Basketball On The Internet.

IT'S Oscars Monday (Sunday in the USA) today when the film industry hands out its annual Gongs for the best this and the best that.

Basketball has its own Oscar at the 'Gong, so this year we'll be handing him out for the worthy recipients.

The envelope please ...

 

In the Best Actor Category (MVP), the nominees are:

Josh Childress for Kings-man

Jamar Wilson for Unfinished Business

Cedric Jackson for Taken 3

Scottie Wilbekin for Anchorman II

Brian Conklin for Birdman

Deserves to win but won't: Brian Conklin has done a consistently strong job for Townsville for consecutive seasons but the Crocs' lack of success will work against him.

And the Oscar goes to...

Scottie Wilbekin continuing a trend for import guards to win the MVP. Cairns' great success will be mirrored by Wilbekin who largely is credited as the major difference in this year's championship contender.

 

In the Best Actress Category (MVP), the nominees are:

Abby Bishop for Gone Girl

Cayla Francis for Into the Woods

Leilani Mitchell for The Descendants  

Laura Hodges for The Help

Tess Madgen for Moneyball

Deserves to win but won't: Cayla Francis has had a great season in a terrific Fire team but not only will lose votes to the WNBL's Meryl Streep, Suzy Batkovic, but she has performed well in a year when the winner was extremely obvious.

And the Oscar goes to...

Abby Bishop. Outstanding from Day One, almost as if playing with a point to prove, she carried the Capitals, leading the league in scoring and rebounding. There is Bishop this year, then daylight.

 

In the Best Supporting Actress Category (Most Improved), the nominees are:

Alice Kunek for Still Alice

Rebecca Allen for Whiplash

Stephanie Cumming for Little Miss Sunshine

Katie-Rae Ebzery for The Queen

Stephanie Talbot for Life is Beautiful

Deserves to win but won't: Pretty sure the WNBL doesn't have this category so it's all good!

And the Oscar goes to ...

Bec Allen for an outstanding year since World Championship selection, including a WNBA contract, and also leading the WNBL in a statistical category (steals).

 

In the Best Supporting Actor Category (Most Improved), the nominees are:

Tom Garlepp for Kingsman

Todd Blanchfield for Fury

Tim Coenraad for The Hurt Locker

Mitch Creek for The Sting

Corey Webster for Atonement

Deserves to win but won't: Corey Webster has been a consistent match-winner this season on a contender. In fact, he is one of the reasons NZ is a contender. But that will get lost among the depth of talent the Breakers boast. 

And the Oscar goes to...

Tim Coenraad for his milestone season for Wollongong.The Human Vowel is no longer being seen as someone trying to fill Glen Saville's shoes but as a star in his own right.

 

In the Best Director Category (Coach of the Year), the nominees are:

Joey Wright for Silver Linings Playbook

Aaron Fearne for The Theory of Everything

Chris Lucas for Blackboard Jungle

Shannon Seebohm for Boyhood

Dean Vickerman for The Imitation Game

Deserves to win but won't: Joey Wright put the skids on a seven-game losing streak, then masterminded a 10-game win streak to get Adelaide into the playoffs in his sophomore season after taking the club from last to the Grand Final in his first year. He has been amazing. Shannon Seebohm in his rookie season took Sydney into the WNBL post-season.

And the Oscars go to...

Aaron Fearne and Chris Lucas. Fearne has taken the Taipans to the top of the tree for the first time in club history and done it with only minor tinkering to the team which last year failed to make any impression. Lucas has guided the Fire to their best season and first place despite the heartbreak of finishing previously as back-to-back Championship bridesmaids.

 

In the Best Motion Picture Category (Best Team to Watch), the nominees are:

Townsville Fire for Field of Dreams

Adelaide 36ers for The Great Escape

Cairns Taipans for Gravity

Dandenong Rangers for American Hustle

Sydney Kings/Flames for As Good As It Gets

Deserves to win but won't: All of these teams in full flight were fun to watch, but the best single game by any team this year was from Melbourne United destroying Adelaide by 39 points at Adelaide Arena in a memorable display

And the Oscar goes to...

Cairns Taipans yet again for defying gravity and staying in first place or damn close to it, virtually all year.

 

The nominees for the Honorary Oscar for Contribution to the Industry include retiring Adam Ballinger, along with long-time performers Jessica Bibby, Rohanee Cox, Daryl Corletto and Mark Worthington but the Oscar goes to

Shawn Redhage for his unforgettable work in Flopper, the heart-wrenching story of a dolphin lost off the New Zealand coast.