INJURED and all, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still found a way to make the honor roll of the East Asia Super League Home and Away Season 3.
The former NBA player and Meralco Bolts import was named to the league’s first-ever All-Defensive Team in the just-concluded season won by the Utsunomiya Brex.
Defensive Player of the Year Alec Brown of the Taoyuan Pilots bannered the unit along with Hollis-Jefferson, DJ Newbill and Shinji Takashima (Utsunomiya Brex), and Jameel Warney (Seoul SK Knights).
COLUMN: At last, Meralco pulls the plug on Ismael Romero dilemma
Like the All-Defensive Team, the Defensive Player of the Year was also handed out for the first time this season.
The 31-year-old Hollis-Jefferson suffered a torn Achilles tendon at the tailend of the group stage that made him miss the Bolts’ must-win game against Ryukyu Golden Kings for a spot in the knockout quarterfinals.
Still, that didn’t hinder him to finish tie with the 7-foot Brown as the EASL’s leading shot blockers with averages of 2.2 per game.
Other season awards included the All-EASL Team consisting of Newbill and Brex teammate Makoto Hiejima, Jack Cooley (Ryukyu), and Will Artino and Lu Chun-Hsiang (Taoyuan).
Hiejima was also named EASL Spalding Finals MVP after averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds from the playoffs all the way to the title game against Taoyuan, while shooting 60 percent from three-point range.
Meanwhile, another Taoyuan player in Li Chia-Kang was named the first recipient of the EASL Sixth Man of the Year.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
