Alex Pledger's Waikato Pistons may have missed out on the National Basketball League title but the towering centre at least had the league's most valuable player award to console him.
The Pistons finished second in the regular season but were upset in their semifinal on Friday by the Hawke's Bay Hawks despite Pledger's 15 points and nine rebounds.
The 2.16 metre-tall New Zealand Breaker played 12 games for the Pistons averaging 16.8 points, 11.67 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game to also earn selection as forward of the year and in the All Star Five.
He was joined in the All Star Five by the league's most outstanding guard Lindsay Tait, whose 28 points helped the Wellington Saints defending their NBL title after beating the Hawks 106-97 in the final.
The Pistons pair of Thomas Abercrombie and Jason Crowe also won the nod for the All Star Five with Nelson Giants forward Mike Vukona completing the quintet.
Pittsburgh University-bound Steve Adams, the Wellington Saints' 17-year-old 2.10m centre, won the rookie of the year award and Waikato's Dean Vickerman won the coach of the year title.
