S’wak cagers among 22 teams for U15 championships

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KUCHING: Twenty-two teams will be vying for top honours in the 22nd Maba-Milo-Lam Mun Chak National U15 basketball championships at Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to June 1.

Maba secretary Chey That Woon said there will be 11 teams each competing in the boys and girls competitions.

States which are not sending teams to this year’s championships are Perak (girls), Pahang (boys), Perlis and Terengganu (boys and girls).

Chey said the championship was aimed at selecting players to represent Malaysia at the Asian Youth basketball championship next year.

“Previously, we organised the U16 championship but this year, we are organising the U15 championship because if we
select U16 players, most of them will be overaged next year,” he said.

Chey said Maba will also be arranging familiarisation visits for young basketballers to Petronas training centre as well as the training centre for national youth cagers.

“We will also be making arrangements for the young players to watch Asian Basketball League matches in Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Meanwhile, defending boys champions Selangor are drawn together with Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Pinang in Group A.

In Group B are Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Kelantan while the teams in Group C are Johor, Sabah, Perak and Kedah.

For the girls competition, defending champions Melaka are drawn in Group A with Johor and Pulau Pinang.

Kuala Lumpur will play Sabah, Kedah and Pahang in Group B while Selangor has the company of Sarawak, Kelantan and Negri Sembilan in Group C.