By Les Tan/Red Sports
How will 65kg local boy Hong Wei Jian fare against 103kg Lonnie Jones of the Barracudas? (Photo © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports file photo)
I’ve been scouring the internet for information about the players for the ASEAN Basketball League (verdict – very hard to find). I’ve managed to get a partial list and stuck it up on the Red Hoops site.
Some of the player statistics are mind boggling.
This Sunday, the Brunei Barracudas are fielding two Americans and one of them, Lonnie P. Jones, is 211cm tall and weighs 103kg. I want to see a man that tall and that heavy jump and ask him questions like: “Does it snow up there?”
I’m so used to seeing the average 1.8m basketball player in Singapore that this is going to be a visual treat.
Jones’ teammate isn’t that much smaller either. Fellow American Mike Pilgrim stands just 5cm shorter at 206cm. I can’t find his weight yet. Maybe I’ll bring my Ikea weighing machine. I hope he doesn’t break it because he looks BIG in pictures.
The whole starting five for the Barracudas will be imports – three Filipinos (Francis Adriano, Celedon Camaso and Leonidas Avenido) and the two Americans. They will go up against our starting five of four imports (Kyle Jeffers, Michael LeBlanc, Marcus Ng, Al Vergara) and one Singaporean (probably Hong Wei Jian).
The Barrcudas only had two pre-season games against not so credible opponents while the Slingers have had four games against three PBA teams and the Smart Gilas Pilipinas, the national development team of the Philippines. The coach of the Barracudas, Filipino Geraldo Bong Ramos, only joined the team in the middle of September.
Given how the roster is structured – five imports and seven locals – the coach also can’t rely totally on his imports and is expecting the local Bruneians to do their part.
"They may lack some of the basics that other teams have but they have tried their utmost best in the short space of time that we had and they have applied themselves the best they can.
"Their role is very important. All I ask of them is to provide me quality minutes with some good defense and hustle. If they can do that then I think we will be in very good shape," said the Filipino coach.
So most are expecting the Barracudas to go into this game as underdogs.
As for me, I just want to see what this man-mountain Lonnie P. Jones looks like.
And I hope the 103kg Jones doesn’t accidentally land on our 65kg Hong Wei Jian.
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can i know how many tickets can we buy with one ezlink card???
I saw Lonnie Jones signed with the Sacramento Kings, so like C.J Giles, who also never played, he should be quite good to have even signed with the team. Something that Jeffers didn’t even achieve. Well the BB have a height advantage over the Slingers. But let’s see what happens tomorrow.
i saw him play in Brunei and for a 7 footer to run as fast the way he runs its unimaginable.
Should be the same player…
Pilgrim Named Louisiana’s Top Newcomer, Gatlin Picks Up Third-Team Honors (4/12/2009)
Shreveport, La. – After helping lead his team to their fourth straight Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship in his first season as a Pilot, LSUS junior Mike Pilgrim was named the state’s top newcomer by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Pilgrim was a mid-season transfer and the junior from Cincinnati set a single season LSUS record for shooting percentage, making 64.2 percent of his shots. He was named a first-team Gulf Coast Athletic Conference selection, averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Pilots, who again went to the NAIA National Tournament for the fifth straight year.
LSUS’ Chris Gatlin, a senior from Baton Rouge, was named to the All-Louisiana Third Team after leading the Pilots in scoring this past season. Gatlin averaged 16.5 points/game, while shooting 43% from the three-point line. He also received All-GCAC and honorable mention All-American honors following his stellar senior season for the Pilots.
In addition to his Newcomer of the Year award, Pilgrim also picked up honorable mention All-Louisiana accolades.
Mike Pilgrim is much more threatening, he is a very good dunker and can score freely
Pilgrim, a Cincinnati native, averaged 13.5 points, 9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire in 2002-03.
NEVER PLAYED IN NBA
As a freshman, averaged 3.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots in 14.5 minutes a game. Led team and conference in blocked shots. Registered first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds against Buffalo on Feb. 24. Blocked four or more shots in six games. Averaged 5.1 rebounds in conference games, leading the team in rebounding five times.
As a junior, averaged 9.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.5 blocked shots. Started 20 of 30 games, including the last 18. Scored in double figures 14 times and grabbed 10 or more rebounds six times. Recorded three double-doubles. Blocked three or more shots 13 times. Scored career-high 23 points against Marshall on Jan.24. Scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Northern Illinois on Jan. 15. Grabbed season-high 13 rebounds in the rematch at NIU on Feb. 17.
As a sophomore, averaged 7.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.7 blocked shots. Led team in blocked shots and field goal percentage. Led or shared team lead in rebounding seven times. Blocked four or more shots 10 times. Registered career-high seven blocks against Western Michigan on Feb. 9 and against Miami (OH) in the MAC Tournament Finals on Mar. 8. Scored season-high 18 points against Western Michigan in the last game of the regular season on Feb. 26. Was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week two times.
Full Name: Lonnie P. Jones
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 7-0 / 228
Birthdate: November 8, 1979 (Gary, IN)
High School: Wallace HS (Gary, IN)
College: Ball State
BACKGROUND
Participated in training camp with the New Jersey Nets in 2002. Participated in the 2002 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, averaging 9.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocked shots.
Finished four-year career as the all-time leader in blocked shots in Ball State and Mid-American Conference history with 301. Also ranks eighth in school history in total rebounds with 678. Played in 121 career games, starting 79 times. Owns BSU’s first, third, fourth, and fifth highest single-season blocked shot totals.
As a senior, averaged 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocked shots. Started 33 of 34 games. Missed one game due to a sore knee. Led the team in blocked shots, was second in rebounding, and fourth in scoring. Led conference in blocks and ranked 21st nationally. Set single-season school record for blocked shots with 89. Rejected four or more shots in 12 games. Scored 15 points and tied career-high with seven blocks against Buffalo on Feb. 13. Tied season-high with 15 points in 16 minutes against IPFW on Dec. 6. Registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Indiana on Dec. 8. Scored 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked four shots against UCLA in the Maui Invitational semi-finals on Nov. 20. Blocked five shots against Duke on Nov. 21 in the Maui Invitational finals.
By the way, just an extra information about lonnie jones. He is like C.J Giles, an ex-NBA player. He played for the Sacramanto Kings in 2003/2004. Slingers gotta watch him.
“And I hope the 103kg Jones doesn’t accidentally land on our 65kg Hong Wei Jian.” – PAINFUL!