ILLAWARRA sharpshooter Todd Blanchfield has capped an outstanding breakout season by claiming the Hawks MVP award on Friday night.
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Under-utilised in his two seasons with Sydney, Blanchfield shifted south to Wollongong in search of bigger role and became the Hawks main offensive focal point.
The 27-year-old averaged 13 points and four rebounds per game, leading the Hawks in field goal percentage (48.2 per cent) and averaging a tidy 40 per cent from long range.
It included a career-high 32 points against Cairns in round three, while he also led the Hawks in court time, averaging 27 minutes a games and featuring in all 28 games of the regular season.
Blanchfield also picked up the Players' Player award for a campaign that more than justified his decision to seek an early release from the Kings and sign with the Hawks on a three-year deal.
He edged out former Townsville teammate Brian Conklin for the honour, though the import forward was the fans choice as the Peoplecare Members' MVP.
In his first season back in Australia since 2015, Conklin averaged 14 points and five rebounds a game, leading the Hawks in field goals and field goal percentage.
He was second in minutes behind only Blanchfield in a stellar campaign from the former league MVP, with fans vocal in their hope that the paint enforcer will return next season.
Skipper Kevin White and back-court buddy Jordair Jett shared the club's defensive player of the year prize, the latter having been well in the running for league DPOY honours.
It was reward for a solid NBL return for Jett who spent the previous two years in the New Zealand Basketball League and QBL on the comeback trail from a serious knee injury.
It was also the cherry on top of a year of milestones for White, who played his 100th game for the Hawks and his 200th NBL game a day before the arrival of his first child in December.
Hawks chaplain Paul Bartlett was named the Clubperson of the Year on an awards night that also doubled as a farewell for outgoing coach Rob Beveridge.
He'll part ways with the Hawks after reaching semi-final and grand final series' in his four years at the club that also saw him notch his 300th game as an NBL head coach this season.
Blanchfield is one of five players under contract for next season, alongside Daniel Grida and Emmett Naar - who both capped stellar rookie years with a Boomers call-up - and veteran Tim Coenraad, who was also absent on national team duty.
Conklin, Jett and White are all free agents as is Cedric Jackson, who played his 150th NBL game this season, and veteran big men David Andersen and AJ Ogilvy.