Brett Maher wins NBL Weekly award

Adelaide 36ers point guard Brett Maher has taken out the National Basketball League’s (NBL) Philips Player of the Week award for Round Six of the 2005/06 season.

Maher narrowly edged out team-mate Williey Farley for the award after leading his side to a pair of nail-biting victories over the Melbourne Tigers and the West Sydney Razorbacks.

Adelaide’s ‘Mr Reliable’ led from the front in both games, averaging 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds as he helped his side to a 2-0 week and outright first on the Philips Championship ladder.

Maher was on his game from the outset in Round Six, bagging a team-high 24 points in his side’s 94-92 victory over the Tigers in Adelaide on Wednesday as well as adding eight rebounds, six assists and one steal.

Maher backed up that performance with a solid game against a determined Razorbacks outfit with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the 36ers one-point victory over West Sydney.

Farley also played a huge role in his team’s pair of wins in Round Six and can count himself unlucky to have been pipped by Maher for the weekly honours. He had 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals against Melbourne and also added 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals against ‘the Pigs’.

Other players in the running for the Philips Player of the Week award for Round Six included Oscar Forman (Adelaide), Rashad Tucker (Melbourne), James Harvey (West Sydney), Brad Newley (Townsville), Larry Abney (Townsville), Mike Helms (Hunter), Gary Boodnikoff (Cairns), Tony Ronaldson (Perth), Stephen Black (Brisbane), Bobby Brannen (Brisbane), Brant Bailey (New Zealand), Tony Rampton (Wollongong) and Glen Saville (Wollongong).

For winning the Philips Player of the Week award this round, Maher will receive a Philips Shoqbox, the new tiny personal sound system designed for people that love to share their music experience with others.