Acquainted faces and new names headline League’s All-Defensive Workforce of the Yr – British Basketball League

The British Basketball League All-Defensive Workforce of the Yr options the League’s high stoppers as voted by the League’s Head Coaches, Captains and choose members of the media. 

This yr’s roster features a Great Britain worldwide paint protector and one of many nation’s all-time defensive greats who options for the fourth yr in a row, in addition to three first-time All-Defensive Workforce picks.  

Josh Sharma – London Lions 

Making the All-Defensive Workforce for his second consecutive season, British centre Josh Sharma led all gamers with 14 of a attainable 21 votes – a tally solely matched by the subsequent title on this roster who’s a fellow high-flying rim protector. 

An important piece within the League’s finest defence (per 100 possessions), the Stanford alumnus and former NBA Summer time League consultant led all gamers in blocked photographs all through the Championship marketing campaign, with 1.6 rejections per sport to his title in simply 18 minutes per contest.  

He’s secured a whopping 4 blocks on three separate events this marketing campaign in opposition to Surrey Scorchers and the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks (twice), because the seven-footer has proved a menace on the defensive finish and important to the Lions’ inside power. He’s not the one Lion on this roster both… 

Clifton Moore Jr. – Caledonia Gladiators 

Tied with Sharma on 14 votes of a attainable 21, rookie ahead Clifton Moore Jr. takes dwelling All-Defensive Workforce honours after a standout debut skilled marketing campaign through which the Pennsylvania native has improved considerably all through.  

Given his alternative as a starter halfway by means of the Championship marketing campaign following damage to membership captain Fahro Alihodzic, the American’s confidence ballooned, and the end result has been the emergence of a ahead who thrives on each ends of the ground for Gareth Murray’s Gladiators.  

With 1.5 blocks per sport rating only a smudge wanting the league-leading Sharma, Moore Jr. has additionally been a big rebound presence on each ends of the ground for his workforce with slightly below six per contest being sufficient to steer the Gladiators in that division.  

Laquincy Rideau – Cheshire Phoenix 

Guards throughout the League can have nightmares in regards to the Trophy Remaining MVP’s tenacity on the defensive finish for a while, as Cheshire Phoenix guard Laquincy Rideau has paced the League in steals all through the season with 2.6 per sport.  

With 12 votes from a attainable 21, Rideau leads all guards in All-Defensive Workforce votes and his inclusion within the roster provides one other accolade to an excellent debut season within the UK for the Florida native, who’s a multiple-time Molten Participant of the Month winner on high of his aforementioned Finals MVP title. 

While Rideau’s offensive fluency has grown for Cheshire all through the season, his defensive depth has been there from the get-go, and has helped the Phoenix construct strong foundations on that finish of the ground to construct upon as they’ve hurtled in direction of their most profitable marketing campaign in over a decade.  

Tarik Phillip – London Lions 

In the event you didn’t know, now you understand – Tarik Phillip is an absolute powerhouse on the defensive finish! Along with his debut marketing campaign within the League final yr lower brief by a season-ending damage that occurred earlier than a ball had been bounced competitively, Phillip reminded everyone this season precisely what his sport is about.  

With relentless depth on each ends of the ground, Phillip takes defence personally and places on the clamps like his life relies on it. His title won’t rank within the high 10 of any of the key defensive classes, however this man’s sport is about excess of simply numbers – he’s a tone-setter and a frontrunner for the very best defence within the League. 

To come back again from the damage he sustained final season was a feat in itself, however to take action within the method he has executed this yr speaks to the will and dedication of the person and he performs defence each night time with these qualities on full show. 

Jamell Anderson – Manchester Giants 

Named to the All-Defensive Workforce for the fourth yr working – the joint-longest streak of any participant because the award was based in 2009 alongside Corridor of Famer Andrew Sullivan – Jamell Anderson’s sport is synonymous with the defensive finish of the ground.  

In reality, Anderson (5) now ranks solely behind Sullivan (six) in all-time picks for this award. While collectively his Manchester Giants have struggled defensively all through the marketing campaign, the GB worldwide Anderson has been as spectacular as ever when it comes to his particular person defence, commonly taking up the opposition’s hardest match-up and offering all-round defensive dominance for his workforce. 

Rating third within the League in steals per sport (1.9), Anderson was additionally an offensive weapon for the Giants because the 33-year-old contributed among the finest numbers of his profession within the current marketing campaign.  

— 

A full voting file for the All-Defensive Workforce of the Yr will be discovered under. Every voter was requested to decide on 5 gamers to function of their All-Defensive Workforce with every choice receiving one level.

The 5 gamers with essentially the most picks in spite of everything votes had been collected have been nominated to the All-Defensive Workforce. Coaches and Captains weren’t permitted to pick members of their very own workforce for the awards. Within the case of any tiebreakers, the person gamers’ defensive stats (blocks, steals, fouls per sport) have been used to find out a winner.

READ MORE:

Get your British Basketball repair by following the League on social media or heading to our YouTube channel to relive the entire finest moments from the present season.