Dragons on a high
MALAYSIA Dragons will enter their first home game of the season brimming with confidence after opening their Asean Basketball League (ABL) campaign with a win in Bangkok last weekend.
When China's Chong Son Kung Fu visit the Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur today, the Dragons will be looking to replicate their 116-112 double-overtime win over Mono Vampire after Marcus Marshall set an ABL scoring record with 60 points.
Dragons coach Chris Thomas only had 11 players available in Bangkok but the signing of USborn Guam international Curtis Washington as a replacement for Solomon Jones will add firepower to the team.
“We are very excited to add Curtis to our roster,” said Thomas on the Dragons' website.
“He’s an incredibly versatile player in the inside-out who will give us a much needed boost defending the post.
“He’s also going to be a tremendous asset off the floor as well.
“His tremendous attitude and personality will instantly endear him to the rest of the team and allow him to adapt quickly to our mentality.”
Washington, 26, who last played for Taranaki Mountainairs in New Zealand, joins a Dragons team flying high at the moment and hoping to capitalise on a good start to the season.
Marshall’s incredible shooting display allied with good performances from the locals, encapsulated by Ivan Yeo’s 14 points, showed 2016 ABL champions Dragons have overcome the disappointment of missing the 2016-17 playoffs.
“I have a resilient group of guys who have already battled through a tonne of adversity early on in the season.
“Lack of practice time together, losing an elite import due to a personal matter, and everything else we’ve encountered already in this young season have pulled us all together,” Thomas added.
Chong Son marked their ABL debut with an 83-59 home win against the Singapore Slingers on Nov 17. Devinder Singh