Stingers out to give Sutera Biru the blues

Esmond Tan of Plaza Sutera
Biru goes for a shot in their semi-final match of the BBA Open Challenge Trophy against Babes Boutique on April 13. Picture: BT/Yee Chun Leong

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Saturday, April 17, 2010

WILL three times be the charm for the Ilonggo Stingers when they face
off against Plaza Sutera Biru tonight in the final of the BBA Open
Challenge Trophy?

The Stingers have now made it to three consecutive finals but failed to lift the silverware on any of those occasions.

They were robbed of the title after a 79-78 loss to Hyundai Setia Motors, the 2009 Brunei national team, in the final of the Belait Sultan's Cup in July last year and lost to the Ilonggo Slashers 72-63 in the final of the Brunei Shell Recreational Club (BSRC) five-on-five Open basketball tournament in February.

The Stingers are in a confident mood after defeating the tournament favourites, NBT, in the semi-final heading into the championship match and are hungry for their first title.

"We need to bounce (back) from those losses.

"Those were tough defeats especially as we had led those games," said Rhaul Palma Jr, the head coach of the Stingers, in an interview with The Brunei Times, yesterday.

"We'll have to play good defence and execute. Our concern is minimising our turnovers and we are familiar with the game plan of our opponents, having played against them many times," added Palma Jr.

However, the all-Filipino Belait side, that have had only practice session in the run up know what adjustments are needed. Read More...

Source: The Brunei Times