Women cagers back in competition mode - thanks to Japan

PETALING JAYA: The national women’s basketball team are ready for action at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games following a brief training-cum-competition stint in Japan.

The women’s team, who have not seen action since defending their SEA Games gold medal last August, took an 11-day trip to Nagoya from March 5 to build up the momentum for the Gold Coast campaign.

The team played 13 matches against a selection of university teams, winning five while losing eight.

Head coach Yoong Sze Yuin believes her players will rise to the challenge where they hope to improve from a seventh-place finish at the 2006 Melbourne Games – the last time basketball was held.

“To be honest, we were not in the best shape prior to the Japan trip as it’s been a long time since the SEA Games,” said Sze Yuin.

“We also didn’t have much time training back here because it’s the start of the year and there were many distractions such as the Chinese New Year break.

“So the stint in Japan was an opportunity for my players to get back into competition mode and to work on their endurance.

“It wasn’t easy because the Japanese can play up to three matches a day while we’re more accustomed to one match a day.”

However, Sze Yuin added that she will announce her finalised 12-player roster on Monday.

The 18 players in the national training pool now are Pang Hui Pin, Nur Izzati Yaakob, Saw Wei Yin, Yap Fook Yee, Eugene Ting, Ooi Poh Yee, Chia Mun Yi, Tai Chia Qian, Magdelene Low, R. Kalaimathi, Wong Sze Qian, Ng Yu Feng, Hiew Ky Lie, Khoo Kar Syuen, Ho Ching Yee, Chong Yin Yin, Lee Phei Ling and Wong Mei Chyn.