FURY BASKETBALL AWARDS NIGHT 2013 Clark Eriksson Fury Basketball Club held their annual awards night in the Cladhan Hotel, Falkirk with 200 attending the event which saw Falkirk Provost Pat Reid present the 40 plus awards along with Falkirk Herald Sports Editor David Oliver, Historian and Chair of Falkirk Trust – Ian Scott , Clark Eriksson Associates Director Jim Toner and former Fury star and GB Olympian Kieron Achara Season 12-13 celebrated the club’s 21st birthday and was one of its most successful ever, Their Senior Men not only won the Scottish National League but took the BBL Challenge Trophy against key rivals Edinburgh Kings at the Emirates Arena. Fury had 4 current and former players in the Scotland Mens team that routed England recently and Fury players played throughout the world with 20 also playing for Scotland. Kieron Achara took the ultimate accolade by playing and top scoring for Great Britain men in the summer Olympics against China and Jonny Bunyan was voted the Scottish Mens league MVP. The top award of the evening was taken by Fury’s u16 cadet mens coach Neil Connell who won the Margaret Bunyan Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Achievement. Neil who joined the club as a cadet player – playing through to senior has always taken a keen interest in coaching. A self confessed basketball fanatic who boosts an impressive bball shoe collection Neil has not only been a Fury coach for 10 years but has also coached/managed in International programs. Travelling from Stirling by train Neil coaches 4 Fury training sessions a week and has throughout the years been a key contributor at Fury camps. Neil also coaches Fury development teams and has enthusiastically recruited and worked with players , helping develop some of the clubs best and most successful players. Always available to assist in any basketball matter, Neil has shown he is a true Fury basketball legend. Connell joins Marek Pawlak, Kieron Achara, Mairi Buchan and Keith Bunyan as winners of Fury’s Outstanding Achievement Award and he told Heralsport “ It is an honour and a privilege to receive the award and to see the club go into their 22cd season is a testimony to Fury’s commitment to the community and to basketball and to have played a part in that has been very rewarding and I look forward to continue to help develop this great club”. The evening’s events included a slide show of some of the season action, a spoof film of the Fury senior mens team which can be viewed shortly by accessing Fury’s Facebook page. The “Human Race Events’ with the clubs 6 National League teams and 5 Development teams taking place saw Vicky Gray and Kenny Makusha winning the fiery pizza eating contest, with Ryan Weir and Laura Young coming out on top of the dry cracker eating challenge. Full detail of the challenge results to come on Fury’s facebook page. Historian Ian Scott gave an interesting and funny insight into sport in days gone and in his position as Chair of Falkirk Trust praised the Falkirk club in its continued support of Active schools programs. There was also a great buffet on hand that needed to be replenished several times! The club also launched its 300 club and got off to a great start with over 100 signing on at the Awards night. AWARDS NIGHT RESULTS Team of the Year – Fury Senior Men– winners of the Scottish League, BBL Challenge Shield and runners up in the Play-Off Finals. The team had 4 current players represent Scotland. Coach of the Year– John Bunyan– who coached Fury Senior Men to the Scottish League title, BBL Challenge Trophy and also took Falkirk High Schools s1 Boys to the Scottish Schools title. Volunteer of the Year- was Douglas McCormick. The former Fury player of some 11 years ago spent many hours coaching the Fury Development u12 and u14 boys taking the u14 boys to the East-Central title. Fury’s Player of the Year- was won by Jonny Bunyan. The Fury and pro Rocks point guard was voted Most Valuable player of the Scottish Mens League and his value to Fury was never more so than his three 3’s in the final quarter when Fury defeated the Kings on their home court to win the League in the final game of the season. Bunyan also gave up time to coach the u14 Development boys and produced game high performances against England Men as well as playing professionally in the BBL with the Glasgow Rocks Stars of the Future – awards to a male and female player who potentially could break through to big time basketball, went this year to outstanding Scotland Cadette Laura Young and equally as impressive Scotland Cadet Boy Daniel Tran. Both are point guards possessing the ability to not only run the floor but be aggressive scorers. The International Player of the Year - went to former Fury star 29 year Kieron Achara. Kieron became one of the few Scots who have become Olympic basketball stars and represented Great Britain in the London Olympics. Kieron during season 12-13 played for the Glasgow Rocks in the BBL , then briefly returned to Fury before playing from December to May with top European club Panathinikos. Achara with Jonny Bunyan and Ali Fraser was key in the back to back defeats by Scoland of England men. The club had 20 former and current players selected to for Scotland International teams in 2013 and players ranging from 11years to senior played throughout the world in European competition. The club also acknowledged Vicky McFarlane’s appointment as a table official in the Paralympics in 2012 and Meghan Plummers appointment to the Scottish Childrens Sporting panel. On the night Fury thanked all their sponsors including main sponsor – local firm Clark Eriksson Associates. Falkirk Council for all their help re training and matches, RJM Sports/Spalding re merchandise and Beecopy re the club’s printing and copying need, all the players, parents coaches, table officials and fans , the raffle sponors on the night and a special thanks to Heraldsport for highlighting the great effort and achievement of the teams and individuals throughout the season. Fury’s headcoach John Bunyan concluded – “ Bringing sport to the community is a fantastic opportunity that we at Fury have to provide a meaningful and positive effect on young peoples lives and that’s what the club’s aims are. When we exceed these aims with people playing abroad and helping shape their future it’s a real bonus” Fury’s other awards in the Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Players Player categories for their 6 National League teams were as follows- MVP CATEGORY SM - JONNY BUNYAN SW – LAURA NIMMO JM – BEN CHOK JW- NIKOLINE LAIDLAW CM- EDDY LEGINUS CW – LAURA YOUNG MIP CATEGORY SM – CRAIG MALCOLM SW –NIKOIINE LAIDLAW JM KENNY MAKUSHA JW – HOLLY MOFFAT CM- ALEX HALL CW EMMA PATERSON PLAYERS –PLAYER SM –GREG FOUSSAS (GREECE) SW- KIM BUNYAN/JEN GALLACHER JM –FRASER MALCOLM JW – SHANNON FLIPPARD CM –DANIEL TRAN CW – LISA CARLOW DEVELOPMENT PLAYER AWARDS ALL STAR AWARDS – U16 BOYS - RYAN WEIR U14 BOYS – ALEX HALL U12 BOYS – EWAN MCCORMICK FALKIRK HS S1 BOYS – BEN MCGINLEY
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 19:37:52 +0000
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