Canberra Capitals stars Britt Sykes and Kelsey Griffin have been named the Caps’ Most Valuable Players for 2021/22 after outstanding seasons for the club.

Sykes was also named the club’s Kellie Abrams Defensive Player of The Year because of her ability to create momentum shifts with her knack of coming up with a big steal or block. It capped off a stellar debut year for Skyes who was recently crowned the WNBL Defensive Player of the Year and was also included in the WNBL All-Star First Team.

Sykes wasn’t just an outstanding defender, she also excelled on the offensive end, averaging 16.1 points per game with highs of 33 points against Bendigo and 32 points against Perth.

Griffin was recently included in the WNBL All-Star second team and is a leader of the Caps and extremely hard worker both on and off the court, playing with an intensity and passion to put her body on the line to get under that basket.

Speaking on the announcement, Canberra Capitals Head Coach Paul Goriss said both players were highly deserving of the accolades.

“Kelsey is the heartbeat of this team, her leadership is outstanding, her work ethic is second to none, and her winning attributes are what drives her to success every season,” Goriss said.

“She has been a mainstay of our success since she has arrived at the UC Caps and with Kelsey on any team, it is going to be a championship contender because of her work ethic and drive to lift her teammates around her.

“Britt – As advertised and more! We all knew Slim was an elite defender and great athlete but what she has surprised people with is her IQ, her ability to score multiple ways and play point guard to small forward, it’s her versatility at both ends of the court which makes her special and one of the best imports to play in Canberra, and we have had some special ones here.

“Her willingness to be a mentor, have a voice and share her knowledge with teammates and coaches shows her true character as a great person and teammate. She has bought a different dynamic not only to our team but to the WNBL.”

Brittany Smart’s second season in black and blue saw her take out Players’ Player, as voted by her teammates.

Jade Melbourne was named Capital on the Rise after an outstanding second year in the WNBL and Gorris said she continues to grow as a player.

“Jade is growing in stature and maturity each season. She has the X factor – she is fast, she has no fear, she is improving her defense on the ball and with continued work on her shooting she is on the way to be a future star of the Caps and WNBL,” Goriss said.

“She still has a way to go but with her work ethic and willingness to learn and work in her game and in the gym she is on the right path to be something special. I can’t wait to see her improvement again next year in the WNBL.”

UC Capitals 2021/22 MVP Award Winners

• MVP Award: Kelsey Griffin and Britt Sykes (Joint winners)
• Kellie Abrams Defensive Player of The Year: Britt Sykes
• Players’ Player of the Year Award: Brittany Smart
• Capital on the Rise: Jade Melbourne

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