2003 New Zealand NBL season

The 2003 NBL season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball League. 2003 marked the first year a league-wide MVP award winner was named, allowing imports the opportunity to be recognised; in all previous seasons, only a Kiwi MVP was named, an award given to the best New Zealand player. Australian import David Cooper of the Manawatu Jets was subsequently awarded the first league MVP. 2003 also marked the return of Taranaki after a three-year hiatus. The Wellington Saints won the championship over the Waikato Titans in overtime, as the Saints claimed their fifth league title.^[1]

2003 New Zealand NBL season
League	New Zealand NBL
Sport	Basketball
Duration	23 April – 16 August
Number of games	18
Number of teams	10
Regular season
Minor premiers	Waikato Titans
Season MVP	David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
Top scorer	John Whorton (Canterbury Rams)
Playoffs
Champions	Wellington Saints
Runners-up	Waikato Titans

Summary

Regular season standings

Pos
	Team	W	L
1	Waikato Titans	16	2
2	Wellington Saints	12	6
3	Manawatu Jets	12	6
4	Auckland Stars	12	6
5	Nelson Giants	11	7
6	Hawke's Bay Hawks	8	10
7	Otago Nuggets	7	11
8	Taranaki Mountainairs	5	13
9	Canterbury Rams	4	14
10	Harbour Heat	3	15

Playoff bracket

	Semi-finals					Final
	1	Waikato Titans	98
	4	Auckland Stars	77
							Waikato Titans	88
							Wellington Saints	97
	2	Wellington Saints	89
	3	Manawatu Jets	70

Awards

Player of the Week

Round	Player	Team	Ref
1	Issiah Epps	Otago Nuggets	[2]
2	Dillon Boucher	Waikato Titans	[2]
	Mike Pegues	Canterbury Rams	[2]
3	Issiah Epps	Otago Nuggets	[2]
4	Dillon Boucher	Waikato Titans	[2]
5	Ed Book	Nelson Giants	[2]
	Dillon Boucher	Waikato Titans	[2]
6	Lindsay Tait	Auckland Stars	[2]
7	John Whorton	Canterbury Rams	[2]
8	John Whorton	Canterbury Rams	[2]
9	David Cooper	Manawatu Jets	[2][3]
10	Paul Henare	Hawke's Bay Hawks	[2][4]
11	Casey Frank	Auckland Stars	[2][5]
12	Willie Banks	Taranaki Mountainairs	[2][6]
13	John Whorton	Canterbury Rams	[2][7]
14	Mark Dickel	Otago Nuggets	[2]
15	Michael Tompson	Wellington Saints	[2][8]
SF	Iona Enosa	Waikato Titans	[2]
F	Ben Knight	Wellington Saints	[2][9]

Statistics leaders

Stats as of the end of the regular season^[10]

Category	Player	Team	Stat
Points per game	John Whorton	Canterbury Rams	29.3
Rebounds per game	John Whorton	Canterbury Rams	16.5
Assists per game	George Le'afa	Wellington Saints	6.2
Steals per game	Dillon Boucher	Waikato Titans	4.5
Blocks per game	David Cooper	Manawatu Jets	2.8

Regular season

• Most Valuable Player: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
• NZ Most Valuable Player: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
• Most Outstanding Guard: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
• Most Outstanding NZ Guard: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
• Most Outstanding Forward: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)
• Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
• Scoring Champion: John Whorton (Canterbury Rams)
• Rebounding Champion: John Whorton (Canterbury Rams)
• Assist Champion: George Le'afa (Wellington Saints)
• Rookie of the Year: Adrian Majstrovich (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
• Coach of the Year: Mike McHugh (Wellington Saints)
• All-Star Five:
  • G: Paul Henare (Hawke's Bay Hawks)
  • G: Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars)
  • F: Dillon Boucher (Waikato Titans)
  • F: Link Abrams (Taranaki Mountainairs)
  • C: David Cooper (Manawatu Jets)

References

1. "2003 National Basketball League". Basketball.org.nz. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012.
2. "Players of the Week". Basketball.org.nz. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006.
3. Player Of The Week IX
4. Player Of The Week X
5. Player Of The Week XI
6. Player Of The Week XII
7. Player Of The Week XIII
8. Player Of The Week XV
9. Player Of The Week (Final)
10. "2003 Burger King League – League Leaders". Basketball.org.nz. Archived from the original on 19 November 2004.

External links

• 2003 NBL Teams and Draw
• Team stats links
• 2003 season links