Rillie claims first NBL weekly honour

Townsville Crocodiles star John Rillie has started the new Philips Championship season impressively, winning the National Basketball League (NBL) Player of the Week award for Round One after leading his team to a dominant 117-91 win over 2006 minor premiers the Sydney Kings on Friday night.

Rillie scored an amazing 37 points on 11-of-18 shooting, as well as adding seven rebounds to go with his six assists and two steals. ‘JR’ was unstoppable in the second half, picking up 29 points after the long break to guide the Crocs to an upset victory.

While pleased to win the weekly honour, Rillie isn’t getting ahead of himself this early in the season and knows the Crocodiles need to continue to produce week-in, week-out.

“It was a good win and a good start for the season for the Crocs as a team and me personally but it is only one game so it’s best to not get too wrapped up in it all just yet - there is a long way to go,” Rillie said.

Rillie believes his team is capable of reproducing their impressive performance as long as they focus on their game plan.

“I think the way we played on the weekend, we will definitely have to be reproduce that form as much as possible this year. We aren’t the type of team who can show up and expect to win, we have to go into games with a strategy and that is what we did on the weekend.”

The 369-game veteran narrowly edged out Philips Championship newcomer Rodney Elliott (Sydney Kings) and Adelaide 36ers import Nick Horvath for the weekly honours.

Elliott averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds as his side went 1-1 with a loss to Townsville and a win over Brisbane.

Horvath also impressed in his first games as a Sixer, averaging 24.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and .5 assists as his team also went 1-0 for Round One, posting a loss to Singapore and a win over Wollongong.

Rillie last picked up the Philips Player of the Week honours in Round 17 of the 2004/05 Philips Championship season.

Other players in the running for the Philips Player of the Week award for Round One included Adam Ballinger (Wollongong Hawks), Mike Helms (Singapore Slingers), Marquin Chandler (Singapore Slingers), Sam Mackinnon (Brisbane Bullets), Dave Thomas (Melbourne Tigers), Martin Cattalini (Cairns Taipans) and Darren Brooks (Perth Wildcats).

This round's Player of the Week winner will receive Philips latest Dual DECT/Internet Skype phone - Simplicity is making discounted and free phone calls to your friends and family all around the world.