STAR imports Steph Cumming and Ken Horton have outplayed the league.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cumming and Horton have captured Ballarat a rare double accolade, between them topping the women’s and men’s South East Australian Basketball League players of the week.
This is the first time this season that Cumming and Rush have nabbed the honour.
Cumming averaged 27 points, four rebounds and five assists across an Integra Rush double-header weekend.
She headlined Rush’s push to overtime in Nunawading with 34 points at 52 per cent accuracy then backed it up with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists to help defeat Knox at the MARS Minerdome on Sunday.
Cumming leads the SEABL women’s competition on total points scored, 328, and is ranked equal third with Knox’s Kelly Wilson for average points. 21.9 per game for third league-wide for assists with 4.3 per game.
This is the second time GMHBA Miner Horton has claimed the award. He previously won it in late May.
A huge game in a demolition of Knox on Sunday – 40 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, three steals and league best four blocks – following a solid road trip to Nunawading a night earlier, made Horton a clear standout.
The American leads the league in rebounds per game (13.4), ahead of Sandringham newcomer Junior Hairston, who has averaged 12.5 rebounds from four games.
Horton matches injured Miner Roy Booker, who has twice won men’s player of the week award this season.
Meanwhile, new import Dyricus Edwards said the Miners had made it easy for him to settle into the team.
Edwards arrived in Ballarat on Thursday from the United States to replace Booker on the roster.
He told SEABL TV of his crazy week – he woke up on Monday, got a call from his agent, and was on a plane bound for Australia on Tuesday at 2pm.
“I was like “OK, let’s do this”,” Edwards said.
“...It’s really been a long week but I’m ready for this type of thing – you have to be ready for this type of thing.
“I’m glad I have the opportunity, I feel blessed I got the opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.”
Rush and the Miners host powerhouse Dandenong at the Minerdome on Saturday night.
It is an important intra-conference game for both teams, in their bid to reach finals.
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au