MELBOURNE - Liz Cambage and Joe Ingles headlined the recent Basketball Australia MVP Dinner after taking accolades for their respective performances last year with the Opals and Boomers.

Cambage was awarded the Maher Medal for the Women’s International Player of the Year after TRULY bursting onto the world stage at the London Olympics last summer.

The 21 year old helped her nation take a bronze medal with some terrific performances, whilst also becoming a social media phenomenon after becoming the first female player to throw down a dunk at the Olympics, with one specific clip subsequently reaching almost half a million views.

Boomers star Joe Ingles solidified his arrival as one of the biggest stars of Australian basketball by winning his first Gaze Medal for Men’s International Player of the Year.

Ingles certainly delivered for the Boomers in London, averaging more than 15 points, five rebounds and 4.2 assists, which also helped him make the ESPN All-London Second Team.

There were awards handed out for Olympic and Paralympic heroes too, with Australian Gliders star Cobi Crispin capping a memorable 2012 campaign by taking away consecutive Sue Hobbs Medals for Women’s Wheelchair International Player of the Year.

She inspired the Gliders in an impressive build-up to the 2012 London Paralympics with a particularly strong showing at the World Challenge in Sydney. The 24 year old then posted a brilliant campaign in London to claim a silver medal and help her team secure a fourth consecutive podium finish.

Meanwhile Australian Rollers star Shaun Norris wrapped up another amazing Paralympic competition by becoming the latest winner of the Sandy Blythe Medal for Men’s Wheelchair International Player of the Year.

Norris secured his third medal at just 27 years of age, leading the Rollers to silver after averaging more than 15 points a game during the Paralympic tournament.

The domestic awards were claimed by Adelaide Lightning star Suzy Batkovic, who capped off another outstanding season by winning the Women's National Basketball League Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive season.

Bendigo Spirit Championship-winning head coach Bernie Harrower, completed an amazing season by taking the WNBL Coach of the Year gong, whilst Adelaide Lightning young gun Stephanie Talbot took the Betty Watson WNBL Rookie of the Year accolade.

In the NBL, New Zealand Breakers star Cedric Jackson has cemented his standing as the leader of the League by grabbing the Andrew Gaze Trophy for Most Valuable Player after leading the league in assists (7.2 per game) and steals (2.8), in addition to racking up 15.6 points per game.

Andrej Lemanis joined fellow Breakers’ star Cedric Jackson among the award winners, claiming his second Lindsay Gaze Trophy for NBL Coach of the Year, whilst Cairns Taipans young gun Cameron Gliddon. marked a memorable debut season, winning the NBL Rookie of the Year award.

FIBA