By: David Tingley

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Don't look now, but the season is more than halfway over. It's never too early to start a fight about award winners :) so let's dig in!

Most Valuable Player

1. Jeremiah Mordi

This is gonna raise some eyebrows amongst some but let me break down some #s for you: He's in the top 20 in the league in EVERY major offensive and defensive category other than offensive rebounds where he's 28th and minutes played per game, 26th. He's 14th in league scoring, which would be low for an MVP, but his value has gone well beyond mere numbers. He's been the lynchpin offensively for the league's number 1 team and an indispensable part of the league's number 1 defense. But if it's numbers you NEED before you give someone an award like this, here's a few: 6th in the league at 54.8% shooting from the field, behind 5 guys who have totaled 11 three-point attempts. 1st in the league in three-point accuracy at a foolish 63.9%, 2nd in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 4.4/1 behind Cliff Clinkscales. All while averaging 16.9 points, 6.9 boards, 5.5 assists 1.2 steals and almost a block a game….in barely 30 minutes per. Ridiculous.

2. Xavier Moon

3. Antoine Mason

4. Karrington Ward

Marlon Johnson would be, at worst, number 3 on this list, but he left the Five to go overseas this past week. They have multiple candidates to step up and join this group, but Braylon Rayson and Jaylen Bland need to be more efficient and JR Holder needs to add some playmaking and rebounding to replace some of Johnson's numbers. The Edge have almost been too balanced to have one candidate, but they deserve someone on this list and Ward has been steady and, at times, spectacular. Mason's scoring and toughness just can't be overlooked, despite Halifax's struggles and Moon can go 2 for 2 in MVP races in the same year in the same country. Impressive stuff.

Coach of the Year

1. Joe Salerno

It's easy to overlook the coach of the number one team in the league, but he's navigated injuries, the odd Billy White trade situation and high expectations by heading up the league's best defense and a coaching staff that's developed players like Denzell Taylor and Wayne McCullough and put players like Jeremiah Mordi in positions to be even more effective than they already were.

2. Steve Marcus

11-3 after an 0-4 start that had his job in jeopardy. Bravo sir.

3. Logan Stutz

The defense is improving and, even after the Marlon Johnson departure, he still has 3 of the league's top ten scorers. Potent system he's developed there.

Canadian of the Year

1. Alex Campbell

This isn't even close at this point.

2. Garrett Williamson

Not his best season, but still really good.

3. Junior Cadougan

Ditto

4. Jason Calliste

I came REALLY close to putting him at number 2, and if he played more minutes, it would have been easy. But he's PERFECT in his role, putting up 12.5 points per game on astounding efficiency numbers. He never turns the ball over, rebounds really well for his position and is still a terrific defender. Plus, he's tough as nails.

5. Kemy Osse

Just named player of the week and I want to give some props to a guy who's had to overcome a rescinded trade and been one of the most improved players in the league.

Honorable Mentions: Chris Johnson, Denzell Taylor, Alex Johnson, Marvell Waithe

Defensive Players of the Year

First Team

Jonathan Loyd

Marcus Capers

Wayne McCullough

Denzell Taylor

Brady Skeens



I don't know how to rank them in order right now, and there are a ton of guys nipping at their heels, but there is something special about every one of these 5. Loyd just doesn't get beat. You may shoot over him, but his feet and hands smother anyone going at him off the bounce. Capers is one of just 5 players in the league currently averaging both one steal and one block a game and can be trusted to lock a guy down as well as anyone in the league. McCullough quite simply outworks everyone put in his way and has grown into the guy you matchup against the other team's premier player. Taylor isn't having QUITE as good a defensive season as last year and he isn't quite the menace on the defensive glass that he is on offense, but no one wrecks a pick and roll like Zell, and his ability to keep smaller players in front of him on switches is a big key to the Magic's number 1 ranked defense. Skeens is the premiere help defender in the league and his size and athleticism as a rookie means he's only going to get better.

Second Team

Karrington Ward

Billy White

Jeremiah Mordi

Montay Brandon

Xavier Moon



Ward is really the 6th member of the first team. He and White are 2 of the other members of the 1 steal/1 block per game club and he averages almost 7 defensive rebounds a game. Brandon is so switchable and solid and Moon and Mordi are fundamentally strong and tough. Honorable mentions: Marlon Johnson was leading this pack as well before his departure. Sam Muldrow leads the league in blocks, but his lack of lateral quicks can be detrimental. AJ Gaines should block more shots with his enormous athletic gifts, but he's a tough customer at the point of attack and a demon of a rebounder. Kemy Osse, Jon Harris, Alex Campbell Akeem Scott, Joel Kindred, JR Holder, Dexter Williams Jr., Antwon Lillard. Marcus Lewis is the last member of the 1 steal/1 block club and has been spectacular at times, but might suffer from outsized expectations. Still, he belongs in this discussion and could easily make his way onto a team.

6th Man of the Year

1. Montay Brandon

Tough not to pick the guy who leads the league in rebounding while coming off the bench. He also scores efficiently and is a solid defensive player.

1A & B Wayne McCullough and JR Holder

They both deserve consideration at 1, but I don't think either stays in contention for this spot because they're going to end up starting too many games. Wayne's improvement shooting the ball and taking care of it, along with adding more strength and diversity to his game has made him one of the best players in the league the last few weeks. Add AJ Gaines here as well. I'm not so sure he'll have too many starts to qualify either, but he's been excellent on both ends.

2. Jason Calliste

3. Nathaniel Wright

Struggled of late, but it's at least partly to do with the team flu bug.

4. Cane Broome

Tried to leave him off the list because he doesn't provide much other than scoring punch, but man, he does that well and he's exciting to watch.

5. Ta'Quan Zimmerman

Former winner who had been shooting the air out of the ball before the home and home with Moncton this week.

Honorable mentions: Marvell Waithe had been really cooking until this week as well. Now he and Zim have some guys on their heels. Mareik Isom got off to a great start and, despite recent struggles, could heat up again. Denzell Taylor's scoring has ticked up recently and he could edge his way onto this list too. Derrick Nix only plays 25 minutes a night, but he's a load to handle in the paint and averages 11.7 and 6.3 boards on 64% shooting. Jarryn Skeete has only played 8 games since being picked up in Sudbury, but that style of offense could mean big second half numbers for him.

Rookie of the Year

There are really only 3 viable candidates, but really good ones.

1. Antwon Lillard

Really solid defensively and a relentless attacker of the rim. He's the best player in the league no one's talking about.

2. Brady Skeens

3. Cane Broome

Newcomer of the Year

Again, Marlon Johnson would dominate this category but there are still five great options.

1. Karrington Ward

2. Montay Brandon

3. JR Holder

4. Nathaniel Wright

5. Tremayne Johnson

Most Improved Player

There are seven guys really deserving of mention here, so I'm ranking them all. I put more emphasis on the ones who went from good to All-Star level, but this is a category where I wouldn't argue if you moved anyone from #2 to #6 up to #1.

1. Jeremiah Mordi

To go from solid role player in Saint John to my MVP pick? Yeah, I'd say that's some improved play. And it's not just the insane shooting numbers either. He's never been tasked with running an offense on his own, yet it looks like he was born to do it.

2. Wayne McCullough

He was already doing enough to be on this list BEFORE averaging 17 per game on 55% shooting over his last 11 games to go along with 6 boards and 1.6 steals.

3. Xavier Moon

Made the jump from really good to sensational.

4. Alex Campbell

5. Jonathan Harris

Scored 4.6 ppg last year in Saint John on barely 30% shooting. He's up to 14.2 and 8.2 rebounds on 46% shooting and he seems to have re-discovered his stroke from three since returning from a 3-game injury absence. I feel like he should be higher even as I'm writing this.

6. Randy Phillips

Put up 6.5 and 4 boards last year with the Riptide but has been a menace in London, especially as of late. He's averaging 21 and 8 over his last 5 on 63% shooting and is up to 11.8 and 5.5 boards on the season.

7. Kemy Osse

Averaged 9.9 ppg on 36% shooting last year in….you guessed it…Saint. John and shot under 30% from three. He's up over 12 a game on 43%/33%, is rebounding it better and has taken his defense to another level as well.

First Team All-NBLC

Jeremiah Mordi

Antoine Mason

Alex Campbell

Xavier Moon

Karrington Ward

Second Team All-NBLC

Cliff Clinkscales

In his last 8 games he's shooting almost 50% while averaging 11.0 assists and 1 turnover. Is it possible he's getting better? His leadership and playmaking has been one of the few bright spots in a tough year for the Hurricanes. The league record for assists is 8.74 per game, held by Da'Quan Brooks of Orangeville in the 2015/16 season. Clink is sitting at 10.1 right now and should shatter that mark.

Jonathan Loyd

He's been sick as a dog and struggling of late, going scoreless in a back-to-back against the Magic where he tried valiantly to gut it out. Still, he's averaging 17.6 and 6.5 assists and is on my defensive first team. He belongs here.

Marcus Capers

Maybe the most underrated guy in the league. Affects the game in so many ways with his defense, rebounding, three-point shooting and playmaking. He averages over 5 dimes a game and averages 14 points on a team where everyone can score in double figures.

Billy White

Coming off a 52-point night, you may see the former first-team guy ascend to that level over the second half. However, he's had some ups and downs so far and he's getting docked a little for that. Look out though….look out. ***Billy took a hard fall in Halifax Tuesday night and now we're awaiting results of his X-rays*

Montay Brandon

He always impacts a game whether he's scoring or not and, outside of one bad game in KW recently, he's become more dependable as a double figure guy as the season wears on. I think he's only going to get better.

Third Team All-NBLC

Robbie Robinson

I feel a little odd putting a guy on each team from a squad that's lost 13 of 14 but I have some affection for them and the adversity they've faced through a youth movement and illness, bad luck and close losses. Plus, they all deserve it. Robinson is averaging almost 18 and 8 and is nearly a 50/40/80 % guy from the field, three-point land and the line. And when he rises for a jumper, I just assume it's going in. That means something.

Brady Skeens

Maybe not the first name from the Five you expected to see? Well he's awesome defensively, makes almost 75% of his shots and may join Brandon as the only guys averaging a double-double come the end of the year.

AJ Gaines

I just LOVE watching this guy play. He's got so much bounce, is so active and he scares me to death on both ends of the floor when he's playing the Magic.

Braylon Rayson

He's not having nearly as good a year as last year, but still, at almost 20 points a night to go along with 7.5 dimes, good for second is the league, he's more than deserving. If he's a little more efficient and takes care of the ball better in the second half, look out.

JR Holder

That's 3 Five players on the third team and that feels right to me. Holder is a very good defender and dynamic offensively, shooting it at over 44% from three. He's been even better of late and has more shots available with Marlon Johnson's departure. Third team with a bullet.

Honorable mentions: Jaylen Bland is the obvious name, but he's shooting under 40% for the season and is shooting 32% on over 22 attempts per night this month. He's the second leading scorer in the league, so he's an obvious candidate still, but…..yikes. Garrett Williamson, Sam Muldrow (another close miss who could easily move onto a team) Wayne McCullough (there may be no way to keep him OFF a team by season's end) Corey Allmond, Cane Broome, Antwon Lillard, Akeem Ellis, Jon Harris, Randy Phillips, Garrett Williamson, Junior Cadougan, Dexter Williams Jr., and a HOST of guys who have missed time to injury or suspension, or joined their teams late that could sneak into consideration, like Chris Jones, Quinnel Brown, Superman Johnson, and CJ Washington.

In the 2014/15 season, Tyrone Levett of the St. John Mill Rats made 90.4% of his free throws, still a league record. Corey Allmond made his only two free throws yesterday and has still only missed once the entire season. He sits at 96.6% on the year. Anyone want to bet he doesn't break the record?

Jason Calliste made 47.9% of his three-point attempts in 2017/18, the single season league record. The good news for him is that he's making 50.6% this year. The bad news? His teammate Jeremiah Mordi is on pace to shatter his record at 65%.

Cliff Clinkscales already owns the 3 best assist/turnover ratio seasons in league history, peaking at 4.5/1 in 2016/17. I don't even know what to think of this season of his. 7.6/1 is impossible, but he's doing it.

2 seasons ago, Royce White attempted 9.9 free throws a game. This year Antoine Mason is MAKING 8.3 a game on 10.2 attempts. He's almost surely going to set a league record for most makes in a season….playing 4 FEWER games. Whoa.