allowed him to space the floor and become more versatile in our offence.” – Coach Jack Noisette.

16.5 Boys
Most Valuable Player: Aiden Murphy
“Extremely high work ethic paired with great shooting and ball skills. Aiden has always been a team-first player and at all trainings was one of the first boys there and last to leave. Congratulations Aiden, you certainly deserve this award!” – Coach Andy Bladeni.

Most Improved: Jack Trainor
“Another player who has a really high work ethic. Jack started the season frustrated with himself quite often, but he stayed working on his skills and mindset. I’m so glad to see his hard work paying off, impacting both offence and defence in all games. Congratulations, Jack!” – Coach Andy Bladeni.

16.6 Boys
Most Valuable Player: Max Ledger
“Max is an unbelievable athlete who has had an amazing year at both ends of the court. Max dominated offensively and led the pool in points scored (and fouls). Max was a great leader within the team but more importantly, is a great human whom displayed respect for all on and off the court no matter the situation.” – Coach Mark Trevascus.

Most Committed: Charlie Steventon
“Charlie displayed great commitment throughout the year. Not only in attendance, but the intensity in which he trained, along with the additional training he did outside of scheduled training sessions to work on and improve his game.” – Coach Mark Trevascus.

16.7 Boys
Top Scorer: Xavier Di Pasqua
“Xavier was a consistent contributor on the scoreboard throughout the season and stood up in games when it really mattered. He is a versatile player who is strong around the ring but can also run well in transition for a big player. Xavier had a good understanding of our offence and how best to score from it. Congratulations on a great season!” – Coach Josh Maddock.

Most Coachable: True Drezner
“This was True’s first rep season and he came in relatively raw, but what was clear right from the start was True wanted to work hard and get better. Not only did he listen and take on board what coaches were saying to him, he regularly sought additional feedback after training or games so he could continue to improve. As a result, his development throughout the season was huge and a big reason why our team had a strong second half of the season. With a great attitude and athletic ability to match, we look forward to watching True’s continued development in the 18s program.” – Coach Josh Maddock.

16.8 Boys
Most Valuable Player: Jin Drohan
Consistent contributor in training, tournaments, and regular season games. Able to implement instructions. Always competed as hard as he could. Key contributor as scorer, rebounder and defender.” – Coach Ben Willey.

Best Rebounder: Noah Mrkela
“A dominant player who always influenced games with his aggressive attack on the ball, often outrebounding bigger players at both end of the court.” – Coach Ben Willey.