Four More Win NBL Canada Regular Season Awards

As the playoffs continue, NBL Canada league executives continue the annual business of handing out player awards. The standard this year has been exceptionally high, reflected in the recipients of four awards handed out over the weekend to four deserving players.

On his fourth year in the professional ranks, Jaylen Bland made his NBL Canada debut in 2018-19 and lit it up for the Sudbury Five - earning him the Newcomer of the Year award. His average 18.8 points per game put him in the top ten, while dropping 133 three-pointers across the whole season, finished as the third-overall three-point shooter. His efforts this season saw him described as "the best shooter I have ever seen" by Sudbury coach Logan Stutz.

In the Sixth Man of the Year category, there really was no one else in the running. Jamal Reynolds has been outstanding this year for the Cape Breton Highlanders; starting in only six out of 40 games, he averaged 17.9 points and with 9.0 total boards per game, was the second-overall rebounder.

This season has been a big one for rookies, but in a tough Rookie of the Year field, there was one new professional whose efforts helped reform the fortunes of his team. Frank Bartley of the Saint John Riptide was the third-highest scorer in all of the league, was in the top ten for shooting average (19.3 points per game) and was a regular scoring leader for the Riptide.

Winner of the Most Improved Player award, Junior Cadougan, played his third season in the NBLC, and his first for the St. John's Edge. He put up some of his best end-of-season stats (12.4 points, 4.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds on 46% field shooting), was in the top ten for assists and won three Canadian Player of the Week awards.

As the playoffs roll on, as well as seeing who will be eventual champions, we will also see more players rewarded for their efforts this year.