HPB: Malaysia overpowered by NCAA All-Stars

The Malaysia Men's team opened their campaign at the Hualien Probation Basketball Invitational this afternoon, facing the NCAA All-Star team from the USA. Our boys were physically out-matched against their bigger opponents, and with hot shooting from this American All-Star team, Malaysia lost the game 45-99.

It had not been easy on our boys even before the tournament began. The flight they were on had met with technical issues and had to turn back an hour after take-off. The Malaysia team were put on another flight after a four-hour delay. After touching down at the Taipei International Airport, the team was informed that road-access to Hualien was blocked due to the continuous torrential rain for the past two weeks. Our boys managed to catch the last train to Hualien at 11pm.

The trying journey left our boys cold, hungry and tired, but nevertheless, they managed to reach their hotel safely by 3am this morning. With the first game at 3pm, Coach Soo chose to forgo the morning training session in the hopes that the team would be able to garner sufficient rest to recover.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the long trip had taken its toll on our boys and they did not get off to a good start. The Malaysian team were unable to score after their first basket by Heh Boon Pin, until Coach Soo put in his youngsters, Kuek Tian Yuan and Tong Wen Keong. The Americans had already pulled away with a 22 point lead at the end of the first quarter, with the score at 30-8.

The focus of this NCAA All-Star squad are the Afghan quartet of Nafi Mashriqi, Aman Aminzay, Billai Azizi and Habib Kabir, who all stand above 198cm. Our boys had choice but to slow the tempo down, in hopes of keeping the Americans from running up the score. However, with Malaysian shots clanging out of the basket, the NCAA All-Star team extended their lead and ended the first half of play with a 52-15 advantage.

Coach Soo told his players at halftime to focus on defense, and tried to employ a half-court press on the Americans, and double-team them whenever possible. This strategy managed to disrupt the American offense and our boys managed to outscore the Americans 21-20 in the third quarter.

The Americans came back strong in the fourth quarter and with our big men, Chow Kin Hoong, Chin Teck Wei and Heh Boon Pin all with four fouls, we were unable to contend with the inside play of the Americans.

Our boys managed to buckle down and hold strong during the last two American plays to prevent them from breaking the century mark. The final score was 45-99 in favour of the NCAA All-Star team.

By Chen Hui Jing‧ 14th October 2009

技不如人又遇飞行挫折
马男以45比99不敌NCAA

不出所料，马来西亚男篮队在台湾花莲上演的观护杯国际邀请赛，首仗对上美国NCAA大学明星队，无法抵住对手强横的碰撞和神准的外投，终场以45比99败北。

以唐文勇、周健鸿等组成的马男篮二队，此番花莲之行，可说百般苦磨。球队乘搭的班机尽管准时起飞，可是，在飞行一个小时后，机长通过广播宣布，飞机面对机 械故障必须折回ICCT终站，就这样，在班机维修后的4个小时，亚航最后协调是换了另一飞机，这才得以续航。

抵达台北桃园国际机场，已经是晚间接近10时。球队从移民厅官员口中得知，基于连续两个星期降雨，从台北通往花莲的主干公路因土崩而瘫痪，欲前往花莲只剩内陆航班或火车铁道两个选择。

花莲国际赛主委会充份演译做为东道主的角色，联系员一直守候迟到的马来西亚队，并且协助球队赶上了晚间11时开往花莲末班火车。

全程大约要4个小时，而台湾火车服务值得一赞，准时把我们送到花莲。经过这番折腾，球队在凌晨3时扺步，全体成员已是又饥又冷又累，草草在7-11便利店买了便当充饥，倒头即已睡死。

午间的比赛来临前，头一次率军出征的教练苏永庆决定放弃早上的练习，希望队员能够有更多时间争取睡眠以换回体力，使得实力原本就在球队之上的美国NCAA明星队，占尽了便宜。

一开赛，球队一如所想，软绵绵又余又手感全失，在夏文彬中投得手后，便无以为继，苏永庆在首节的末段2分钟换入郭添源、唐文强等新丁，才打破冷场，不过，对手经已扬长而去，以30比8取得绝对优势。

这支美国NCAA明星队，主要是以阿富汗留美学院生为主，NAFI MASHRIQI、AMAN AMINZAY、BILLAI AZIZI和HABIB KABIR的身高都在6尺6和6尺7之争，拥有支配制空权的能力。

我队只能且战且走，试图通过拖延战术，尽力不让对手把比分拉开，然而，进攻上手感尽失，无法有效的箝制对手进范，第二节，也只能拿到7分，以15比52大步落后。

下半场休息时，苏永庆放弃进攻，只交待队员做好防守，包括打出大半场紧迫，并在本区采取关门打狗的策略，这一招确实让美国队措手不及，竟然被我队取得了21比20的成绩。

屡次被我方抢断，美国队在第4节有备而战，我队已是强弩之末，周健鸿、陈德伟和夏文彬这些内线队员，都已经各领4犯在身，禁区防线更为脆弱，终场，美国队的两次进攻都被我队否决，侥悻不失百分大关。

刘祖麟报道