The winners of the 2023 WABL Annual Awards have been announced and were recognised on WABL Grand Final day.
All candidates were nominated by their Association. The chosen winners are listed below.
From the Willetton Tigers, Roman Lutton was named Male WABL Player of the Year. The 6’0″ guard was a key contributor for the Tigers Under 18 Boys Championship team, averaging 15 points per game and helping them win the grand final. Considered a team first player with highly developed skills, Lutton starred at the U18 Nationals for WA Metro and last month earned his first AusCamp invite.
From the Cockburn Cougars, Amelia Corasaniti was named Female WABL Player of the Year. The 170cm guard was a key contributor for the Cougars in Under 18 Girls Championship Division, averaging 20 points per game and helping them win the grand final. She had the opportunity to play meaningful minutes in the NBL1 West this year, playing 20 games as a 16-year-old which included important minutes in the Cougars’ NBL1 West championship victory. Corasaniti also represented WA Country at the U18 Nationals.
From the Perry Lakes Hawks, David Moreschi was named Male WABL Coach of the Year. Moreschi returned to WABL coaching in 2023 after a few years away from the competition and guided the Hawks U16 Boys Championship team to a winning season and a semi finals berth. He has had a positive output on his team and club, with a number of his players being state representatives. He also served as the U16 Metro Men Assistant Coach.
From the Lakeside Lightning, Hayley Mant was named Female WABL Coach of the Year. As coach of the Lightning Under 12 Girls Championship team, Mant guided them to a sixth-place finish and a semi finals appearance. She has seen tremendous growth as a coach in 2023 as she applied herself to coaching opportunities with State Programs and NBL1. She has gone above and beyond in her commitment to her club and her team this year, taking her role as coach of a young group with great intent.
From the Willetton Tigers, Lauren Alexander was named WABL Referee of the Year. Alexander has been a regular referee for Basketball WA and Willetton for many years and has this year stepped up to take on Referee Coach duties on WABL game days. She is a well-respected official and her application to her craft is very strong, having been rewarded with officiating the WABL Championship Women’s Grand Final in July.
From the Joondalup Wolves, Mary-Anne Kersey was named WABL Volunteer of the Year. A beloved member of the Wolves, Kersey was involved heavily with the club’s WABL trials period and assisted in the sorting of uniforms prior to the season. On top of managing the Under 18-3 Boys team, she helped mentor many of the Wolves’ new managers at the start of the season, guiding them on the requirements of game day duties and offering assistance throughout the season. Kersey has freely given up her time to volunteer around the Wolves’ WABL program for the last 3 years and has helped out where ever assistance was required no matter the task.
Congratulations to the each of the deserving winners.
Full list of award winners:
Male WABL Player of the Year – Roman Lutton (Willetton Tigers)
Female WABL Player of the Year – Amelia Corasaniti (Cockburn Cougars)
Male WABL Coach of the Year – David Moreschi (Perry Lakes Hawks)
Female WABL Coach of the Year – Hayley Mant (Lakeside Lightning)
WABL Referee of the Year – Lauren Alexander (Willetton Tigers)
WABL Volunteer of the Year – Mary-Anne Kersey (Joondalup Wolves)