Omar Sneed wins player of the year, Lior Eliyahu gets young player award, Doron Sheffer voted biggest disappointment.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFLior Eliyahu 298(photo credit: Blake-Ezra Cole)MVPWinner: Omar Sneed (Rishon)
Runner-up: Timmy Bowers (Givat Shmuel)
Third place: Mario Austin (Jerusalem)
All-BSL First Team
F Marcus Hatten (Hap Tel Aviv)
F Mario Austin (Jerusalem)
C Ousmane Cisse (Bnei Hasharon)
G Timmy Bowers (Givat Shmuel)
G Anthony Parker (Mac Tel Aviv)
All-BSL Second Team
F Omar Sneed (Rishon)
F Tunji Awojobi (Ramat Gan)
C Nikola Vujcic (Mac Tel Aviv)
G Horace Jenkins (Jerusalem)
G John Gilchrist (Rishon)
Coach of the YearWinner: Guy Goodes (Rishon)
Runner-up: Ofer Berkovic (Givat Shmuel)
Sixth ManWinner: Meir Tapiro (Jerusalem)
Runner-up: Moran Roth (Rishon)
Young Player of the YearWinner: Lior Eliyahu (Galil-Golan)
Runner-up: John Gilchrist (Rishon)
Defensive Player of the YearWinner: Ousmane Cisse (Bnei Hasharon)
Runner-up: Matan Naor (Jerusalem)
Biggest DisappointmentWinner: Doron Sheffer (Hap Tel Aviv)
Runner-up: Yaniv Green (Mac Tel Aviv)
The Post's annual selections were made this year by Avi Creditor, Jerry Mittleman, Donny Reicher, Ken Sachs, Allon Sinai, Sharon Solomon and Todd Warnick.Meir Tapiro, Sixth Man
It may not have been easy at first, but Meir Tapiro eventually embraced his new role as Hapoel Jerusalem's sixth man and was a major factor in the team's race to second place in the regular season. Although he only started in six games, Tapiro played in all 30 and averaged 10.4 points and a league-best 5.4 assists.
Pesky Moran Roth, a key part of coach Guy Goodes's guard rotation at Maccabi Rishon, was chosen as runner-up. Roth averaged 8.4 points and 2.5 assists this season.
Lior Eliyahu,Young Player of the Year
Eliyahu, who hopes to be selected in next month's NBA Draft, was the run-away winner of the Young Player of the Year award. The mobile forward led all native-born players in scoring (15.9 points per game) and rebounds (5.9 rpg). He was also selected for the FIBA EuroCup All-Star Game.
Maccabi Rishon's American guard John Gilchrist, in his first season season overseas, placed second in the voting. Gilchrist averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists this season.
Ousmane Cisse,Defensive Player of the Year
Bnei Hasharon center Cisse found a way to wreak havoc on his opponents in the paint this season, comfortably leading the BSL in rebounds (10.1 rpg) and blocks (2.5 bpg). The wiry Mali native's combination of strength, speed and leaping ability meant he could match up with any player that risked having his shot swatted by attacking the lane.
Jerusalem swingman Matan Naor's efforts did not go unnoticed as he was voted runner-up.
Doron Sheffer, Biggest Disappointment
Only two years ago, Sheffer was one of the most inspiring players in the league after he beat testicular cancer to come back to basketball and lead Jerusalem to the ULEB Cup crown. But this season Sheffer was a major let-down, and not necessarily for his play on the court - because he was rarely there. After getting permission from new club Hapoel Tel Aviv to join pre-season practice after the other players, Sheffer surprised everyone and "retired" from basketball for the second time in his career - this time via fax. Months later, he decided to play and was welcomed back with open arms. But after five uneventful games, the player simply disappeared. Sheffer stopped appearing at practices and games without notifying his teammates or team management and has not made a public statement since.
Maccabi Tel Aviv big man Yaniv Green, who struggled to earn minutes despite his side's depleted squad in domestic action, was voted runner-up.
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