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3 March 2026  5 min read

NBL/WNBL Players of the Week - (28 Feb/1 Mar 2026)

Chosen in conjunction with Darren Paul and the FocusHoops team, who assess the best and brightest in D1W, and the BE team, you can have your say on this week's selections and give a shout-out to the players you think deserve one by using the hashtag #NBL2526. Don't forget to tag us!

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How it works

Each week, a standout player plus four other worthy selections will be put forward to make the Player and Team Of The Week in both D1M and D1W, paying attention to the following criteria:

• Efficiency
• Stats
• Team and opposition strength
• Periods of influence in the game
• Being on a winning team (exceptional performances from players on losing teams will be considered for TOTW)

Players of the Week

Two players whose teams had plenty on the line both came up big this weekend, keeping their sides on track in the process.

Worcester are in the box seats to take top spot in D1M's Pool A, picking up their 16th win of the season on Sunday, a 78-62 victory against Leicester Warriors.

Earl Burgess put on a show, dropping a game-high 31 points on 60% shooting (12/20 FGs), a total that was still 14 points more than the next highest scorer on either side.

Twelve rebounds secured the double-double, tacking on three assists for good measure.

London Cavaliers look set for the D1W title, but CoLA are pushing them all the way and can still steal top spot if results go their way next weekend.

That scenario was only possible because Pride edged long-term rivals Ipswich 67-66 on Saturday, with Ayla Habbal instrumental in getting her side over the line.

Habbal's 27 points were a game-high and came on a reliable 11/22 FGs (52%), and the talented guard came through when the hosts needed her most.

Habbal scored 12 of her side's 13 points in the fourth quarter, a hugely-impactful haul given the final score, and helped keep Pride's title chances alive in the process.

Six rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks further added to Habbal's impact, putting the finishing touches on an already impressive outing.

D1M Team of the Week

Earl Burgess - Worcester Wolves (31pts, 12reb, 3ast, 35eff)

Ashley Briggs - Solent Kestrels (12pts, 8reb, 3ast, 2blk, 18eff)

Olivier Esingle - Myerscough Basketball Academy (11pts, 6reb, 8ast, 5stl, 19eff)

Kervy Mabaya - Barking Abbey (21pts, 8reb, 3ast, 30eff)

Dan Davies - Manchester Magic (22pts, 13reb, 2ast, 2blk, 34eff vs STH, 12pts, 11reb, 6ast, 18eff @ MYE)

Big stat-lines in important games is the theme for this week, no surprise given the stakes in play with just a few weeks to go in the regular season.

POTW Burgess is an automatic selection and fits with the theme after his impact helped put Worcester one win away from the Pool A title.

Many would have enjoyed Andre Arissol's 25-point haul in Solent's crunch match up with Barnet, but Ashley Briggs is the one to make the cut here after recording his side's most efficient stat line, providing five rebounds, two points, an assist and a block in the fourth quarter as the Kestrels held on for the win.

Myerscough can still pip Worcester to top spot in Pool A and that option remained on the table thanks to Olivier Esingle's well-rounded performance, helping 'Sco to an 84-66 victory against fellow title challengers Manchester.

Barking's Kervy Mabaya provided a very similar performance to Esingle, keeping his side in Pool B's title race as he helped push BA past London Lions 74-52.

Dan Davies rounds out the five, primarily for his performance on Sunday in the win over St Helens. Manchester's title hopes may have been extinguished with Saturday's loss to Myerscough (where Davis was still productive), but Magic are still in a battle to secure a top four spot and a place in the playoffs.

Sunday's 93-75 rebound win over St Helens was big in that regard, with Davis' 22 points and 13 boards playing an important role in securing the W.

Honourable mentions

Patrick Wrencher Jr - Oxford Hoops (21pts, 15reb, 3ast, 29eff)
Macaulay Jones - Cardiff Met Archers (29pts, 7reb, 5ast, 3stl, 34eff)
Mahamud Ibrahim - Sheffield Arrows (24pts, 10reb, 2ast, 26eff)
Disraeli Lufadeju - St Helens Saints (27pts, 7reb, 2ast, 5syl, 31eff @ TEE, 22pts, 8reb, 4ast, 3stl, 23eff @ MCR)
Aaron Bile - Manchester Magic (18pts, 6reb, 8eff @ MYE, 25pts, 9reb, 4ast, 2stl, 2blk, 30eff vs STH)
Zak Missouri - Teesside Lions (10pts, 9reb, 11ast, 16eff)

D1W Team of the Week

Ayla Habbal - CoLA Southwark Pride (27pts, 6reb, 4ast, 2blk, 26eff)

Chinwe Iwunze - London Cavaliers (37pts, 7reb, 2stl, 31eff)

Louisa Gibbins - Loughborough Riders (16pts, 11reb, 16eff)

Ciani Montgomery - Worcester Wolves (30pts, 7reb, 5ast, 11stl, 27eff)

Kat Goldsby - London All Stars (18pts, 9reb, 2ast, 7stl, 26eff)

Habbal slots straight into this week's five, and is joined by four other impressive stat lines from across a great weekend of basketball.

Chinwe Iwunze was unstoppable against Bristol as she led all D1W scorers across the two days. Louisa Gibbins was the focal point for Loughborough on Sunday as they downed top four outfit ARU, and Ciani Montgomery was the pick of the bunch for Worcester in their win against Brent as they, like the Riders, continue to heat up ahead of the playoffs.

The five is completed by Kat Goldsby for her part in the All Stars' upset of Manchester, providing plenty of value at both ends of the court to down the Mystics 56-44.

Honourable mentions

Tia Freeman - Anglia Ruskin University (26pts, 3reb, 6ast, 2stl, 19eff)
Caitlin Ryan - Loughborough Riders (18pts, 9reb, 4ast, 25eff vs BROM)
Janice Monakana - London Cavaliers (18pts, 8reb, 2ast, 2stl, 17eff)

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Main image credit - Luke Simcock