Reece welcomes Tan to 'nat'l team'

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, January 7, 2011

WILL the national basketball team be better if Esmond Tan, arguably the Sultanate's best cager, joins the line-up?

National basketball coach Kevin Reece definitely thinks so.

Reece last July invited all local players to join his training scheme to be selected to the national squad, but Tan failed to turn up due to work commitments.

Tan who was with the Brunei Barracudas told The Brunei Times then that chances of him making it into the national basketball team were slim from the start due to his personal commitments.

However, the 26-year-old cager revealed on Wednesday that he would be joining the national training next week for the first time.

Reece believes that Tan's decision to join the national team's training scheme will definitely be a boost for the squad.

"We have a system. If he can and is willing to adapt to it, his talent will be a great addition to the team," said Reece, in an interview with The Brunei Times, yesterday. Read More…

Source: The Brunei Times

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The return of Brunei's prodigal cager

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Thursday, January 6, 2011

IS IT finally going to happen?

Esmond Tan (pic) revealed to The Brunei Times last July that chances of him making it into the national basketball team were slim from the start due to his personal commitments.

The national basketball coach Kevin Reece had left the door open for players to join his training scheme to be selected to the squad and Tan was one who failed to comply.

But now the 26-year-old will finally lace up and start off his new year with a bang by joining in the national training next week.

"I think I'll be back to training with the national team starting this Monday. I'm really looking forward to training this year. However, it will be a big commitment," said Tan, during an interview with The Brunei Times, yesterday.

"But it is up to the coach to decide if it's acceptable for me to train two weeks each month," he added.

Tan is an employee with Brunei Shell Petroleum and is required to work offshore two weeks before returning to land.

"I want to be back like the old days and get fit once again. I believe that I have been slacking quite a lot compared to few years back due to work commitments," he said. Read More…

Source: The Brunei Times

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All's not well with Barracudas

Amir Amin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

CHAOTIC and no, we are not referring to Britney Spears's reality television series rather describing the Brunei Barracudas' sophomore season in the Asean Basketball League (ABL).

Loss of fans, mass exodus of local players and a match that did not even reach the final buzzer are among the highlights of their season and it is not even over yet.

How did Brunei's first professional basketball team manage to attract so many negative headlines?

Perhaps the Barracudas' problem lies far below the surface, or more appropriately off the court rather than on it.

Remember Mike Pilgrim, who was sacked by the team because of "disciplinary issues"last season?

The Barracudas literally pushed the self-destruct button when they let the American go because it came just three days before a do-or-die battle against then league leaders, the Philippine Patriots.

The fans cried foul over his exit and they were justified when the Barracudas lost 87-65 to the hosts at the Ynares Sports Arena in the Philippines. The defeat dashed the Bruneians' play-off chances. Read More…

Source: The Brunei Times

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ABL: Barracudas fall to Satria Muda and are out of the play-offs

Amir Amin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, January 3, 2011

DOWN AND OUT!

A HAPPY new year it is not for the Brunei Barracudas who started 2011 on a losing note falling 87-70 to Satria Muda in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) yesterday.

The defeat at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday means that the Barracudas are now out of the ABL play-offs.

Currently sitting at the bottom of the six-team ABL table, with six points and a 3-10 win-loss record, the Barracudas needed to beat their Indonesian rivals to have any hopes of advancing to the play-offs.

American import Chris Commons failed to lead the Barracudas towards victory despite scoring a game-high 23 points.

Compatriot Chris Garnett registered a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Chester Tolomia rounded off the top three for the Barracudas with 12 points.

In contrast, five players from the visiting team registered double figures to shoot down the Barracudas. Read More…

Source: The Brunei Times

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Barracudas face immediate upstream challenge in 2011

Amir Amin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Team prepare to take on Satria Muda tomorrow

A CHANGE of luck in the Asean Basketball League is all that the Barracudas can hope for with the rolling in of the new year.

The Barracudas are scheduled to play Satria Muda tomorrow but others around the region will no doubt focus their attention over at the Nimibutr National Stadium as leaders Thailand Slammers host 2009/10 champions Philippines Patriots, a match billed as the "Clash of the Titans".

If the match in Thailand is dubbed as such then the contest over at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas could be termed "Clash of the Bottom-Feeders".

The local-outfit sit at the basement of the six-team league with a 3-9 win-loss record while opponents-to-be Satria Muda place at fifth (4-8).

Before Dec 13th the Barracudas would have entered the match confidently after having beaten the Indonesian-side twice this season. However after the mass exodus of local players Esmond Tan, Benjamin Lim, Md Badri Hj Suhaili and Lim Aik Hock, the Barracudas are left reeling with their exit.

Reserves Jamri Ramlee, Md Rahmat Hj Suhaili, Ahmad Termizi Hj Nordeen and Afif Khalidi were swiftly promoted to first-team status to fill in the gaps but it proved to have little impact in their first test against the Slammers on Dec 22. Read More…

Source: The Brunei Times

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