By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Pakenham Warriors’ remarkable on-court turnaround over the past 12 months was rubber-stamped on Saturday night at the Big V Basketball awards gala with captain and star forward James Topp named to the Division-2 All Star five.
But it took a phone call from Warriors coach Ryan Rogers almost exactly a year ago to convince Topp to give the game he loved so much another chance.
He made the switch from Sherbrooke to Big V Division 1 side Warrandyte last year but was given limited opportunities to prove himself and, after a tumultuous month, gave basketball away to focus on footy.
But Rogers, who was previously the coaching director at Sherbrooke, knew Topp was too talented not to give basketball another shot.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Rogers said.
“It was Brownlow Medal night 12 months ago and I called him to suss out his interest.
“He’d enjoyed his footy but I knew basketball was his number-one passion.
“I just told him that he’d get opportunity at the Warriors and we’d live up to our promises to him.”
Topp rewarded the Warriors with a simply brilliant comeback season – averaging over 16 points-per-game (good for fourth in Division 2 scoring) – and guiding Pakenham from the depths of the Division 2 cellar, into the playoffs.
“It was fantastic recognition for such a consistent year,” Rogers said of Topp’s award.
“He was unlucky not to be in the top five MVP (Most Valuable Player) candidates at the end of the season.”
The 26-year-old’s influence on the Warriors was immediate. Topp was made captain in his debut season for the club and went far and beyond his on-court duties – mentoring the Warriors’ under-12s and building a great rapport with them.
Another standout Warriors leader, Jeff Reid, was also honoured on Saturday.
Though his season, and ultimately his career, was cut short by a devastating knee injury, Reid had shown enough to prove just how lethal he was with the ball in his hands.
At 18.2 points-per-game, he was the leading scorer in Division 2 and Rogers is convinced he would have been named league MVP if he stayed healthy.
“He has been an unbelievable recruit for the club,” Rogers said.
“He was the last player cut from the South Dragons NBL squad in 2006-07 so he was definitely on the radar for the national league.
“He’s just a great bloke and a great influence on the rest of the playing group.”
Warriors point guard Jay Ferriere was also officially honoured on Saturday, taking out the ‘Golden Hands’ award for his steals and assists to turnover ratio.
He, like Reid, also had an injury-hampered back-end to the season and could have been in MVP contention.
“The award is indicative of the best point guard in the league,” Rogers said of the Golden Hands award.
“It’s about the most efficient player at both distributing the ball and looking after it.
“After chatting to the opposition coaches after each game, if there was one player of ours they would all have on their teams it’s Jay.
“He kept us organised, but also helped out off the court.
“He was huge in us getting 120 kids at the first basketball camp the association held in five years.”
Though the Big V season has finished, Ferriere can’t wait to get started again.
For anyone looking to emulate his efforts in the Warriors Big V side, tryouts will be held on 13 and 20 October at Cardinia Life.
The Warriors also held their annual junior presentation night recently. Below is a list of MVP winners:
Under-12 Boys: Ethan Small
Under-12 Girls: Shanae Williamson
Under-14 (1) Boys: Cody Fredrickson
Under-14 Girls: Tiarni Fallon
Under-14 (2) Boys: Campbell Miller and Matthew Tielen
Under-16 (1) Girls: Sam Neil and Shanley Bydder
Under-16 (1) Boys: Aidan Jenkinson and Jeremija Schellebeck
Under-16 (2) Girls: Rachel Arldt, Paige Nguyen and Logan Dickson
Under-16 (2) Boys: Noah Christiansen
Under-16 (3) Boys: Aaron Alaba
Under-18 (1) Girls: Chelsea Lowe
Under-18 (1) Boys: Casey Wassylko
Under-18 (2) Girls: Brianna Coates
Under-18 (2) Boys: Sabrige Ahmed and Dylan Cleven
