THE Hamilton Basketball Association crowned its winter season MVPs on Wednesday night, with Tigers’ Rhianne Lewis and Minders’ Josh Miller taking out the Division 1 Women’s and Division 1 Men’s awards.

Lewis, who also coaches Tigers, played 15 games and put up 117 points, guiding the team to second place on the ladder before dropping out of premiership contention with a semi-final loss.

It was back-to-back wins for Lewis, who said

“It means a lot to me to be honest, but it was very unexpected,” she said.

“I didn’t think I was as good this season as probably last season, but the girls do all the hard work and make me look good.

“I do have a few hats on during a basketball game, but the girls are really easy to work with, it is just a long season and we faulted at the end.

“I was very much playing the same position as the past few seasons.”

Lewis, who also juggles netball commitments with the Hamilton Kangaroos during the winter said it wasn’t always easy to perform well across both sports.

“The older I get, the harder it gets, the body is tiring out during the week,” she said.

Lewis claimed the award ahead of other nominees, Charlize Cooper (St Mary’s Black), Elise Thurman (St Mary’s Black), and Danielle Tooley (St Mary’s White).

For Miller, it was yet another top men’s division season MVP in the cabinet and backing up his Big V campaign with the Warrnambool Seahawks, he took his game to a new level.

It capped off a strong season for the young talent, who helped his team to a grand final win and won the grand final MVP.

“It is very nice to get it again, I have been putting in a lot of work, but I am just happy for the team success, it has been our goal for a few years now,” he said.

“I have definitely worked on how to control the game, the tempo, and my defence has definitely improved.

“Thanks to all the boys now, most of us have been together since 2019.”

Winter season MVP winners

Div 2 Women – Ella Sevior (Monivae).

Div 3 Women – Eilish Macgillivray (Minders Blue).

Div 4 Women – Jaymie Broad (Barber Babes) and Sophie Spence (College Boobook Owls).

Div 2A Men – Mitch Lang (Minders) and Raizen Castro (Barber Boys White).

Div 2B Men – Hugh Fitzgerald (St Mary’s Orange).

Div 3 Men – Billy Beveridge (St Mary’s Black).