The 2018-2019 season is about to begin for the Singapore Slingers and the Formosa Dreamers. The two hungry teams are opening Sunday’s doubleheader as they clash at OCBC Arena in Singapore at 4:00 PM local time.
It was another heartbreak for the Slingers last season when they fell to Mono Vampire in the quarter-finals. After consecutive successful seasons, they will be even hungrier this year to get that elusive ABL championship. Chris Charles, who averaged 22.9 PPG, 16.6 RPG, and 2.8 BPG, unfortunately won’t be suiting up for the Slingers this time around.
John Fields and Jerran Young will fill that void for the Singapore-based squad along with mainstays Xavier Alexander and Delvin Goh. They are hoping to bulk up in the paint with Fields, while Young’s quickness and athleticism will be a perfect match for Alexander’s all-around presence. Locals Ng Hanbin and Desmond Oh are expected to lead the team as the teams veterans. The preseason was a success for the Slingers with three quality wins which is a good sign for their fans.
Meanwhile, the revamped Formosa Dreamers are aiming to get a playoff finish with the addition of imports Malcolm Miller, Tevin Glass, and William Artino, all of whom projected to lead the Dreamers’ defense in the backcourt. Another player to look out for is former national team star, Tien Lei, who is considered one of the most talented offensive players in Chinese-Taipei. His stint in the Super Basketball League (SBL) and CBA opens great opportunities for the young gunners of the Dreamers to learn from.
The Dreamers may have had a poor season last year, but that will serve as a motivation for them to do better this year. Sharpshooter Wu Sung-Wei will try to double his performance and lead the locals in terms of scoring.
There’s a lot to look forward to this season, what with the new imports and some players playing in another team. One of the notable things to keep an eye on is this matchup between the Singapore Slingers and Formosa Dreamers – both keen and desperate to show what they’ve got.
