Andrew Goudelock named regular-season MVP

UNICS guard Andrew Goudelock has been named the 2013-2014 VTB United League regular-season MVP.

The Most Valuable Player award is awarded jointly by the League and Sport-Express newspaper. Several factors go into determining the winner: The results of each six months of the regular season (at the end of each month an MVP and All-Month squad was named), players’ efficiency rating, an online fan vote, as well as the opinion of the League’s expert panel and Sport-Express. The League’s expert panel features seven basketball greats from five League countries: Ivan Edeshko (Russia), Jiri Zidek (Czech Republic), Ilona Korstin (Russia), Armand Kraulins (Latvia), Tomas Pacesas (Lithuania), Sergei Tarakanov (Russia) and Heino Enden (Estonia).

The regular-season MVP title goes to UNICS’s Andrew Goudelock, who picked up 12 points in the final results, edging out Khimki forward James Augustine (11 points) and Krasny Oktyabr guard Willie Deane (9 points).

During the VTB United League regular season, Andrew Goudelock played 16 games, averaging 20.1 points (2^nd in the League behind Cory Higgins), 2.8 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and an efficiency rating of 16.1. Led by Goudelock, UNICS finished in 1^st place in Group A (17-1 record) and advanced directly to the playoff quarterfinals with a first-round bye. Kazan’s American guard proved a terrific team leader and one of the season’s most exciting performers. Not surprisingly, Goudelock was named to the All-Month squad four times (October, November, January and February), while also picking up the January MVP award.

Joining Goudelock in the All-VTB United League squad, as determined by League and Sport-Express experts, are Khimki forward James Augustine, CSKA center Alexander Kaun, Triumph guard Cory Higgins and Lietuvos Rytas guard Martynas Gecevicius.

Andrew Goudelock will receive his MVP prize during the League playoffs.

- Thank you so much for the MVP congratulations, - said Andrew Goudelock. – But I have to share this success with my teammates and the coaching staff. UNICS’s strength is in its team play. Even if one of us misses a game for some reason, the rest are ready to make up for them. We always believe in ourselves, believe in one another and never give in.

Regular-season MVP selection process:

Fan vote (Top 5):
1. Gregory Renfroe (Enisey) – 5 points (27.1%)
2. Willie Deane (Krasny Oktyabr) – 4 points (22.9%)
3. Andrew Goudelock (UNICS) – 3 points (12.6%)
4. Derrick Brown (Lokomotiv-Kuban) – 2 points (11.9%)
5. Martynas Gecevicius (Lietuvos Rytas) – 1 point (5.0%)

Efficiency rating (Top 5):
1. James Augustine (Khimki) – 5 points (average per game – 21.1)
2. Willie Deane (Krasny Oktyabr) – 4 points (20.8)
3. Cory Higgins (Triumph) – 3 points (19.1)
4. Cuthbert Victor (Krasny Oktyabr) – 2 points (18.9)
5. Keith Benson (Tsmoki-Minsk) – 1 point (18.7)

MVP and All-Month squads*:
1. Andrew Goudelock (UNICS) – 3 points (earned 5 points: MVP once and All-Month four times)
2. James Augustine (Khimki), Alexander Kaun (CSKA) – 2 points (earned 3 points: MVP once and All-Month twice)
3. Cory Higgins (Triumph), Gregory Renfroe (Enisey), Willie Deane (Krasny Oktyabr) – 1 point (earned 2 points: MVP once and All-Month once), Petteri Koponen (Khimki), Keith Benson (Tsmoki-Minsk), Kresimir Loncar (Khimki), Anthony Fisher (Enisey) – 1 point (earned 2 points: All-Month twice)

* - players received 1 point for being on the All-Month squad and 2 points for the MVP (with the All-Month nod counting as one of the points).

VTB United League expert panel:
1. Andrew Goudelock (UNICS) – 3 points (4 votes)
2. James Augustine (Khimki) – 2 points (2 votes)
3. Cory Higgins (Triumph) – 1 point (1 vote)

Sport-Express experts:
1. Andrew Goudelock (UNICS) – 3 points
2. James Augustine (Khimki) – 2 points
3. Alexander Kaun (CSKA) – 1 point

Results:
1. Andrew Goudelock (UNICS) – 12 points
2. James Augustine (Khimki) – 11 points
3. Willie Deane (Krasny Oktyabr) – 9 points
4. Gregory Renfroe (Enisey) – 6 points
5. Cory Higgins (Triumph) – 5 points
6. Alexander Kaun (CSKA) – 3 points
7. Keith Benson (Tsmoki-Minsk), Cuthbert Victor (Krasny Oktyabr), Derrick Brown (Lokomotiv-Kuban) – 2 points
10. Martynas Gecevicius (Lietuvos Rytas), Petteri Koponen (Khimki), Kresimir Loncar (Khimki), Anthony Fisher (Enisey) – 1 point.

The other individual award winners this season were Khimki forward James Augustine (Sixth Man of the Year), CSKA center Alexander Kaun (Defensive Player of the Year), Triumph guard Dmitry Kulagin and Neptunas forward Edgaras Ulanovas (Young Players of the Year) and Khimki coach Rimas Kurtinaitis (Coach of the Year).

One more award, Organization of the Year, will be given out at the end of the playoffs.