NBLC9 All-Rookie Team Greatest Hits
The NBL Canada continues to be a big breeding ground for talent new to the professional ranks of basketball, as evident by the selections for the 2019-20 All-Rookie team.
The players who made the final five were among some of the very best talent seen in the season and their finest single-game performances, all seen below, are all prime evidence of their deserving All-Rookie selections.
Cane Broome
St. John's Edge, Guard, 13.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg
With an outstanding season-long showing for a player new to the professional ranks, Cane Broome almost instantly became a key part of the Edge's game plan and finished the season as their third-highest scorer.
He was particularly outstanding against the London Lightning on February 17th, coming off the bench to lead the scoring for St. John's. He finished off with 18 fourth quarter points, bringing his total to 27 on 7 of 14 field shooting and knocking down a trio of three-pointers. It was his effort in St. John's turning the game around, coming back from being down 17 to win by 11.
Mike Edwards
St. John's Edge, Forward, 6.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Another debutant making waves on the Edge, Edwards registered his season-high 16 points on just his second game, a 114-106 double-overtime loss to the Moncton Magic. In the season remainder he registered four more double-digit performances and finished in the league's top ten for blocks on the season. He made his second-best scoring total of 11 against Halifax on January 26th.
Antwon Lillard
Island Storm, Guard, 15.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Showing abilities beyond his years, 25-year-old Lillard was an outstanding NBLC addition and became an instant star for the Island Storm.
He was a top-five league-wide rebounder and had only three out of twenty-two games where he did not finish in double digits, while also registering seven double-doubles on the season. The first of these came against St. John's on December 31st, where he posted a game-high 26 points and 12 total rebounds.
Brady Skeens
Sudbury Five, Forward, 9.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg
Skeens was able to make his presence felt on a team made up of quality players, playing an important part on both offensive and defensive ends. He was the league's second-highest rebounder and leading shot blocker.
On February 7th he lead the scoring for Sudbury in first half before going on to shut down the Hurricanes on defence in the second. He grabbed 13 total rebounds in the third and fourth quarters, eight of them on the defensive end, bringing his total to season highs of 23 points and 18 rebounds.
DeShaun Thrower
Windsor Express, Guard, 5.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
The only new professional in Windsor, Thrower had a season-best game against London on February 2nd. Coming off the bench, he ten points in the first half, eleven in the second on 9 of 14 shooting for the entire game. Not long after he had 14 points against the Halifax Hurricanes where he made almost two-thirds of all shot attempts in the game.
