Kuching field eight teams for state championships

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KUCHING: The Kuching Division Basketball Association have set a precedent for the Sarawak Open and 2nd Youth (U15 Boys/Girls) Basketball Championships by fielding a record number of eight teams for the competition this year.

KDBA chairman Voon Soon Liong (right) casts a draw lot for the Girls U15 competition on Wednesday while organising chairman Wilson Tan (centre) and committee members look on.

With the aim of promoting basketball, the association will be fielding two teams each for the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Boys U15 and Girls U15 categories which will be competed at Kota Sentosa Basketball Association indoor basketball court at Kota Sentosa from Sept 15-19.

“We are sending two teams each for each category to make up for the vacant left by other Sarawak Basketball Association divisional affiliates who are not sending ‘full’ teams,” said KDBA secretary Raymond Teo.

According to him, Sri Aman could not send their Boys/Girls U15 teams due to financial constraints while Sibu and Miri were unable to field teams for the Women’s Open as they did not have enough players to form a team.

The 45th edition of the Sarawak Open and the 2nd Youth (U15 Boys/Girls) Basketball Championships were supposed to be hosted by Sri Aman this year but the Sri Aman Division Basketball gave up the host job due to technical reasons and Kuching was assigned to be the host.

“Our (KDBA) president Richard Wee has kindly consented to sponsor the Datuk Amar Wee Hood Teck Challenge Trophy in remembrance of his father and we are very grateful to other sponsors for supporting the championships,” said Teo.

They include Lea Sports Centre who are sponsoring the attires for the organising committee and officials, H & L Supermarket for sponsoring drinks and Padawan Municipal Council for the decorative flowers/plants and chairs.

Meanwhile, defending champions Miri have been drawn together with last year’s fourth placing Bintulu and Kuching B in Men’s Open Group A while last year’s runners-up Kuching will battle third placing Sibu and Samarahan for a place in the semi-finals in Group B.

The Women’s Open has only three teams Kuching A, Kuching B and Samarahan who will be engaged in a league competition to decide the winner.

For the Boys U15 Group A, defending champion Sibu will have the company of Kuching A and Bintulu while Group B comprises Miri, Samarahan, Kuching B and Sarikei.

The Girls U15 contest, based on league format, shall have four teams Kuching A, Kuching B, Sibu and Sarikei fighting for supremacy.

Event patron Richard Wee will open the event on Sept 15 while Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin will grace the closing ceremony on Sept 19.

Entrance is free for day matches while the entrance ticket is RM3 for night matches during the preliminary rounds, and RM5 for semi-finals and finals.

Among others, this championships is aimed at selecting the best players to represent Sarawak at the 56th Agong Cup National Basketball Championship at Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur later this year.