I have been so busy recently with traveling and lots of cycling, I have yet to post much on the Slingers. But here's making up for it - so what's been making head waves lately on our shores is going right for the Slingers. They have generated the correct media attention by signing up Darren Ng #8, whom I have missed meeting and having free beer, but Jase has it all cover in his post. This is so unfair...but then I am not like the official spokesperson for Slingers and their lives should revolve around my vacation schedules..haha
Why is Darren Ng an attraction for the media?
1) He is not bad looking - and without Michael Wong this season, we needed a local face (though Darren is born in Adelaide) which the crowd can relate to.
2) Darren is hard to get - it took the Slingers 3 times before he agreed to come and you know what they say about Men who are hard to get...hahah
3) He is going to be a Doctor soon - what attracts most girls would be brains and sports and this guy has it all. Most girls I know that watch basketball have the smarts, as basketball contains lots of numbers which translate to making the game so interesting. Like the Field Goal, Free Throw percentages, what's the scoring average of the player - which leads us to
4) Darren Ng can play basketball! In my post on the game which Darren played, he was one of the reasons Slingers lost.
He averages 13.3 points per game (PPG), 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in the 2008 season. You probably think you can do better, but this sort of stats translated in NBA standard, Darren will be akin to Tayshaun Prince of Detroit Pistons or Jermaine O'Neal of Pacers.
Other media coverage about Darren:
1. Channel NewsAsia - Basketball: Singapore Slingers hoping for a better season with new signings
The article highlights that Singapore's only professional basketball outfit have lined up new signings in 25-year-old Australian Darren Ng, 1.90m, and another Australian, 2.24 metre-tall Sam Harris. It also mentions the possibility of getting Filipino John Castro which would cater well to the huge Filipino community in Singapore.
2. The Straits Times, 25 Apr 08 - Slingers sign Ng on third attempt, H20
The article highlights Darren Ng as the Slingers' marquee signing for the new season, having been courted by the team for the past 2 seasons. It also states that Darren is currently a medical student, which adds credibility both to him and the team as a whole especially when Singaporeans mindset is "Study first, sports second". The article also mentions that the Slingers are also looking to sign another small forward in Jason Castro, the Philippine Basketball League's Most Valuable Player, and two American signings to form a team to compete for honours in the NBL. Lastly, the article quotes Chuck Harmison, NBL CEO, saying "the Slingers having a real bright future in the years to come."
That concludes Part 1 of the " What's right " series.
Now the start of the double header Saturday series (This is a term used for 2 back to back NBA basketball matches being shown live on TV).
Did you know that basketball is the most popular spectator sport in the Philippines, but not the USA, where more people attend professional football, baseball and bowling matches. So Philippines love basketball more than the Americans and let's not even start with Singapore which has focused on soccer way too much. Did you also know that
Philippines has won the SEA games gold medal for basketball since 1977 except for 1989 when it lost to Host country Malaysia; and Singapore actually used to play well and won once for its only basketball medal ever (Bronze) in 1979.
The Singapore Slingers have managed to sign on reigning two-time Most Valuable Player of the Philippines Basketball League (PBL) - 21-year-old sensation Jayson Castro (NOT the American Idol 7 finalist!!).
Jayson Castro (173cm-Point Guard-1986), one of the top amateur basketball player in the Philippines and many time national team player, is the latest Filipino import of Singapore Slingers. The 5-foot-8 Batang Pier playmaker became the first Filipino to play in the Australian National Basketball League.
Let's list out Jayson's Honor List:
MVP of the Philippine Basketball League Silver Cup 2006
MVP of PBL Unity Cup 2007
First Team Silver Cup ALL-PBL 2006
First Team Unity Cup ALL-PBL 2007
2006 SEABA Club championship (Jakarta Indonesia)
2006 PBL Silver Cup finalist
2007 PBL Unity Cup Champion
This is indeed good news for the basketball crazy Filipinos here. There is a reportedly large following of about 100,000-strong Filipino community in Singapore.
I used to play in the Filipino Friendly league over at Chua Chu Kang and these guys are really good. Even on the Spartan team we have 3 fabulous Filipinos who can shoot and handle the ball exceptionally well. I cannot imagine with Jayson's achievement so far as a 21 year old, how good he would be on the court. And by growing with the team, this will indeed be a step forward for the expansion team. Jayson will don his usual #17 Jersey and given the opening season game on the 17th September, this bodes as a good omen.
Jayson's average per game numbers are : Avg PPG 14.5 with 35% 3 point accuracy, 5.2 rebounds and 4 assists.
Now that's real stats similar to Darren which makes Jayson Part 2 of what's of to come...Slingers are really making the right moves and rippling the right waves.
Bob Turner the managing director of Slingers, flew into Philippines to watch Castro play in the PBL and I applaud Bob for the recent 2 Asian sign ups. This is indeed news worthy and a thumbs up to local/asian basketball. I hope more Singaporeans/ Filipinos will turn up to watch and in turn give basketball a chance in this soccer crazy island. For now I can't wait for September to come!
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