Singapore Challenge Series

A quick update on the Singapore Slingers:

The Singapore Slingers will be hosting teams from around the Pan Asia Pacific region. Starting with a tough first game against recent PBA Grand Finalist AIR 21 on the 17th of September. The ‘Challenge Series’ will run through to the end of January. The ‘Series’ replaces the games set aside for the Australian NBL and keeps the momentum building towards the Slingers goal of playing in an ASEAN professional league. The following dates have been set for the 'Starting Five':

* Tickets for the first five games are on sale from Wednesday at Sistic. The first five games are:

Game #1 Wed 17 September Air 21 ( Philippines PBA)

Game #2 Sun 21 September Air 21 ( Philippines PBA)

Game #3 Tue 30 September Purefoods ( Philippines PBA)

Game #4 Sun 5 October Sydney Spirit (Australian NBL)

Game #5 Sun 12 October Beijing Aoshen ( China )


All 5 games will be played at the home of the Slingers – The Singapore Indoor Stadium. So go book your tickets from Sistic online from the 10th of Sep '08.

I've heard about Purefoods from the PBA league long ago, they were very good. If you are wondering why they have names like Air 21 and Purefoods, basically commercial sponsorship of the teams. Singapore used to have team names like as Asia Electric back in the 60s through 80s when basketball used to rule the courts and soccer wasn't the only thing on Singapore TV and the minds of every kopi tiam uncles. We even won a SEA games bronze medal in the 1979 games, 2 years after it was introduced into SEA games. But you know Philippines will rule the sport in the region, given 90% of the Filipinos I know, play the sport.

So Filipino supporters, do come support the sport and your Filipino teams! But you might be torn between supporting them or the Singapore Slingers as we have the top amateur basketball player in the Philippines - our PBL MVP Jason Castro in the starting lineup!