ANNIE Miller and Zak Simons took out the major awards at last Friday night’s Orange District Basketball Association 2015 representative presentation night at Orange Ex-Services Club, which featured NBL Hall of Famer Cal Bruton as guest speaker.

Miller and Simons claimed the association’s respective female and male player of the year awards after bumper 2015 seasons with the Eagles, and at higher representative levels.

Miller dominated for the Eagles’ under 16 girls’ side, winning most valuable player in the grand final when her side triumphed in division three at the NSW Country Championships.

She also represented NSW Country’s under 15 side at the NSW Country Development Tour, a competition her side also took out against a visiting New Zealand team. 

Miller was also a part of the Western Region Academy of Sport girls’ basketball squad, which won the Clubs NSW Academy Games for the first time, and was named in the Academy Games All Star five.

She was also a part of Basketball NSW’s Talented Athletes Program and receiving an invitation to play in the D-League.

Simons was a part of Orange’s under 14 Western Junior League winning side, and the team also finished third in division one at the NSW Country Championships. 

He was also a part of the Western Reds Country Premier League winning under 14 side, he represented NSW Country and helped his NSW Waratahs team to fourth at the Australian Country Cup - and was named in the Australian Country side as a result.

Simons was also a part of the 2015 TAP program, and Basketball Australia’s National Intensive Training Program.

In terms of the Eagles’ awards, all the sides were presented with a coach’s award, players’ player gong and MVP, with Lachlan Baker, Joe Miller and Matthew Gray winning, respectively, in the under 18 boys’ division one side, while Jack Agland, Jordan Littlewood and Harry Brunner won division two’s respective awards.

Cooper Tarlton, Karl Blashki and Clary Annis-Brown won the boys’ under 16 side’s respective awards, with Erin Holmes, Madison Cole and Annie Miller winning the under 16 girls’ gongs.

Andrew Gogola, Simons and Ben Matthews took out the under 14 boys’ awards, with Amelia Holmes and Ainsley Holmes won the coach’s and players’ player awards in the under 14 girls’ side. Willow Smith and Grace McRae shared the MVP gong.

Charlie Wilson, Jesse Simons and Keegan Baker claimed the under 12 boys’ respective awards.

Trials for the 2016 junior representative sides will be held at Orange PCYC, on August 30, September 6 and September 13, at 1pm for the under 12 and 14 boys and girls, and 3pm for the under 16 and under 18 boys and girls.