The T1 League has named the Kaohsiung Aquas’ Philippine-American playmaker Jason Brickman the Import Player of the Month for last month.
Brickman’s offensive excellence and command of the game powered the Aquas to the top of the league standings, going 6-1 since the league’s inaugural season started on Nov. 27, posting 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals in his first six games, the T1 League said in a statement on Thursday.
“It’s a great honor and I just want to keep on playing well, and hopefully our team can keep on playing well. I’m having a lot of fun in the T1 League with the Aquas organization,” Brickman said. “Just a great honor, I’m very thankful and grateful to get the award.”
Photo: CNA
Brickman also thanked the T1 League for the opportunity to play basketball again after a two-year break.
The 30-year-old point guard, whose resume includes stints playing professional basketball for clubs around the world, last played for the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the 2019-2020 season of the ASEAN Basketball League, which was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to playing with the Alab Pilipinas, he was on the roster of the Mighty Sports - Go for Gold team that clinched the 2019 William Jones Cup in Taiwan after an 8-0 sweep at Sinjhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.
He has also won over Taiwanese fans by putting on a skills clinic during the inaugural T1 League season, which earned him kudos from the Aquas’ coaching staff.
“I thank the coach for believing in me and making me feel confident on the court, and also to my teammates for playing really well and allowing me to play my game on the court,” Brickman said.
Aquas head coach Brendan Joyce said that Brickman has all the qualities needed to play the role of point guard.
The former assistant coach of the Australian Boomers and head coach of the Australian Opals said Brickman had been playing great basketball.
As a player, Joyce also played point guard in Oceania’s National Basketball League, beginning in the league’s inaugural season in 1979.
He racked up 289 appearances in the National Basketball League, finishing second for Most Assists from 1985 to 1987 and winning Most Assists in 1988.
“That playing experience, I think helps me coaching, because I not only understand the position, I know how that player feels,” Joyce said. “All the things that Jason feels or all the emotions, I have that because I played that position. I think I have an advantage coaching him.”
Thanks to intimate knowledge of the position, Joyce has pushed Brickman to be more aggressive, and find the right balance between making assists and scoring.
As a player who is known to make assists, there have been times when opponents do not think Brickman is going to try and score, Joyce said.
“I’ve tried to get him to identify that more often on the court and when those opportunities arise, take advantage of it, and that is what he is doing... He’s playing great basketball,” Joyce said.
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