BBL team of the week – week 9

Two players rack up hat-tricks this week by registering a third consecutive appearance in our starting five while there are spaces for no fewer than 3 debutantes. There’s also a first for this season as we include two players who didn’t actually finish on a winning team last weekend!

David Aliu (Mersey Tigers)

It’s been a miserable start to the season for last season’s treble winners and perhaps that is reflected by the fact that after nine weeks of action, David Aliu is the first Tigers’ player to make our line-up. His inclusion comes courtesy of an influential role in a very important and tight game with fellow strugglers Durham Wildcats. Aliu grabbed an excellent double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds. He enjoyed an impressive shooting performance inside and out, his aggression attacking the basket helping him get to the line on a regular basis. If Tigers are to climb the table then this is the type of game winning performances required from this point onwards.

Jeremy Bell (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders)

After one of his worst shooting performances of his BBL career 24 hours earlier in Newcastle, the guard bounced back in style and showed his quality with an MVP performance to help his side recover and claim a much needed win at Durham Wildcats. His team were in a hole and down by double-digits but the playmaker led the way and sparked a revival as he poured in 31 points. He could barely miss as he made 12 of 14 and sunk every one of his 7 free-throws. He also came up with 5 rebounds and 4 steals as his team left their mini tour of the north-east on a high. This is the first appearance in our line-up this season for the reigning BBL MVP.

Mychal Green (Glasgow Rocks)

The guard is on fire and his hot streak has been extended even further after securing a magnificent hat-trick with a third successive appearance in our starting five. Green led the Rocks to an important road win at Prestige Homes MK Lions which keeps his team firmly in the BBL Championship title race. He harvested 29 points against Lions with some nice shooting both inside and out while also racking up six rebounds and six assists. Green burst into top form when backcourt partner EJ Harrison was ruled out with injury almost a month ago.

Ayron Hardy (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders)

If Mychal Green has had the hot-hand recently then it’s almost impossible to do justice to the scorching form of Ayron Hardy who not only racks up his own hat-trick but takes his number of appearances to five this season to extend his lead as the frontrunner in the race for most Team Of The Week appearances. Like the majority of his team-mates, Hardy started slowly in the BBL Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle but he came alive and spearheaded a second half revival as they battled for a memorable and rare 90-90 tie. His all-action contribution was the best performance of the week as he claimed a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds to go with a terrific 6 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocked shots.

Brett Royster (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders)

While many of his team-mates have been enjoying the limelight, debutante Royster finally gets to share the spoils of some well-deserved attention. The forward was one of the few players to perform in a dire first half against the Eagles and without such a contribution, Riders may have sunk without trace and found their BBL Cup dreams shattered. Royster just missed out on a double-double by one rebound but scoring wise he was sensational. While others lost their heads, he calmly converted 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 free-throws. Defensively he was a tower of strength, coming up with 4 huge blocks in what was a true BBL classic. As well as preserving the possibility of a place in the BBL Cup Final, Royster can also celebrate and reflect on a first appearance in the BBL Team Of The Week.

Off The Bench – Bradd Wierzbicki (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders), Mario Flaherty (Durham Wildcats), Demarius Bolds (Prestige Homes MK Lions), Paul Elderkin (Durham Wildcats), Paul Gause (Newcastle Eagles), Ralph Bucci (Durham Wildcats), Daniel Northern (Prestige Homes MK Lions)