Craigieburn Eagles’ import Briana Gray set her goals high for the Big V women’s division 1 season,
There was a team goal of winning the championship, while personally she wanted to win the league most valuable player award.
While the Eagles fell just short of the championship, Gray won the most valuable player award.
Having returned back to America, Gray woke up to a ton of messages telling her she had won.
”It’s a great feeling to be recognised by my peers and coaches within the league as the MVP of the league this season,” she said.
“It was one of my personal goals entering into this year and one I shared with my teammates and coaches.
“I recognised that by me pursuing excellence and striving to dominate it would propel my team forward toward our goals of a championship season.”
Gray said she was really happy with her season for so many reasons.
She said one of the most important was her teammates and the Craigieburn basketball community.
“The group of people I was able to play, compete, and be supported by made this season really really enjoyable,” she said.
“Winning a lot also helps. But I feel as though I played well and I saw my teammates grow and respond to adversity also.
“Coming up short, especially the way we did in the grand final was really heartbreaking in some ways but there are so many positives to the season as well.
“With that perspective I can look back on the season with gratitude.”
Gray said while there were disappointed not to win the championship, that result doesn’t define their season.
“There was much success with this group on and off the court,” she said. “I feel as a player myself and teammates we controlled what we could and the grand final was lost on a buzzer beater.”
Gray said her work ethic, consistency and faith were the foundations of what had helped her become the athlete she had become.
She said what people were seeing was the culmination of years of hard work.
“One distinct factor that I truly believe set me apart this season in particular was the word or theme I set for myself at the beginning of the year— which was champion.
“At the start of the year, shortly after NYE I decided that the theme for myself this year is champion.
“I wanted to be champion in my habits, my mindset, my routine, my relationships, my preparation of course on the court but truly in every area of my life.
“I either wanted to be a champion or have a champion mindset and approach in all things.
Gray was full of praise for Craigieburn basketball and the community for all the support they had given her
She said they felt they had set the foundation for a standard of winning women’s basketball at Craigieburn..
“I believe we have brought excitement, eagerness, and an expectation for the fans and viewers for the women’s program and women’s games,” she said..
“I believe we have helped grow the pipeline for the youth and juniors—getting them excited for the future and chance to play seniors.
Overall, I hope that we have been able to leave the program in a better place than when we arrived.
They truly are a great fan base and really have rallied around the women’s team with their support. I still get messages of support to this day.
