Worthington wins NBL Rookie honour

Sydney Kings rising star Mark Worthington has capped off a stellar inaugural Philips Championship National Basketball League (NBL) season by taking out the Rookie of the Year award in a landslide victory.

Worthington, who will line-up for the Kings on Friday in Game One of the Grand Final Series, polled 87 votes to clearly win from team-mate Ian Crosswhite (45) and the rest of the field. Third in voting was Brisbane’s Adam Gibson with 42 votes.

The 202cm forward has been a standout all season for the Kings and recently secured a coveted berth on the Boomers team to compete at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

During the regular season Worthington played in all 32 Kings matches and averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Worthington has more than lived up to the hype that surrounded his entrance into the Philips Championship after winning the NABC Division II Player of the Year Award following a standout American collegiate career at Metro State under former NBL coach Mike Dunlap.

The rising star follows in the massive footsteps of the likes of Andrew Gaze, Sam Mackinnon, Andrew Vlahov, Shane Heal, Matt Nielsen and John Rillie, who all have previously won the League’s rookie honour.

The Rookie of the Year Award is determined by a vote of all league head coaches and captains and one assistant coach per club, with voters excluded from voting for members of their own team.

In other award news today;

Hoare voted NBL's Best Sixth Man

Melbourne Tigers quiet-achieving forward Stephen Hoare has had his vital off-the-bench contribution to his team’s success recognised by being named as the Holiday Inn Best Sixth Man for the 2005/06 Philips Championship National Basketball League season.

Hoare polled 46 votes to finish ahead of Brisbane’s Mick Hill (35) and Luke Kendall of Sydney (28) and clinch the award.

The 201cm forward has been one of the best off the bench in the Philips Championship for a number of years, finishing second overall in the 2003 NBL Best Sixth Man award and third in 2002, but this is his first win.

During the regular season Hoare featured in all 32 Tigers games, averaging 9.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in a reserve role. He has also helped the Tigers advance to the Philips Grand Final series for the first time since 1997, where they will meet the Sydney Kings on Friday in Game One of the best-of-five title round.

Previous winners of the Best Sixth Man award include Jason Smith, Bruce Bolden, Stephen Black and Chris Anstey.

The Best Sixth Man award is determined by a vote of all league head coaches and captains and one assistant coach per club, with voters excluded from voting for members of their own team.