THE national women’s basketball team are eagerly anticipating the opportunity of testing themselves against quality opponents at the Maba International Invitation that starts on Tuesday.
The one-week tournament is organised by the Malaysia Basketball Association (Maba) to help the national men and women’s teams prepare for next month’s Philippines Sea Games.
The women’s competition will also feature China’s Shanghai Dahua, Taiwan’s Fo Guang University and Chunghwa Telecom, and Japan’s Tohoku Gakuin University.
And national women’s coach Yoong Sze Yuin believes the competition will be ideal as she whips her team into shape for their Sea Games title defence.
“It will be a tough challenge for us, but this is exactly what we need. We need the exposure of playing against higher-level opponents to see where we can improve on,” said Sze Yuin yesterday.
“Of course, this is also a really good tune-up for us ahead of the biennial Games.
“We are the Sea Games defending champions but the road to gold is a lot harder this time as the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia will have naturalised players.
“I’m not expecting my team to win the Maba Invitation. What’s more important is that my players play to their level and continue to show improvement.”
Sze Yuin is expected to name her final 12-player roster for the Sea Games after the Maba Invitation.
It is the same for the men’s national team with head coach Brian Lester expected to cut four players from his current 16-player pool for the Sea Games.
The men’s team, meanwhile, face a tougher challenge at the Maba Invitation as they go up against Asean Basketball League (ABL) teams, Westports Malaysia Dragons and Formosa Dreamers, Australia’s ACBA Dragons and Wah Chin Kings, and China’s Xiamen University.
Additionally, the Maba Invitation will also feature a 3x3 competition that starts on Monday. It is meant to give the Sea Games 3x3 teams a chance to get practice.
The men’s 3x3 squad will feature the quartet of Chin Zi Shin, Wong Chin Yong, Choo Wei Hong and Tem Zhen Jie while Pang Hui Pin, Yap Fook Yee, Tai Chia Qian and Eugene Ting make up the women’s team.
SEA GAMES PROVISIONAL SQUAD — Men: Kuek Tian Yuan, Foo Ting Jun, Teo Lol Hou, De Wee Yiang, Tan Chee Wey, Yek Liang Chuan, Chang Zi Fueng, Mak Lok Seng, Liew Wei Yuong, Ting Chun Hong, Chin Zi Shin, Ooi Xian Fu, Perry Lim, Chin Cheng Wah, Ong Wei Yong.
Women: Wong Mei Chyn, Chia Mun Yi, Tan Pei Jie, Lee Phei Ling, Saw Wei Yin, Magdalene Low, Tai Chia Qian, R. Kalaimathi, Hiew Ky Lie, Khoo Kar Syuen, Ho Ching Yee, Yap Fook Yee, Eugene Ting.