Just weeks after helping the Edmonton Stingers capture the Canadian Elite Basketball League championship, 25-year-old point guard Xavier Moon has been named the league’s player of the year.
The CEBL announced Moon’s MVP award on its website Wednesday, an honour he has now captured two years in a row.
“It lets me know my hard work is paying off,” Moon told Global News, adding he was very happy to hear he had won the award.
The Alabama native averaged 19.5 points per game in eight games with the Stingers this season. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was forced to play a shortened season without fans in St. Catharines, Ont., a campaign dubbed the CEBL Summer Series.
The 2020 season also saw Moon average of 4.5 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.
Moon edged out teammate Jordan Baker, the other player vying for the MVP award.
READ MORE: Edmonton Stingers down Fraser Valley Bandits to win CEBL championship
In last month’s championship game, Moon racked up 31 points to lead Edmonton to a 90-73 win over the Fraser Valley Bandits.
“We got the job done,” Moon said Wednesday.
“We all played with a chip on our shoulder this year because we lost in the semi-final last year, and I think it left a bad taste in our mouth.”
Moon said he believes the CEBL took more strides in the right direction in 2020 despite the challenges posed by playing in a pandemic.
He added that he plans to play for the Stingers in 2021 and hopes the team will be able to play in front of its basketball fans in Edmonton.
Watch below: Some Global News videos about the Edmonton Stingers.