Cup Watch
Exactly half of the SBBL teams are still surviving into round 5 of the cup. But after tonight only a maximum of 6 will still be pursuing the title of being the champion of Singapore.
Ranked 12 Flyer Sonic will be defending his Void Deck and cup hopes against the team ranked numero uno (1) in Singapore, Compassvale United (CPU). The first time the 2 teams met early in the season, CPU trounced on Sonic 123-66 but for that game Sonic didn't send his big guns out. You've definitely heard enough about how important and ownage Sonic's twin towers are the team's success can't be complete without the emergence of role player Li Po Chu, who looks to be developing a solid all-around game(last 2 games - 25.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 6.0apg). PJL, LAW and AKL will garner plenty of attention so Li Po Chu and bench will have to put in their best when open. However, it wont be easy especially with PJL and AKL's national squad teammates CPU's Yeo Tse Hui leading the charge and Huo XiangSong anchoring the middle. Don't forget F Ruudi Kallas who has been shooting a high percentage (55.1% FG, 41.9% 3FG, 20.9ppg) all season long. Flyer Sonic's fans will confirm try to get CPU's team distracted with their loud noises but ultimately Flyer Sonic players must all put up good numbers on both ends of the floor to survive CPU.
After toying with Singapore's very own Mark Cuban, vocal manager Dai Kiryu's, PROMENADE BASKETBALL CLUB, Shwe Toe Ngal (STN) will face off with another league II team, league II.1's Final Fantasy XIII. FF XIII took less than 2 season to coax 2 Singaporean superstars(Mo Jian Ting and Dong Tian Kwang) to join his team, rebuild his entire roster and raced to the top of league II.1 with a 10-0 record this season. FFXIII has 4 deadly big men in their roster, Mo Jian Ting, Achilleas Savouroyiannis, Dong Tian Kwang and Lazar Ðordić. FF XIII shows his fondness of fielding 3 big men in his frontcourt like he did in the past with exU21 F-C Lim Kim Pin and an even longer time ago (whom some ex league II.1 may know) SF-C Huang Guobang. Dont be surprised to see all 4 big men on the field at the same time tonight against STN. STN's though has a balanced but strong roster lead by the "fake korean", Taiwanese C Huang Tae Young, who conveniently also at times play the SF position. STN has an advantage in the backcourt with G Ziya Erk and G Ludolf Zdankiewicz leading the way. But still, this game maybe filled with versatile big men taking all 3 frontcourt position fighting for the win.
Also battling it out is ranked 9 Xavis against ranked 8 Singapore FC. Singapore FC's C Ng Huat better be ready because he's probably going to matchup against the best big man (so far) to ever grace Singaporean soil, Xavis' Fang Shuangxiang in an epic post battle between the young padawan vs the old skillful master(24 - NH vs 33- FSX). Singapore FC's fans will likely shout "HUAT AH" throughout the game to boost the young C's confidence, but it still would be a major accomplishment if NH holds FSX to 'just' 18pts and 10rebs. Though for offence, Singapore FC will likely rely on G Yap Jing Sze to set everyone up, sweet shooting machine G-F Perry Puesta and F Lau Tse Tung to score. Xavis' G Reynir Auðunsson and rising star G Li Liang Ting have stop YJS and harass him from making those easy passes to Puesta and Lau. For Xavis, probably playing the tactic of iso-FSX will work great with occasional kick out passes and passes to cutting teammates when Singapore FC's defenders fall asleep. The closest FSX has got to winning the Singpore Cup was in season 14 when his then team, Lycans BB, lost to Whampoa All-Stars. Will this season be the season for FSX to win the Singapore cup? Find out tonight.
Last edited by big_boss_will at 1/3/2013 3:55:02 AM