By Erwin Wong/Red Sports

The local sporting folklore has a new super-sub, and again, his name is Steven.

Singapore football fans two decades ago remember Steven Tan, the effervescent winger who came off the bench countless times to wreak havoc to many a backline during the heady days of the Malaysia Cup.

Few would forget that quarter-final group match against Pahang in 1994, when with the match firmly squared in a nil-nil deadlock in the 90th minute, Tan nutmegged the mighty Alan Davidson, Pahang's centre-back, and rifled in a shot from outside the box that beat keeper Khairul Azman before nestling into the net, to the fever-pitched delight of the 60,000 fans that packed the National Stadium.

More than 15 years later, at the neighbouring Singapore Indoor Stadium and in a different discipline, another Steven stepped up to be counted.

Singapore Slingers backup power forward Steven Khoo made three clutch plays and worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) match against table-toppers Philippine Patriots on January 6 in a game which the Slingers eventually won 67-59.

It was a one-possession game with a minute and 18 seconds to go, with the Slingers holding a precarious 57-54 lead. Steven, who had not yet displayed his outside touch all ABL season long, made a crucial mid-range baseline jumper to increase the lead to five. He looked to have tangled with Patriots shooting guard Robert Wainwright on the way back downcourt, and the latter thrust his elbow into Steven's chest when they battled for position.

Wainwright was called for the unsportsmanlike foul, and Steven converted one of two free throws to make it 60-54. After the Slingers inbounded the ball, Steven found himself all alone at the top of the three-point arc, and promptly sank the trey for a nine-point, 63-54 advantage with 58 seconds to play, sending the crowd into absolute delirium and more importantly, padding a lead the Slingers would not give up.

Slingers centre Kyle Jeffers highlighted the importance of Steven's made shots. "It was huge. He had a jumper in somebody's face and he had the open three. He has the shot, but just doesn't shoot it. He has a good shot when he shoots. He just lined it up, shot it and gave us a huge boost. Without those shots, it would have been a lot closer."

Steven also corralled a season-high six rebounds, restricting the Patriots' second-chance points and matched up well enough with the physical opponents for coach Frank Arsego to give him more than 22 minutes of court action, the most Steven has played this season.

"We didn't have Steven in our second game (against the Patriots) in Manila because he had national service," said Arsego. "But I always believed, from that day on, that Steven could be the x-factor, and match up quite well against them with their physical players."

Arsego also praised the efforts of power forward Pathman Matialakan, after Jeffers was saddled with four fouls late in the third quarter. "I really want to commend Pathman, who came on in that third quarter when Kyle has his fouls. And he did a fantastic job in those three, four minutes. It was valuable."

Slingers co-captain Michael Wong also had a fruitful outing against the Patriots, making all three of his field goals to score eight points and hitting a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter to tie the game at 45, sending the Slingers level on points with the Patriots instead of starting the final period on the backfoot.

The Slingers' four foreign imports have hogged the headlines and stats sheets this season. Jeffers, Michael LeBlanc, Al Vergara and Marcus Ng have scored more points, taken more shots, pulled down more rebounds and seen more playing time than the local players. Rightfully so, as it is through their stellar play and experienced leadership that the Slingers have a excellent chance to make the ABL playoffs with their current 7-4 win-loss record.

The locals, too, have had their moments. Hong Wei Jian treated the fans to a break-away dunk in the opening game against the Brunei Barracudas, and was one of few bright sparks in the 74-84 loss to the KL Dragons on November 22, when he scored a season-high 18 points, the second highest by a local player in an ABL team.

He also made two big baskets, including the go-ahead jumper, in the 61-59 road win against Satria Muda BritAma to complete a magnificent comeback from 10 points down with less than three and half minutes to go.

Michael Wong was instrumental in the Slingers' first road win of the season against the Barracudas when he had a season-best four assists, while Desmond Oh has been ear-marked as a defensive specialist, often tasked to keep opponents' streaky shooters in check.

Wong Wei Long has been having a mini-slump of late but his nine of 18 three-point shooting to start the season, including two four-point plays, proves that he does possess the stroke, and Pathman, a mainstay since the Slingers' first season, is shooting 50% and 80% from the field and free throw line respectively, ranking fifth and seventh in the league.

With the ABL reaching the business end of the season, and a playoff spot up for grabs, the Slingers will certainly hope for their entire roster to stand up and be counted, like how Steven the super-sub did against the Patriots.