Mick Hill – Bendigo Braves

Mick joins David Gruber from Frankston as the only players so far this season to go back to back in collecting player of the week honours. Bendigo played host to the visiting Spartans who have been red hot of late. Two of Hill’s Brisbane Bullets team mates, Gibson and Williamson were suiting up for Southern Districts and what was sure to be a game for bragging rights over the coming weeks.

Mick has really started to feel comfortable within the Braves rotation and has lifted his game to new heights in recent weeks. Hill didn’t shoot the ball well early in the first quarter but found some range and managed to get himself to the free throw line in the second to have 17 at the half, 11 of them in the second as the Braves took a 14 point lead into the sheds at halftime. In the third quarter the Spartans came out strong and cut the lead to 5 at the last change but after three quarter time it was all Hill as he scorched the visitors for 18 fourth quarter points. Helping Bendigo to a dominant 35-16 final quarter and a comfortable win.
Underlying his NBL credentials Mick finished with 41pts, 5 rebs and 3ass in a quality performance against one of the form teams of the competition.

FUTURO Health Supports & braces EAST MEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shane McDonald – Nunawading Spectres

Shane gave himself an early 22nd birthday present this weekend with a standout performance on the road against perennial finalists the Frankston Blues. Turning 22 on the 29th May the Nhill native went to work early at Frankston Stadium establishing himself as the man to stop. McDonald was hot from the outset connecting on 5/7 from the field finish with 12 for the quarter and helping his team to a 2 point lead, 33-31 in a high scoring opening. Shane didn’t let up in the second this time producing 11pts @ 67% to go along with 4 rebs as the Spectres put some space between them and the Blues for a 13 point half time lead. The third quarter was a dry spell for Shane as the Blues tried to get back into the game but as the fourth started he again asserted himself scoring 16 for the period and putting the game beyond doubt. Once he had finished Shane had put together a career high 39 points @ 52%, 11 of 11 from the charity stripe, 6rebs and 6 assists in a commanding display that should make at least one or two NBL coaches take notice in the future of this talented guard.

Other notable performances were;
- Spectres centre Jason Eversteyn may have had leather poisoning on the weekend as he collected 23 rebounds against Frankston for his second 20+ rebound game for the season.
- Geelong Supercats import Jamal Brown produced when it was needed on Saturday night against the AIS and saved the Cats from their first defeat with 27pts @ 80% and 15 rebounds.
- Second year AIS player Daniel Johnson picked up the slack with his more experienced team mates missing putting in two great performances on the weekend. Daniel went 21pts and 11rebs against Geelong and then backed up the next day with 27pts and 14rebs in an upset win over the more experienced Ballarat Miners.

2007 PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS
SOUTH EAST
Week 1 Anthony Stewart (Hobart) Brad Sheridan (Albury/Wodonga)
Week 2 Chris Cameron (Kilsyth) David Gruber (Frankston)
Week 3 Troy de Vries (NW Tasmania) David Gruber (Frankston)
Week 4 Cameron Rigby (Bendigo) Anthony Petrie (Canberra)
Week 5 Anthony Stewart (Hobart) Paul Denman (Canberra)
Week 6 Not Awarded
Week 7 CJ Massingale (Knox) Nathan Herbert (Geelong)
Week 8 Ben Armstrong (NW Tasmania) Andrew Ogilvy (AIS)
Week 9 Mick Hill (Bendigo) David Biwer (Nunawading)