Koh Meng Koon in Home United colours during the 2010 NBL final where he finished with a game-high 11 points and picked up the MVP award. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports archive)
Singapore, Friday, July 5, 2011 — Veteran baller Koh Meng Koon, 33, is in the frame again to play for Singapore at the upcoming South East Asian (SEA) Games scheduled for November 2011 in Indonesia. Meng Koon played for Singapore in three SEA Games: 1999 (Brunei), 2001 (Malaysia) and 2003 (Vietnam).
Meng Koon is part of the training squad that will play a pre-SEA Games invitational tournament this weekend at the Singapore Basketball Centre. A Filipino university team, a Malaysian police team and an Indonesian club side will provide the competitive challenge for national coach Neo Beng Siang to assess the current state of his squad. The coach has not confirmed the squad for the SEA Games.
Coach Neo elaborated on the reasons for bringing back Meng Koon.
“I think he can help the team in many areas. He can help the junior players on and off the court based on his playing experience and personality.
I brought him back also because he gives us the size, his consistent shooting percentasge and his aggressive defense,” added coach Neo.
Singapore last played in a SEA Games basketball tournament in 2003 when the biennial games were held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Its only SEA Games basketball medal is a bronze from the 1979 Jakarta edition.
The national squad was not nominated for the 2007 SEA Games. In 2005, SEA Games host country Philippines could not hold a basketball tournament because FIBA banned their basketball association. In 2009, host country Laos did not have the facilities to hold a basketball competition.
Meng Koon, who last played for the national squad in 2008, was recalled in May this year.
“The feeling is great that I got a recall. My main objectives is to guide the younger players by passing on to them my past experience,” said Meng Koon.
On why he thought the national team was nominated this year, Meng Koon said: “The difference this year is the synergy of the senior and junior batches and the increased international exposure of our young local players through the BAS (Basketball Association of Singapore) and (Singapore) Slingers Programme.”
Current national training squad members Steven Khoo, Pathman Matialakan, Desmond Ho, Ng Hanbin, Lim Shengyu, Teo Chun Hoe and Tan Chin Hong have all seen playing time with the Singapore Slingers this past 2010/11 ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) season while Lim Wai Sian suited up for the Slingers in the 2009/10 season.
Meng Koon hopes the squad’s nomination for the upcoming SEA Games will inspire the younger Singaporean ballers.
“This nomination will be an inspiration for the younger Singaporeans to train harder and look forward to representing the country, as Singapore is hoping to host the SEA Games in 2015,” added Meng Koon.
With regard to his present squad, coach Neo said: “The team plays hard, runs hard, has good fighting spirit. This tournament is good for us coaches to know their individual roles better to fit the team.”
Admission to the SBC for this weekend’s invitational games is free.
Singapore National Squad
Steven Khoo, Pathman Matialakan, Desmond Oh, Koh Meng Koon, Ng Hanbin, Lim Shengyu, Teo Chun Hoe, Tan Chin Hong, Lim Wai Sian (aka Lao Lao), Wong Wei Long, Wu Qing De and Gary Koh
Fixtures
Friday, August 5 2011
7:00pm
Trinity University of Asia Team, Philippines vs Stadium Basketball Club, Indonesia
9:00pm
Malaysian Police Team, Malaysia vs Singapore (National Men’s Team)
Saturday, August 6, 2011
7:00pm
Trinity University of Asia Team, Philippines vs Malaysian Police Team, Malaysia
9:00pm
Stadium Basketball Club, Indonesia vs Singapore (National Men’s Team)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
2:00pm
Malaysian Police Team, Malaysia vs Stadium Basketball Club, Indonesia
4:00pm
Singapore (National Men’s Team) vs Trinity University of Asia Team, Philippines
Venue for all games: Singapore Basketball Centre
wong wei long is my school coach!