2009-10 ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Official Thread

[satria_muda]

satria muda Jakarta current roster

home court SM Britama Arena

 

[Johnny A]

So that means a team can hire a 5 imports, 3 southeast asian imports and 2 westerners. Is there a rule on how many imports can play at the same time on-court? Because if there's no such ruling, then the teams will maximize the playing time of these imports (well imports are supposedly better than local players), and lose the identity of their teams. I guess we dont want that to happen.

 

[c_d]

Mikee Romero (top left), coowner of the Philippine Patriots, explains the new league’s concept and later joins organizers, team owners and some of the players in posing before photographers.

Asean Basketball League confident of growth in challenging times

Sports
Written by Aldrin Quinto / Subeditor
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 00:59


THIS is no six nations championship.

Well, it is, for at least a season.

But several veteran sports league organizers and corporate executives consider basketball as the second-most popular sport in the world next to football, and believe that with 600 million people in the region, the Asean Basketball League (ABL) will thrive.

Of course, rugby’s Six Nations Championship—which, until the year 2000, was known as the Five Nations and decades before that the Home Nations featuring four squads—is a battle among nations and not commercial squads like the ABL.

The clubs from six countries in Southeast Asia get to field five nationals and are allowed to hire imports from outside of the region and players from neighboring countries, including rival nations. Teams play home and away eliminations and playoffs.

That should make the newest cage league—the first commercial basketball competition in the region—more like a small-scale version of the European football leagues.

Several team owners have yet to actually complete their rosters for the first season coming off the wraps in October, but they are confident of the progress that they believe the league will soon be able to expand to a dozen and are envisioning a full lineup of 20 squads—perhaps looking at the model of the premier divisions in the English, Italian and Spanish football.

“This will not be limited to six nations. We’ll try to expand it to as far as 20, probably in two years’ time,” said Mikee Romero, who coowns the Philippine Patriots with Tony Boy Cojuangco.

“This is Southeast Asia’s answer to the big leagues,” he added.


The league, launched on Tuesday in Makati City with top executives of the clubs in attendance, is also looking forward to a world club competition to be organized by basketball’s world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Basketball.

“It is the dream of the association to see some of our members be among the best in the Asian region,” said Southeast Asian Basketball Association president Erick Thohir of Indonesia.

Thohir noted that economy in the region is “okay,” and inspired by the growth of cricket in India, the ABL has high hopes.

He cited an article in a regional magazine which said that in two years, the Indian cricket league is expected to gain revenue comparable with those of the premier football leagues in Europe.

“That’s cricket. Basketball is the No. 2 sport in the world right now,” he said, stressing that with hard work, the sport can reach greater heights as football in the region. Domestic leagues in Southeast Asia, he said, get higher television ratings than the English Premier League.

The games will be shown in the Philippines on TV5. The league is currently also negotiating with international carriers.

The Philippine Patriots will battle it out against The Brunei Barracudas, KL Dragons of Malaysia, Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma, the Thailand Tigers and the Singapore Slingers, which competes in the Australian League.

The league was formed in January and will have its first season from October to February with the finals to be held in Malaysia.

The ABL will also have a junior development program for players aged 17 and below.

Imports will have a maximum salary of $10,000 a month. There will be no salary caps for nationals.

 

[raichu08]

anyone know how the phil patriots jersey will look like?

 

[satria_muda]

Mikee Romero (top left), coowner of the Philippine Patriots, explains the new league’s concept and later joins organizers, team owners and some of the players in posing before photographers.

couldnt they made better logo ?

 

[vsloke2009]

Anybody know about the fix schedule in every country ?

 

[c_d]

The Barracudas from Brunei are not just entering the ABL just to be there, they will eat up the competition if underestimated.​

Barracudas ready for fresh bite!

By Vincent Lai

The Brunei-based side were, just like everyone else, excited to be at the ASEAN Basketball League launch in Makati City in Metro Manila; to announce to the world that the Sultanate now has a professional hoops team to call its own.

"This is the first pro team we have in Brunei, and we did not have any sort of professional setup for the sport before this," said Benjamin Lim, one of the first few signings of the Barracudas. "We are very excited about the launch because we will be the first few people to represent Brunei in a professional basketball tournament."

"We met a few players that we've played before in national championships, but with the rules, the imports, all the countries will be on par."

Xavier Leong, a small forward that also signed with the team as one of its local players, is optimistic that the Barracudas will be competitive in the Southeast Asian league from the get-go.

"I feel that with the [import] rules, the Barracudas will be competitive in the league, as the talent will be quite balanced. There isn't a whole lot of difference between the first and the last team," said the Brunei SEA Games representative.

Team manager Norizah Taylor did add that the Barracudas are still looking to complete their roster, and will exhaust all the avenues within the rules and restrictions to build a winning team.

"As far as the roster is concerned, all the playing personnel are close to being finalized," said Taylor. "So far, these two gentlemen have signed, but the rest of the players are still to be confirmed."

"But Benjamin and Xavier are definitely in the team; they're wearing our shirts!"

"We are most definitely going for the full quota of local, ASEAN and foreign imports, but the main lineup is still to be finalized."

Despite the long road ahead before the team even finalises its roster and starts acclimatizing in the League, Benjamin Lim is eager to get the league match going, such is his desire to start ballin'.

"It's going to be tough, there is a lot of work to be done ahead," said the shooting guard. "I'm very excited, as we have not been playing basketball as our occupation, but at more of an amateur level."

"The pro level is totally different from what we are used to. The difference is already seen in the amount of preparation we put for practice, in how we keep ourselves in tip-top condition."

Xavier Leong is just glad to have signed on to play professionally.

"We've been playing our basketball as amateurs, playing basketball in our free time, join the national side to represent Brunei. Before this I was self-employed, and now I'm a professional with the Barracudas."

Taylor is confident in the players they have now, and is optimistic that they can attract top talent from all over Brunei to don the yellow jersey of the Barrcudas.

"I have faith and confidence in our players," said the team manager. "Compared to the teams that are established two or three years ahead of us, obviously they have much more experience."

"Our two young players here are just entering into the professional level. It will be difficult, but I believe they will do their best and perform to international standards. So we have faith in them, and this is a great opportunity for them."

"The players that we have are at least of national level, as we have to think about what is beneficial for us. The players that we have are not national players representing Brunei, but they play at the national level."

"We have worked with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and we're also in touch with the Brunei basketball association, so we do get a list of all the national-level players, and we will be doing try-outs in the next two weeks. We do also scout the Sultan's Cup and Rimula Cup for out players."

"As for the players joining us, it is a huge career move for them."

 

[c_d]

Singapore Slingers GM Michael Johnson reckons his local players will one day be neck-and-neck with players from the Philippines.​

Johnson: Our kids will do S'pore proud

By Vincent Lai

Johnson hosted the media in an interview session immediately after the launch of the ASEAN Basketball League and was confident that his local boys have the potential to match the regional basketball powerhouses in the near future.

"Yes, I think we will be," said the Slingers general manager. "One of the things we've done over the three years we've been in Singapore is we started to build a foundation for the young and up and coming players."

"Our head coach in these three years has worked with the Singapore national team coach, Neo Beng Seng, who happens to also be our assistant coach."

"And with the Challenge Series last year, once we pulled out of the NBL, when we replaced out international players, we didn't replace them like-for-like; we replaced them with local players," added Johnson. "So they got their first taste of professional basketball, and I've seen them grow and develop in the last three to four months."

"Are we going to be as good as the Filipino team straight away? No, probably not. Their history in basketball is a strong one. They have a lot of talent and are very deep. But these kids will do Singapore proud, they work hard and they learn quickly, they are very intelligent kids."

"So I think they will do Singapore proud."

Johnson was ecstatic with the launch of the ABL, which signaled a beginning for the Lion City side, and a marked departure from the Australian National Basketball League.

"I think that this is a world apart," said Johnson about the difference between the ABL and the NBL. "We're so much more excited about it, the relevance of Singaporeans involved in an ASEAN competition rather than playing in an Australian league where we didn't know most of the places we were playing."

"I think the standard will be good. And I think it's just a bonus for the Singapore Slingers, that something we're aiming for when we first came to Singapore."

"We looked at a five-year time frame, but as our chairman Tony Fernandes said, we didn't have anywhere else to play, so the Australian NBL gave us a very good professional platform to launch the brand in Singapore."

"And now we have the ASEAN League that allows us to spread into the region, where we should be."

However, the former NBL pro did concede that the League's teams will rely heavily on their imports for production in the first few seasons of the ABL.

"That will happen with every team," stressed Johnson. "When you have a competition where you are allowed two international imports, a lot of the teams' positions depend on how good their imports are."

"So they will have the bulk of the responsibility initially, but I think we now have in place a few of the local guys that can step in straight away and play valuable minutes."

Nonetheless, ‘MJ', as he is affectionately called by his players, is brimming with excitement that the league is about to start, and hopes that Singaporeans will turn up to support their fellow compatriots.

"It is, it's something that if you said three years ago that this is the outcome after three years, everybody would have said you're crazy, it can't happen, but fortunately Tony Fernandes is in base, and thing tend to move along quicker with him," commented Johnson in regards to the Slingers paradigm shift.

"This is an opportunity for Singaporeans to come support Singaporeans," added the Slingers GM. "We go from an international team with a few Singaporeans to a Singaporean team with some international players."

"There will be seven local-based players on our roster at all times, and they will play."

 

[c_d]

In the midst of the ABL launch, ESPNSTAR.com did manage to catch up with two familiar faces: Hong Wei Jian and Pathman Matialakan.
​

Hong: Time to put on a good show

By Vincent Lai

The Singapore Slingers duo were flown in to Makati City in Metro Manila to be part of the festivities as the ASEAN Basketball League signaled its birth as the only professional competition played around the region.

Wei Jian was able to share a little about his short pro career to this point, while Pathman spoke about his new role with the Slingers in the upcoming season.

"I joined the Slingers for the last two games of the season," said Hong just before the launch. "I had just finished my national service [with the Singapore Armed Forces] during December and was free to join them for what was left of the [Slingers] Challenge Series."

"I joined them as they did not have enough local players on the squad, so I was fortunatec to be there to fill in the numbers."

"I felt lucky to be signed by the team, after a stint with the Singapore Armed Forces side in the local Singapore National Basketball League" added the humble Singapore national player. "This will be my first professional contract, full time. Previously, I was doing part-time coaching while waiting for the contract, but I'm in it full-time now after signing with the Slingers."

Matilakan, in his almost Shaquille O'Neal-esque demanour, gave his assessment about his role in the new look Slingers.

"In the [Australian] NBL, we had ten full-time players and two developmental players. Now I'm part of the main body," said the Republic's only pro basketball veteran. "It's not necessarily a huge payday, but it does have more incentives now, as they want us to perform individually."

"It is incentives according to stats, such as a certain number of points and rebounds in a season. It's customized to every player, as you can't expect Wei Jian to grab ten rebounds a game, for example."

The Singapore national center then touched on his offseason preparations before the start of the ABL season.

"As for the offseason, the owner and the GM have consulted the nutritionist to set our fitness targets for the upcoming season," added Pathman. "It's like after the second season where the trainers sat me down and wanted me to train to get stronger and quicker before our Challenge Series."

"The owners do not tell you to lose weight, they'll leave it to the nutrition department; they will not go like ‘Pathman, I want you to report at a hundred kilos in five weeks.'"
"The management, however, will tell you what they expect, and the players will work to their expectations."

The 6-7 low post banger could not hide his excitement with the start of the Southeast Asian competition drawing near, but was clear that the Slingers' owners and management were expecting more from him is what is to be his fourth professional season.

"Excited. Very, very excited," said Pathman. "It's something to look forward to. Instead of playing them [the ASEAN teams] just twice a year, just friendly matches with nothing to look forward to, now with a league, it's something I relish."

"There is actually a league for us to win, prize money to aim for, standings, bragging rights. It's not like the Southeast Asian games, with seventy percent being local players on our squad in the ABL; it is a league for us."

"It's a fair comment, because it's going to be my fourth year in the pros," continued the former Tong Whye center. "I naturally expect them to have some expectations of me. Without any expectations, there won't be any pressure for me to perform."

"But I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself. Just going to go out there and play, do my part."

Wei Jian, on the other hand, insisted he was not under any pressure in what will be his ‘rookie season' in the pros.

"There wont' be any pressure on my side, just go out and play, that's all," quipped the explosive swingman. "I don't have any big expectations for my performance, just want to play my best and put on a good show for you guys."

 

[c_d]

The Singapore Slingers have confirmed eight other players who will be representing the Lion City for the ASEAN Basketball League.
​

Slingers sign eight more players

The announcement of the launch of ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) in Philippines, Manila earlier this week set the wheel of players' recruitment in full motion for the Slingers.

The first 2 players signed in August 2009 were Hong Wei Jian and Pathman Matialakan. Joining them for the 2009/10 campaign are Desmond Oh Wei Jie and Lim Wai Sian.

Singaporean players Wong Wei Long, Michael Wong Soon Yuh and Steven Khoo Kian Huat will join the team on a part-time basis due to prior work commitments.

The other 3 import players are Kyle Jeffers, Michael LeBlanc (USA) and Al Vergara (Philippines) who also played for the Singapore Slinger's in 2008 alongside Pathman.

"We have revamped our roster going from an International team with a few Singaporean players to a team based around seven local players with some import players.," said Slingers general manager Michael Johnson.

"Singapore will see a hardworking and competitive young side that will play an exciting uptempo brand of basketball."

Basketball enthusiasts in the Lion City can catch a first glimpse of the revamped Singapore Slingers roster in the 2009 Challenge Series from September 18 to October 4 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The ASEAN Basketball League season officially tips off on October 10 after this exhibition series.

 

[c_d]

ABL: Showcase for Filipino talent

THE GAME OF MY LIFE
By Bill Velasco (The Philippine Star)
Updated September 05, 2009 12:00 AM

This early, the ASEAN Basketball League is realizing the fanaticism of Filipinos for basketball. The hugely successful launch this week shows the clear intent of the organizers and team owners to make the league big. Deals are already being hammered out with ESPN to provide regional coverage.

A broadcast team is already being assembled by the team owners (some of whom are also television network owners in other member countries) in other member countries, with the help of ABC 5.

In a dinner Wednesday night, the team officials also started to see how much bigger an impact the ABL would have if it tapped more into the intense love for the game here in the Philippines. Of course, the Philippine Patriots will likely have retired icons like Johnny Abarrientos and possibly Vergel Meneses and others in their roster.

But, as the team owners conversed, they acknowledged that the fledgling league would also need certain advantages of the Philippines to help give it an early boost.

The original opening card on Oct. 10 was supposed to be played in Singapore, but it seems probable that it will be moved to the Philippines, instead, to draw a bigger crowd.

Initially, the teams agreed on having two non-Asians (most likely Americans) as imports and three other players from within South East Asia. Now, though, the consensus is that perhaps each team might want to have two Filipino players in its lineup, instead.

“We’re very excited about these developments,” said Patriots co-owner Mikee Romero. “We will be able to give jobs to our fellow Filipinos, and at the same time provide them an opportunity to show their skills internationally.”

Brunei is also inquiring if they could have more than two Filipinos on their team, since they will have some catching up to do, talent-wise.

Other countries are mulling the hiring of Filipino coaches to impart their relatively advanced knowledge of the game.

“I have had Filipino coaches on my commercial teams for years now,” says Erick Thohir, the Indonesian team owner and president of the South East Asia Basketball Association or SEABA. “We’ve had experienced coaches like Nat Canson and Boycie Zamar teach our players a lot.”

The most common question is the sustainability of the league. Romero says there is little to worry about, because the team owners have shown not only their willingness, but more importantly, their capability, to spend on competitive teams.

“We were surprised that at the press conference, they had even flown in their own press contingents,” Romero elaborated. “These are big players in business in the region. And they all want to do well. I don’t think any of them would like losing.”

So far, even the broadcast team is set to have a largely Filipino color.

“The owners were considering having an all-Filipino announcers’ pool, because English will be the language used for ESPN’s broadcasts,” says ABC 5 president Bobby Barreiro. “We proposed having the more senior TV panel members be Filipino, and help announcers from other countries learn from them, since basketball is really our number one sport.”

All this is great news for the Philippines, which will get even more recognition for its all-around passion for the sport of basketball.

 

[dreamwalker]

Quite curious about the Slingers. Long time ago there were reports from the media lambasting the Singaporeans for their aggressive recruitment of young tall players from mainland China for future naturalization purposes to beef up its own national team.

The rumors were, parents of these "minors" were encouraged first to migrate to Singapore, provided decent jobs, housing accommodations and some form of relocation allowance. And upon reaching the age of majority, these young adults can claim Singaporean citizenships. That concept didn't materialize though due to the one naturalized player as per FIBA rule for each country.

If these allegations are true, can they use these naturalized players as LOCALS then ? I don't think the ABL organizers haven't touched this sensitive issue or not a cause of concern right now.

I still don't like Manila's team monicker "The Patriots". Filipino imports playing for the other ABL ballclubs will look like turncoats......

 

[logre23]

ABL launch impressive

ABL launch impressive

http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20090906-223812/ABL-launch-impressive

ABL launch impressive

By Beth Celis
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:34:00 09/06/2009


IMPRESSIVE! Owners of the newly formed Asean Basketball League personally made an appearance during its formal launching last September l at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.

Doubly impressive was the fact that about half of the team owners flew to Manila in their own private jets like Brunei’s Nadzaty Azma Azeez, who’s in the electronics and electrical business and is into basketball for the first time.

Though she most likely is Western-educated, since she speaks good English, Nadzaty still wears the traditional Muslim headgear.

Then there’s Air Asia’s Tony Fernandes of Malaysia, who came for the event in a huge, commercial airbus with only a handful of passengers aboard. Tony and his entourage arrived in Manila Tuesday morning and left for Malaysia in the afternoon of the same day.

It was Tony, a mutual friend of businessmen Mikee Romero and Tonyboy Cojuangco, who brought the two together to form a partnership and an ABL team they have dubbed as The Philippine Patriots.

* * *

“They’re so much fun to be with,” said Tonyboy, a pioneer member of the newest billionaire sporting club.

“We only met today and already we’re very comfortable with each other. It’s a fun group.”

Tonyboy owns ABC-5 which used to be the television coverer of the PBA before Solar Sports took over. He said members of the ABL look at the league not only as a sporting activity but also as a venue for business opportunities on the Southeast Asian level.

Tonyboy said ABC-5 would be covering the ABL games for television while his partner Mikee will provide the expertise in forming and running the team.

For the September l launch, the five other teams had brought in their own television crew and print media entourage.

“I’m sure the league will be a success, considering that owners, company CEOs and high-ranking executives are behind the organization,’ said Tonyboy brimming with enthusiasm. With him at the Chinese dinner hosted by Mikee for the ABL delegation was ABC-5’s marketing head Bobby Barreiro.

Word had it that Mikee’s newest business partner in port operations, Manny V. Pangilinan, may also field a team in the future. Each country is allowed to field two teams under the ABL format.MVP was one of the guests at the dinner.

 

[AlYuson]

Quite curious about the Slingers. Long time ago there were reports from the media lambasting the Singaporeans for their aggressive recruitment of young tall players from mainland China for future naturalization purposes to beef up its own national team.

The rumors were, parents of these "minors" were encouraged first to migrate to Singapore, provided decent jobs, housing accommodations and some form of relocation allowance. And upon reaching the age of majority, these young adults can claim Singaporean citizenships. That concept didn't materialize though due to the one naturalized player as per FIBA rule for each country.

If these allegations are true, can they use these naturalized players as LOCALS then ? I don't think the ABL organizers haven't touched this sensitive issue or not a cause of concern right now.

I still don't like Manila's team monicker "The Patriots". Filipino imports playing for the other ABL ballclubs will look like turncoats......

We cannot do something about that but to bear with Patriots monicker..If i would have my way, i prefer Manila Magnates....

 

[alermac]

If these allegations are true, can they use these naturalized players as LOCALS then ?

Of course, plenty of naturalized players around the world play as "locals". FIBA might have its rules for NTs, but these are clubs and there's no realistic legal way to keep a naturalized player to exercise its citizenship and have a job in his nation.

 

[b3lowzro]

is Wu Chun playing for Brunei? I think he's a great attraction for the league, and yes he'll have a halftime performance

 

[manu_bol]

The Founding Teams

 

[dreamwalker]

The Founding Teams

Wow, the Philippine logo is super Retro.

 

[dreamwalker]

Of course, plenty of naturalized players around the world play as "locals". FIBA might have its rules for NTs, but these are clubs and there's no realistic legal way to keep a naturalized player to exercise its citizenship and have a job in his nation.

Well, the southeast asian level of basketball is quite low compared to other asian regions the only exception is the basketball crazy Philippines, known for beefing up its teams with filipino-american talents (mixed blood with dual citizenships) and local borns as well.

Would it not put other ABL members to be in a great disadvantage if the Philippines employ such a team ? Will it put a wealthy ABL member country to employ an all naturalized basketball team to play as locals ?

Let's say for example Singapore which is ethnic chinese by origin employing naturalized chinese mainlanders ? Would that put them in a great advantage over the rest of the field ?

ABL shuns FIBA and does not want it to be involved in its own affairs, they'll have their own sets of rules.

And also, this is beyond the scope of one naturalized player exercising his citizenship or legal rights to keep or earn his job but to keep the competition balance for all ABL member teams and a clear ruling should be addressed with this kind of issue.

 

[alermac]

Would it not put other ABL members to be in a great disadvantage if the Philippines employ such a team ? Will it put a wealthy ABL member country to employ an all naturalized basketball team to play as locals ?

Let's say for example Singapore which is ethnic chinese by origin employing naturalized chinese mainlanders ? Would that put them in a great advantage over the rest of the field ?

Of course that would mean great advantages, and that would hurt the competition's interest. But, if the goal of the competition is to raise the level or a region, limiting the possibilities of the best teams might not be the best way to go.

And also, this is beyond the scope of one naturalized player exercising his citizenship or legal rights to keep or earn his job but to keep the competition balance for all ABL member teams and a clear ruling should be addressed with this kind of issue.

My point is, such a ruling would easily be subject to legal claims because of discrimination.