Asian Basketball League - New basketball league of SEA

[skadiboy]

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New basketball league for Southeast Asia
AFP | 01/19/2009 7:41 PM


KUALA LUMPUR - Southeast Asia on Monday launched an ambitious professional basketball league -- to begin in September -- aimed at boosting the popularity and standards of the game in the region.

The "ASEAN Basketball League" is backed by regional tycoons including AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes and Indonesian media mogul Erick Thoir, who have contributed five million dollars in total between them.

Organizers said that basketball is the second most popular team sport behind football among the 600 million population of Southeast Asia. At least eight teams are expected to play in the inaugural league.

Patrick Baumann, secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), said Asia was ready for a professional league but warned organizers will have to ensure it doesn't fade away after a few years.

"The time is right but it is not going to be simple to sustain the league," he told reporters at the launch of the ABL.

Baumann said the league would need top-notch management and that the participating teams would have to be of a high standard to woo fans.

"There has to be good entertainment. The clubs need to be managed professionally and well funded. You cannot have the league for one or two years and then stop," he said.

Fernandes downplayed fears that the ABL may not succeed and said it could one day join the popular ranks of the NBA in the United States.

"Yes, there will be a lot of obstacles and road blocks. But no mountain will stop us," he said.

"During an economic downturn like now, this new league will create jobs. Can you imagine 5,000 people during this slowdown flying to Manila to watch a game?" Fernandes said of the possible wider economic benefits of the league.

In terms of national rankings among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines tops the table in basketball followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Fernandes said the league will sow the seeds for new talent and boost the sport in the region, adding that foreign professional players will play the circuit.

"The aim is to develop local talent. Foreign players from outside ASEAN will be role models. Maybe one day our players will play in the NBA," he said.

FIBA president Bob Elphinston said the league will be organized by the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA), the governing body for basketball in the region.

Each of the 10 Southeast Asian nations is allowed a maximum of two privately owned teams in the league. Prize money has not been finalized yet.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

[skadiboy]

The Founding members

[skadiboy]

http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/2...ts-arrive.html

Filipino Coach, Three Barracudas Imports Arrive

Bandar Seri Begawan - With just one month left before the start of the Asean Basketball League, Brunei's Team Barracudas welcomed the arrival of head coach Bong Ramos and three Filipinos import players handpicked to join the team.

Francis Kiko Adriano (6'7") Celedon Camaso (6'11") and Leonidez Avenido (6'8") will be playing a huge part in the Barracudas as the three quotas for Asean imports.

The trio from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will join Brunei's contingent of Benjamin Lim, Xavier Fong, Edmond Tan, Presley Ho and Benjamin Sim. They will start training today.

Head coach Bong Ramos said "the three selected imports are dubbed `swingmen' they are versatile and can play the position of guard or forward in the team."

"Compared with ABL players, all three players whom I have selected are of high calibre. I want players who are interchangeable so that they can easily rotate to different positions in various play," he added.

On the local players, the former Indonesian coach of the year 2003 said, "I haven't seen the local players yet, I only saw their profiles from the information that the owner of the team, Miss Nadzaty Azma Azeez, had sent to me. I will need the local players to put up quality games in the league."

With barely three weeks before Brunei's Barracudas first match on Oct 11 against Singapore Slinger, coach Bong Ramos has his hands tied without a full squad of 15 players.

The slots for two international imports and another five local players have yet to be filled.

" I hope that we can get the confirmation of the two international players by Friday. I heard one of the players is 6'11" while the other guy is 6'8"," the coach said.

Present to receive the players were team owner Miss Nadzaty Azma Azeez, team manager Miss Norizah Harun Taylor, assistant coach Wong Yee Chai and the four confirmed local players.

Miss Nadzaty said, "After loads of research and homework in a short space of time, the management is thrilled to have secured the services of the four Filipinos who we believe can wow the Bruneian crowd with their ability and talent."

"In addition, we have one of the most respected coaches in coach Bong whose experience in coaching at the top level in the Philippines will prove to be absolutely invaluable in ensuring that we not only have a competitive team now but also in assisting to develop our local talent," she added.

On the complete roster of Barracudas team she said, "We hope to complete the line up very shortly and we will announce the names when we have made the final decision."

Brunei's Barracudas with support and assistance from Tourism Brunei under the MIPR, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Department of National Registration and Immigration, will head to Kuala Lumpur to take on KL Dragons three days after their opening game.

The first home game for Barracudas will be on Oct 18 against the KL Dragon.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

whooow!! our filipino players have gone taller all of a sudden..lol..talk about media hype in brunei

[skadiboy]

from IB forum

Indonesia -Satria Muda
4. Rensy Bajar (Philippines)
5. Faisal J. Ahmad
6. Wendha Wijaya
7. Amin Prihantono
8. Alex Hartman (USA)
9. Youbel Sondakh
10. Theo Little (USA)
11. Galank Gunawan
12. Bonanza Siregar
13. Rony Gunawan
14. Welyanson Situmorang
15. Christian Ronaldo Sitepu

Singapore Slingers
1. Al Vergara (Philippines)
5. Wong Wei Long
6. Lim Wai Sian
7. Desmond Oh
8. Marcus Ng (from Australia, counts as ASEAN because he is Malaysian-born Chinese)
9. Michael Wong
12. Hong Wei Jian
14. Steven Khoo
15. Pathmann Matialakan
17. Tan Chin Hong
30. Kyle Jeffers (USA)
??. Michael LeBlanc (USA)

Kuala Lumpur Dragons
They stated they don't want any ASEAN import so it's more or less Malaysian NT plus 2 imports. One import has been confirmed as Jamal Brown (USA).

Brunei Barracudas
Confirmed players so far: Benjamin Lim, Xavier Fong, Edmond Tan, Presley Ho, Benjamin Sim, Lonnie Jones (USA), Francis Kiko Adriano (Philippines), Celedon Camaso (Philippines), Leonidez Avenido (Philippines)

Thailand Tigers
No idea, can't read Thai.

Philippines Patriots

Players

Mark ANDAYA (C, 6'6", Letran)
Froilan BAGUION (G, 5'7", National)
Christopher BALUYOT (F, 6'2", San Sebastian-Manila)
Christian CORONEL (G, 5'8", San Sebastian-Manila)
Nathaniel CRUZ (C, 6'5", Mapua Tech)
Dino DAA (F, 6'1", Letran)
Jason DIXON (C, 6'9", Liberty)
Jerwin GACO (F, 6'2", De La Salle-Manila)
Kasim MIRZA (F, 6'3", Santo Tomas)
Hafer MONDRAGON (F, 6'3", Letran)
Neil RANESES (F, 6'2", Visayas)
Ricky RICAFUENTE (G, 5'9", TIP-Manila)
Geremy ROBINSON (F, 6'3", Hawaii)
Erwin SANTA MARIA (6'1", F, Mapua Tech)
Robert WAINWRIGHT (F, 6'3", Solano College)

Coach

Louie ALAS (Adamson)

[boski]

Francis Kiko Adriano (6'7")

murag wla man tngali ni kaabot 6'7" c adriano boss

[DopeHead]

ang naka bati ani kay magsagol2x
dapat kung singapore, taga singapore sad ang mga players
kung brunei taga brunei rasad ang mga players..

[amamangloy]

wa man Sam Ekwe sa Phils....

[twobol2002]

Francis Kiko Adriano (6'7") Celedon Camaso (6'11") and Leonidez Avenido (6'8")

grabeha nag height aning mga tawhana oi, lapas naman hinuun.... si avenido 6'8"? adriano 6'7'? camaso 6'11"? hehehe

[popoy2]

nindot ug ma.televised ni..nitubo mag kalit ang mga pinoy..hehehe

[boski]

nindot ug ma.televised ni..nitubo mag kalit ang mga pinoy..hehehe

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