Contenders for NBL1 women's MVP awards revealed

• WNBL stars such as Courtney Woods, Anneli Maley, Jaz Shelley and Miela Sowah are contenders for MVP in their respective conferences
• Young gun and Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence athlete Sitaya Fagan is dominating in the NBL1 East
• Shelley is leading the undefeated Geelong United side in the NBL1 South

NBL1 conferences across Australia are well and truly underway, and it’s fair to say there is more star power than ever.

On the women’s side of things, there’s Opals, rising young guns and NBL1 stalwarts spread far and wide.

With that in mind, let’s check in who is standing out in each of the five conferences and making moves in the race for MVP honours.

NBL1 North

Courtney Woods: Northside Wizards (32.8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.5 steals per game)

Continuing her dominant run of form from the WNBL season where she was named to the WNBL First-Team, Courtney Woods has been putting on a show for the Wizards. Having won the NBL1 North MVP previously, she’s no stranger to lists like this and recorded a 44-point, 10-assist, 5-rebound masterclass in a close loss to Mackay, 107-101, a couple of weeks ago.

Miela Sowah: Brisbane Capitals (37 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3.3 steals)

Miela Sowah just goes from strength to strength and after suiting up for the Opals – as did Woods – for the recent Trans-Tasman series, she has returned to the NBL1 arena and has been on fire.

Averaging 37 points across three games, Sowah delivered an incredible 49-point performance in a loss to Southern Districts over the weekend. She shot 54% from the field, including 6/10 from deep, and grabbed 9 rebounds. Just an unreal display!

Unique Thompson: Mackay Meteorettes (28 points, 14.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals)

Unique Thompson made a name for herself in NBL1 East back in 2022 when she – alongside Lauren Jackson – led the Albury-Wodonga Bandits to the Championship and was named Grand Final MVP. Now up north, Thompson continues to dominate and is a constant presence on both ends.

Samantha Bowman: Townsville Flames (24.5 points, 14 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.2 steals)

Samantha Bowman’s 23-point, 18-rebound effort against Ipswich over the weekend helped Townsville claim an important win, 72-61, and she has been doing it all for the Flames this season.

Mikhaela Cann: Logan Thunder (11.7 points, 10.2 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals)

Leading the league in assists, Mikhaela Cann is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double with points and assists.

Mia Loyd: Cairns Dolphins (23.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals)

Mia Loyd recorded a monster triple-double of 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against Mackay on the weekend, and teammate (and Opals superstar) Cayla George also recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. I would love to know the last time teammates recorded triple-doubles in the same game!

NBL1 East

Carla Pitman: Norths Bears (18.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals)

Leading the conference in assists, Carla Pitman is continuing her strong WNBL form where she was an important player for Sydney. Sitting second on the ladder with just one loss, Pitman is key to the Bears success.

Nicole Munger: Newcastle Falcons - (21.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2 steals)

Can Nicole Munger make it three NBL1 East MVP awards in a row? It certainly looks possible! An absolute star of the conference, Munger continues to shine bright and has the Falcons sitting on top of the ladder with just one loss.

Sitaya Fagan: Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (24.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2 steals, 1.6 blocks)

Sitaya Fagan is just special. It’s unbelievable to see her development in real time from being a burgeoning junior star with incredible potential to now being a legitimate MVP candidate in the NBL1. With just about every major college in America chasing her services, the sky really is the limit. Enjoy the show here in the NBL1 while you can, because it won’t be long until she’s taking over the world.

Kristina Moore: Inner West Bulls (26.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3 assists)

Kristina Moore just doesn’t have bad games. A super consistent threat, Moore poured in 34 points in an overtime win against Albury-Wodonga on the weekend.

NBL1 South

Lou Brown: Frankston Blues (22.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2 steals, 1.4 blocks)

Lou Brown is the ultimate competitor and workhorse. Leading the conference in rebounds, Brown does it all, and the Blues frontcourt pairing of Brown and Lauren Scherf causes plenty of headaches for opposing teams.

Maddy Rocci: Keilor Thunder (28.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 2.8 steals)

Leading the conference in assists, Maddy Rocci is starring for Keilor, averaging a near triple-double. A shout-out must go to her teammate Issie Bourne (24.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game), who is also producing at a ridiculously high level.

Jaz Shelley: Geelong United (21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals)

Jaz Shelley is the leader of an unbeaten Geelong United team that sits on top of the ladder. She has been a constant threat on offence and a nuisance on defence, showing her potential on both ends of the court.

Bec Cole: Waverley Falcons (20.8 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals)

Last year’s NBL1 National Finals MVP, Bec Cole is shooting super efficiently from deep (41%) for the Falcons, remaining one of the most dangerous offensive players in the country.

NBL1 West

Anneli Maley: Perth Redbacks (23.6 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 2.5 steals)

To get 20 rebounds in a single game is no mean feat, but Anneli Maley is averaging 20 rebounds across eight games this season. Unbelievable. Unstoppable.

Karly Murphy: Eastern Suns (25.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.6 steals)

It’s crazy to think that someone is actually challenging Maley, and credit must go to Karly Murphy, who is putting up ridiculous numbers too.

Nici Gilday: Goldfields Giants (23.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 2 steals)

Nici Gilday is the key facet of Goldfields’ success and she controls the game to perfection, dishing out assists and scoring heavily.

Zitina Aokuso: Willetton Tigers (21.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 3 steals)

Zitina Aokuso is playing some of the best basketball of her life, showcasing her full array of talent. In two of her last four games, she’s recorded a triple-double.

NBL1 Central

Olivia Levicki: West Adelaide Bearcats (23 points, 15.6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.8 steals)

Olivia Levicki controls the paint on both ends of the court and her presence is everything West Adelaide could hope for as they look to push for finals.

Ke’shunan James: Norwood Flames (24.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 4.3 steals)

Ke’shunan James has been doing a bit of everything for the Flames, including wreaking havoc on the defensive end with her ability to disrupt the opposition’s offensive flow.

Morgan Yaeger: Eastern Mavericks (23.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals)

Shooting an efficient 45% from deep, Morgan Yaeger carries a huge scoring load for the Mavericks.

Tiahna Sears: Central Districts Lions (20.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.9 steals)

Tiahna Sears has the Lions on top of the ladder with just one loss to their name and she’s been a force on both ends of the court.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.