Feature image via: Judd Green
After an incredible 12 months of basketball, Courtney Woods has been awarded the 2023 NBL1 North Women's MVP.
After averaging 25.6 points, 6.7 assists and 6.8 rebounds, Woods lead the Wizards to the top seed of the NBL1 North after 16 Rounds.
She leads the scoring in scoring, is fifth in assists per game and put the Wizards above the league with a record of 16-3 to end the regular season.
In August last season, Woods claimed the NBL1 North title with the Townsville Flames. In March of this year, she was a key piece of the WNBL’s Townsville Fire championship and now has been awarded the Conference MVP with the Northside Wizards.
Woods said she has enjoyed returning home to Brisbane after all her success in Townsville.
“Honestly, coming back into NBL1, Brisbane is home for me,” she said at the NBL1 North Awards.
“I was really excited to get back down south after 18 months up north. So being able to come home and being a part of Northside - which I consider my home association - has been really incredible and it’s been really fun to play back in front of my parents, friends and family.”
Going into Saturday, where she will play her former side. Woods explained that the Wizards have had a target on their back all season as the first seed, but looks forward to the match-up.
“Going in as the one seed, you always have a target on your back but I feel like from the start of the season we’ve always just tried to emphasise having fun,” Woods explained.
“Basketball is a game after all so we try to have fun, we just try to keep it together and Dwight Hicks (head coach) has done a really great job of leading us this year. So it's been a really good time being a part of the program – so hopefully get to keep playing a couple more games.
“NBL1 is incredible, it’s a great time to play with all your friends… yeah I’ve had a really good time this year.”
Watch the MVP take on the reigning champions in the NBL1 North Quarter-Finals on Saturday from 6:00 pm via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App here.
