Mid-year NBL1 award predictions

We're right in the thick of the NBL1 season around the country and championship teams and award contenders are already starting to elevate themselves.

NORTH

Women

Champion | Mackay Meteorettes

A 5-1 start to the season is a sign of things to come for McKay.

They have contributors across the board, led by Unique Thompson (28ppg & 14.8rpg) and Monique Bobongie (20.2ppg & 7.8rpg). Their one loss was a pretty major defeat, but my guess is something like that won’t happen again.

It is anyone’s to win, but Mackay look as good a chance as any.

MVP | Unique Thompson (Mackay Meteorettes)

Mackay should be a top four team, and Unique Thompson looks to be a near unstopabbale force.

Through four games she averaged 28 points and 14.8 rebounds per game, while shooting the ball at 63% from the field. We’ve seen her ability to perform consistently over an NBL1 season and this doesn’t look to be any different.

There will be plenty of challengers, names like Courtney Wood, Miela Sowah, and Cayla George should all be in the mix, but Thompson is the standout at the moment.

DPOY | Erin Bollmann (Sunshine Coast Phoenix)

It’s almost a formality at this point.

Erin Bollmann is back to her brilliant defensive best as she striver for her third straight Defensive Player of the Year award.

Already to start the season she is averaging 3.4 steals (#1 in the league) and 1.3 blocks (#3 in the league) per game. One concern is how the Sunshine Coast’s season goes, however they are over .500 at the moment, and a top six finish should see Bollmann go back-to-back-to-back.

Men