SEA Games 2017 Preview: Singapore

After bagging two consecutive SEA Games medals, can Singapore Men’s Basketball go for a 3^rd straight trip to the podium?

[อ่านภาษาไทย คลิกที่นี่เลยครับ]

Overview

Singapore has been holding on to it’s core dearly but they’ve also done a good job of starting to transition for the next wave.

Wong Wei Long and Ng Han Bin are both still here to lead the second youngest team (22.8 Years) to a strong SEA Games run. Singapore might still have to go through growing pains, as evident from their run in the SEABA Championship. The team still made some rookie mistakes, along with Frank Arsego figuring his team out in his first run.

But things should be better this time around in the SEA Games, with better preparation and improvements in the lineup. Russel Low and Mitchell Folkoff are back in the picture, both of them easy upgrades over Justin Lim and Tan Chin Hong. Singapore had decent runs in their Manila training camp, which should give them a better understanding of the team they should be in the SEA Games.

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Players

First Name	Surname	DOB	Team
Wei Long	Wong	18/08/1988	Singapore Slingers
Hanbin	Ng	13/01/1989	Singapore Slingers
Leon	Kwek	19/08/1996	Singapore Slingers
Mitchell	Folkoff	13/09/1989	Singapore Slingers
Delvin	Goh	14/04/1995	Singapore Slingers
Larry	Liew	07/05/1993	Singapore Slingers
Er Wen	Cheok	17/04/1996	N/A
Lyon	Chia	07/12/1996	N/A
Lavin	Raj	27/06/2000	N/A
Russel	Low	30/04/1993	N/A
John	Ng	05/09/1994	N/A
Jun Yuan	Lim	15/01/1997	N/A

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Schedule (According to Malaysia Time GMT +8)

20/8 14:45 PM vs. Cambodia
21/8 15:45 PM vs. Laos
22/8 15:45 PM vs. Indonesia
24/8 18:00 PM vs. Vietnam

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Player(s) to Watch

Player	Notable Stats	Competition	Team
Delvin Goh	33.5 MPG, 11.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG	SEABA Championship 2017	Singapore
Russel Low	26.0 MPG, 10.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG	SEA Games 2015	Singapore
Lavin Raj	13.2 MPG, 9.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG	SEABA Championship 2017	Singapore

Believe it or not, Singapore’s biggest threat could actually be their front line.

Delvin Goh is still around (still at 22 years old, feels like he’s been around forever) and while we’re still waiting for him to breakout as a star, he’s going to produce solid enough numbers to hold down the paint.

However, it might be Russel Low (24) that has a higher potential and ceiling. Low’s been on and off from basketball with his commitments to study, but his feel for offence and solid defensive stance makes him an invaluable part to the Singapore National Team program. Hopefully, Singapore will have him in top condition.

And it doesn’t even end there!

Those who followed the SEABA Championship surely have heard of the 17-year-old prodigy, Lavin Raj, and he’s back on the SEA Games roster to throw his big body around and learn. I still doubt Raj logs major minutes in meaningful games, but it’s going to be interesting nonetheless to track his development.

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What to Expect

Singapore’s going to be better than their SEABA Championship run, that’s a given. Low gives them another big man down low, so it’s going to be less likely that we see Han Bin struggling at playing the 4. Folkoff gives Singapore an additional veteran presence who is capable of playing lockdown defense, which is something the younger players need to pick up fast.

Frank Arsego should look a lot more comfortable with an extended period of practice time with the team, as well as a solid training camp.

You can always count on Singapore to play solid stingy defense (though that SEABA Championship campaign saw the intensity drop down a bit) and that should return to be their strength in this SEA Games.

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3 Key Points

1. Use of Big Men
   Singapore have a good number of big men to use… but it’ll be how they use those players that will be crucial to their success. Playing Low/Goh at the same time looks good on paper, but they might run in trouble against other teams that have one traditional big and a more fluid stretch 4. Do they play Low in the post and drift Goh outside? Do they keep only one on the floor at a time?
2. Wei Long Injections
   I don’t have numbers to back this up (which is sad because that’s what I usually pride myself in), Wei Long seems better for Singapore when he’s put into the game for short scoring bursts at a time. When he stays on the floor for too long, it seems like teams get too familiar with him and he tires himself out. It might be difficult to do that with the current roster set up that Singapore has, but it might be worth a shot at trying out.
3. THREE POINT SHOOTING
   Even if the have three solid big men, it’s going to be worth nothing if Singapore cannot pick up their three point shooting which shot only 25.2% in SEABA 2017. Wu Qingde ain’t walking through that door soon (get well soon Qingde), so the rest of the perimeter players (especially Han Bin and Liew) will have to pick up the slack.

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Bottom Line

Singapore surprisingly lucked out into a good schedule despite the hosts being their long time rivals. They’ll have a chance to build up their confidence leading into the major match up of their group against Indonesia. Indonesia handled them pretty easily in the SEABA Championship, but things could be different this time.

Even if Singapore fails to seal that win, they will get a one-day rest before going up against Vietnam which possibly decides their fate at a medal opportunity.

Singapore is in a positive state where they have a good number of veterans mixed up with young prospects. They’re in a position where they have a chance to contend for a medal while building up for the future as well.

More Previews

Philippines
Indonesia
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Cambodia
Vietnam
Myanmar
Laos

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