NZL - Awesome Abercrombie scoops Player of Week gong

AUCKLAND (NBL Championship/FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Thomas Abercrombie made a huge splash at the 2010 FIBA World Championship as a versatile, high-flying star of the New Zealand team that reached the Eight-Finals.

Twenty-three at the time, the Auckland-born shooting guard/small forward averaged 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Tall Blacks.

Abercrombie is now warming up for next year's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) with some dynamic performances Down Under for the New Zealand Breakers in the iiNet NBL Championship.

He has been named as the National Basketball League's Player of the Week for Round Nine after pouring in a career-high 33 points, corralling 11 rebounds and swatting two shots in the Breakers' 108-98 double-overtime triumph against the Melbourne Tigers at the weekend.

The 1.98m Abercrombie was 10 of 18 from the floor and hit a key three-ball in the second extra period.

"I thought we did a great job of being patient and executing our offense at the end of the game," he said.

"I got most of my looks out of the offense - not going one-on-one - and I was able to knock them down."

The most important thing for Abercrombie was the win.

"Any time you're in a game like that, it's very emotional and to come out on top is a great feeling," he said.

The Breakers are top of the NBL standings with seven wins and three defeats.

As for the Tall Blacks, Abercrombie will be hoping to make an appearance at the London Games.

The Kiwis lost the FIBA Oceania Championship this year to Australia but can still book a trip to Britain if they claim one of three spots on offer at the OQT (July 2-8).

FIBA's Central Board will decide on the organizers of both the men's and women's OQTs during its meeting in Madrid on Saturday and Sunday.

FIBA