I agree Pero should have been named Coach Of The Year, but like some of the other comments, not sure if the Saints could be considered 'average'. You don't accidentally win back-to-back championships – and surely not ALL of that can be attributed to the coach?

I’m not sure John if the players you are comparing is a fair indication of any of them. Agreed Leon Henry is not Tom Abercrombie, but that doesn’t mean Leon Henry is an average player – Tom Abercrombie just happens to be an exceptional player.

Same can be said for Corey Webster and Paora Winitana I guess? I think John what you’ll find, and whether you meant to or not – you have pretty much summed it up – the Pistons have great individual athletes, where as the Saints have a great team! … Champion Team as opposed to a Team of Champions … again, it can’t all be credited to the Coach. Players need to want to play as a team – no matter how good you might be as an individual.

Even Jordan had to accept that before winning six championships – and if you’re in the business of comparing players, then I guess not many (in New Zealand) compare to MJ?

Seems to be a heavy Pistons feel to the awards this year … THREE players in the All Star Five, MVP, NZ MVP, Coach of the Year, and yet no Championship? … I’m sure John those ‘average’ players in the Saints squad prefer their silverware to those individual accolades?

Yeah waikato's schedule was messed up, and Dean Vickerman is clearly a good basketball mind, but I also agree Pero Cameron should have won coach of the year

The Pistons losing had nothing to do with coaching and everything to do with a messed up schedule. The Pistons had only played ONE game in 3 weeks prior to their semi-final, and that game was against the WORST team in the competition. I'm not saying the Pistons would definitely have won the semi if the schedule were different, but lack of recent games was certainly a bigger factor than coaching. Anyone with any kind of basketball knowledge knows Vickerman is one of the top coaches in NZ.

The Saints have Erron Maxey and Troy McLean coming off the bench who are two quality players along with probably the best or 2nd best starting 5 in the league, Corey Webster is only around 22 or 23 years old compared with 38 year old Phil and 35 year old Crowe.

@Pukio Do you seriously think Leon Henry or Casey Frank are better forwards than Dillon Boucher, Tom Abercrombie, Mika Vukona or Paora Winitana? Or Corey Webster is a better shooter than Jason Crowe or Phil Jones. My point is most of those guys are good journymen who have been well coached to play as a team. The pistons with Abercrombie, Pledger, Crowe and BJ Anthony should have won if they were better coached.

@john. average players!?!? lmao!! go comment on a another subject because you obviosly dont know jack about basketball.... That team is the most talented in the NBL and not winning the league would have been nothing but a failure! the only intelligent thing you did say is why Pero didn't get coach of year....

yeah don't disagree that Tait is the best PG in the league but that says more about the league than it does the player IMO. If he was that good he wouldn't have any problems getting a starting spot in the ANBL yet he was coming of the bench for the Taipans. Add's futher weight to Pero being coach of the year, as he can obviously get Tait firing.

How can you call the saints average players and rookies @john?? Lindsay Tait is by far the best point guard in the league and point guard is the most important position in the game!!

don't get how Dean Vickerman wins coach of the year, when his team full of "stars" can't make the final yet Pero coaches to back to back championships with a team of average players and rookies. Go figure