THE accolades have continued to flow for young Bendigo Lady Braves star Chloe Bibby.
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Nineteen-year-old Bibby was the sole Lady Brave named in the All-SEABL First Team at the league’s awards luncheon on Sunday.
The former Dandenong Rangers forward, who crossed to the Lady Braves this season, was also named the Australian women’s youth player of the year, as voted by SEABL coaches and captains for athletes under the age of 21.
It caps a stellar season for Bibby, highlighted by her appearance for the Australian Gems at last month’s FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Italy.
Bibby, who will soon head to the United States to play college basketball with Mississippi State University, will look to propel the Lady Braves to a south conference grand final berth, when they take on the Dandenong Rangers in this Saturday night’s semi-final in Melbourne.
She led all Lady Braves in scoring this season, averaging 17.9 points per game through 17 appearances, well above her SEABL career average of 12.1 points per game.
Bibby averaged 7.1 rebounds per game, which placed her second on the team behind only Chante Black (8.9), and 1.8 assists per game.
Meanwhile, American import C.J. Aiken capped a strong first season for the Bendigo Braves by winning the league’s defensive player of the year award.
It was the second year in a row the award has gone to a Braves player, after Damian Johnson claimed the honours during the club’s 2016 championship season.
Aiken, who joined the Braves early in their 2017 campaign as a late replacement for Du’Vaughn Maxwell after he struck VISA issues, finished second in the league for rebounds per game with 12.4 per game as well as second overall for boards and third for defensive boards.
He also helped Bendigo to the league’s equal-fourth best defence inside the paint with a total of 36 blocks on the year.
Nunawading Spectres veteran Simon Conn and Kilsyth Cobras import centre Angela Beadle were named the respective most valuable players.
Sara Blicavs, who was a member of the Bendigo Spirit’s 2013-14 WNBL championship team, won the league scoring title with 23.2 points per game for the Geelong Supercats.
The Braves’ Dyami Starks finished runner-up in the leading scorer award behind the Hobart Chargers’ Mathiang Muo.
The full list of 2017 SEABL award winners:
MVP: Simon Conn (Nunawading Spectres) and Angela Beadle (Kilsyth Cobras)
Coach of the Year: Richard Hill (Mount Gambier Pioneers) and David Herbert (Geelong Supercats)
Defensive Player of the Year: C.J. Aiken (Bendigo Braves) and Kathleen Scheer (Hobart Chargers)
Australian Youth Player of the Year: Tom Wilson (Melbourne Tigers) and Chloe Bibby (Bendigo Braves)
All-SEABL First Team: Peter Hooley (Ballarat Miners), Mathiang Muo (Hobart Chargers), Daniel Alexander (Mount Gambier Pioneers), Craig Moller (Ballarat Miners), Simon Conn (Nunawading Spectres).
Marena Whittle (Nunawading Spectres, Sara Blicavs (Geelong Supercats), Kathleen Scheer (Hobart Chargers), Chloe Bibby (Bendigo Braves), Lauren Scherf (Dandenong Rangers).
All-SEABL Second Team: Tom Daly (Mount Gambier Pioneers), DeMarcus Gatlin (Geelong Supercats), Nathan Herbert (Geelong Supercats), Tom Garlepp (Hobart Chargers), TJ Robinson (Albury/Wodonga Bandits).
Lauren Mansfield (Launceston Tornadoes), Tahlia Tupaea (Sydney Uni Sparks), Angela Beadle (Kilsyth Cobras), Monique Conti (Melbourne Tigers), Chantel Horvat (Geelong Supercats).
Leading Scorers: Blicavs (Supercats) with 23.2ppg and Muo (Chargers) with 22.8ppg.
Leading Rebounders: Scherf (Rangers) with 12.2rpg and Robinson (Bandits) with 13.4rpg.
Golden Hands: Mansfield (Tornadoes) and Shane McDonald (Spectres).
Club of the Year: Basketball Ballarat.