On Saturday night, the Lakeside Lightning’s Teige Morrell (née Zeller) became the first player in NBL1 history to win the respective MVP awards across two conferences.
Taking home the 2021 Halls Medal with the NBL1 Central’s Southern Tigers, she now adds the 2024 NBL1 West’s Casey Mihovilovich MVP to her resume.
“My first reaction is ‘that is a pretty cool fact’,” Morrell told NBL Media.
“I'm just so honoured because they are two pretty incredible parts of the country that I hold very near and dear to my heart.”
Having made the NBL1 West First Team three years in a row (2022, 2023 with Joondalup), she’s no stranger to the awards night in Western Australia.
However, this season was even more special as Morrell’s parents, including now Lakeside women’s head coach Marty Zeller, were present to see her accept the award.
“For all of it to come to fruition this season with them here, and then obviously having the ability to celebrate the awards night with them and getting the MVP is unreal, just absolutely unreal,” Morrell said.
Despite being raised in Chicago, Zeller has a long history in Western Australian basketball – becoming the head coach of the then-expansion team and what we now know as the South West Slammers during the SBL era.
The Zeller family have travelled the globe with basketball, with all four children being born in different countries. After hearing stories of Australia growing up, finally being able to visit the far-away land, and now call it home is something Morrell never expected.
“It's unbelievable, just growing up, hearing the stories of Australia from my parents and then knowing where all the stories are, and then we're going to be in that same place together now,” she said.
“I've been telling them about (the Awards nights) every year that I've been here. I was just so excited for them to be there experiencing it with me, and then to get MVP, that was the absolute cherry on top.”
The family and the Lightning will look ahead to the Elimination Finals, hosting the Perth Redbacks on Friday night.
In one of the more bizarre season series, each team has made game-winners against the other with a 91-90 win for Lakeside in Round 11 and then a 91-88 win for Perth in Round 15.
Morrell explained that despite the pressure-filled finishes, the Lightning are excited to commence their Finals campaign against the Redbacks.
“Finals in general, like no one can walk into any game, um, disrespecting anyone. Um, and that's what I love about basketball as well. Like anything can happen, right?” she said.
“We're just definitely ready for a battle.”
Watch the Lightning take on the Perth Redbacks in the NBL1 West Elimination Finals on Friday night, from 7:30pm AWST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
