The second PEI Vintage Basketball Association regular season wrapped up February 27th, and although the league is on a temporary pause due to COVID-19, there is still one season that doesn’t quit: awards season!
This season was very competitive (for three teams) and very fun. With new players joining the league and the standings separated by just two games, each week brought competitive, intense and oftentimes hungover basketball to the APM Thunderdome. Nonetheless, Team Captains Yousef Sefau, Max Ramsay and Ryan Thompson proved to be excellent captains as luckily no one blew a hamstring running the lane on a fast break.
League MVP this season went to Yahya Sefau, the second overall draft pick. “The Middle Child” led the league in scoring this year, pouring in 16.4 PPG. Sefau rounded out his statline by finishing second in assists with 4.8 APG & 7.3 RPG. Yahya received 11 out of a possible 27 votes, with older brother Yousef and John Alex Vos both finishing 2nd with 5 votes each.
Sefau was quoted after receiving word he won:
“Shoutout Chainsaw...NOT! Carry On…”
Defensive Player of the Year went to “The Great Wall of Ukraine” Olex Sokolenko. “The Great Wall” lived up to his nickname, becoming a back-to-back winner of this award. He was a menace, on and off the court, all season long with averages of league leading 1.5 BPG and 2.8 SPG. Olex received 9 votes, while Yousef finished second in this as well, getting 6 votes. Maybe next year, Yousie.
6th Man of the Year went to another Sefau, Omaro! A key member of Team Max, “The Big O” played well above his size all year long, scoring 9 PPG and grabbing 9 RPG, while also grabbing almost 2 steals a game. A beast in the paint, and someday in the courtroom (as a lawyer…), Omaro got 8 votes, while Josh McKnight received 4 and Thomas Harper earned 3.
Omaro had the following to say after winning the award:
“It is with the utmost honour that I accept the 2021 PVBA 6th man of the year award. All credit goes to my teammates; with so much talent on the Simpsons roster from top to bottom, I naturally get the chance to flourish as an extra option. This award is a testament to our stellar team basketball.”
Very well spoken. Like a lawyer.
Mr. Buckets went to one of the youngest players in the league, Ziad Mohammed. “Z” was the sauciest player in the league all year and a joy to watch as well. A great scorer and even better person, he put up 9 points a game for the Colonel squad.
One of the league’s most coveted awards, 4th Line Grinder, was one of the most shocking results of the entire night: it was yet another tie! With the exact same players as last season!! That’s right, Alex “Chino” Frangos and Jake MacCallum both won the hustler of the year award again. Their peers can clearly see who works the hardest, and who belongs on the 4th line.
MacCallum had this to say after winning the award:
“My style of play on the court has been likened to that of a rusty locomotive - it ain’t pretty, but by god it’ll chug till the day is done. Without much finesse, or any brains for that matter, the one thing I CAN rely on is work ethic. That said, a train can fall off its tracks; you know that scene in Polar Express where the train glides precariously across the slick ice, then regains its course at the other side? Well, we’re approaching Season 3, and I’m approaching the other side. WOO!!”
Chino’s comment was equally as strange:
“I am just in disbelief. I wanna thank everyone that broke my ankles from Yousef to Jeff. I am just grateful to play alongside these guys in the league. Thanks for the pity vote, folks. Excited to come back better than ever. Let’s go PEI Rocket!”
These dudes are weird.
The Human Highlight Reel went to a wily vet who knows how to put on a show: Jeff Morrison. Morrison clearly learned from his time in the Middle East, dropping moves and dimes like nothing we’ve seen in the Western Hemisphere. “The Canadian Trae Young” put up 10 PPG and 4 APG for Team Max. Jeff won this award in a landslide, getting 13 votes.
He had a big slice of humble pie for his comment as well:
“I’m honored to receive this award. There were many deserving candidates. I look forward to getting back on the court with the Simpsons for a strong playoff push. The jobs not finished”
A new award for PVBA, Comeback Player for the Year, went to everyone’s favorite pair of biceps: Josh Bourque. JB was a key member of Team Ryan’s success, posting 16 PPG and 8 RPG and also set a new league record of 35 points in a single game. Someone call Wilt Chamberlain, because Bourque is also going after his record of sleeping with 10 000 women. Josh got 10 votes, while Serhii Sokolenko received 4.
Always classy, here’s Josh’s quote:
“This is an honourable mention. I would like to thank my teammates for all the good looks this season. Can’t wait to come back even stronger next year!” (Literally stronger. The guy lives at the Spa.)
Another new award, and pretty self-explanatory, the Ankle Braces award went to Alex “Chino” Frangos. One could argue that he should have received the Human Highlight Reel as well, since it seemed he was also on the other end of a crazy play. He didn’t need any voting help from Claudia this time around, as he smoked the competition, earning 17 votes. Chase Costello finished 2nd with 4 votes.
League All-Stars went to Yahya, Yousef, John Alex, Bourque and Matt Connolly. Yousef had a stellar campaign for his first-place squad, stuffing the stat sheet with 11 PPG, 11 RPG, 5 APG and 3 SPG. John Alex followed up an MVP season with another solid run, putting up 16 PPG and 12 RPG. Connolly earned some MVP-buzz early on with a great all-around campaign. He scored 15 PPG and grabbed 10 RPG, including one eye-popping performance of 18 points & 20 rebounds against Team Max, a league record for rebound.
The All-Defensive Team was Olex, John Alex & Yousef. Taking pride on both sides of the ball, these three dudes clamped up the league like Heather Morrison during a circuit breaker.
That concludes the league’s awards for the season. It was a lot of fun and we all can’t wait for the next one. Looking forward to the playoffs, as well!