2024-03-29 19:28:55

Ocean’s Twelve (Season Preview)

2007.03.07 16:47

The next season is about to begin. We are not going to rob a Las Vegas Casino but we do have a big project that need to gather twelve . The league expanded from six teams to twelve teams in two divisions and there are quite a number of player movement too.

New teams, new players

1. Photons & 2. Wild Beasts

Not much information about the two new teams. Wild Beasts submitted the player information and it seems they have some size advantage with five players taller than 180cm. Things remain to be seen.

New teams, current players

3. V’s — Anson Cha (former Tigers)

Played in the final two games for SOUTHORN Tigers in Season II, Anson Cha grouped his friends mainly from Hawaii and formed a new team to join the league. V’s, pronounced as "vee’s", on average, may not be the tallest team in the league but could probably the eldest one. Wilson Chow and Gary Lai, two long time friends of Anson, will remain as Tigers in the coming season.

4. GRIZZ — Leo Chow, Gary Chow, Yin Ho (former M.I.B.)

One of best perimeter shooter and arguably the fastest player in the league, Leo Chow left M.I.B. with his brother Gary Chow to form a new team called GRIZZ. Another two M.I.B. players Yin Ho and Tony Chow, who were brought to M.I.B. in Season II, also joined the new team.

5. T-REX — Vincent Siu, Frankie Lee (former Trojans)

Trojans will need to find an answer as they are going to lose Vincent Siu, who will become a T-REX player in Season III. Another Trojan Frankie Lee, who won the Southorn 3-on-3 basketball in last June together with Vincent, will also join the T-REX.

6. Challenger — Bryant Chan (former Explorers)

Playing already at a "star level" in our league, Bryant Chan spent two seasons with his colleagues in the G. T. Explorers. He will now play with his own team, Challenger, and try to fight for a better result in his third season of playing.

Current teams, new members

7. SAMURAI — Chi Chiu Au, Mark Au

A proven scorer, with speed and accuracy, Chi Chiu Au could be one of the most powerful scoring threats in the league. He may affect the dominating Tabo Chak for the scoring title. His brother, Mark will also be another important addition to the team. Michael Chan, who missed the whole Season II, should return this season and the SAMURAI may once again be a solid contender. After two season’s loss in the Semi-Final, they will try to advance to the Final in a third try.

8. G. T. Explorers — Many, many?

Many (really!?) new faces, but will they play in one single game? The number of players willing to play has never been a problem to the Explorers. The problem is if they are actually free to play. In addition, Bryant Chan, their scoring leader in Season II, left the team and they will need a healthy Michael Killeen to pick up the scoring load. PG Martin Khan is going back to H.F.C. which means on one hand they are missing another major player but on the other the new guys could have more time to play.

Other current teams

9. SOUTHORN Tigers — Dennis Chan from SAMURAI

With SAMURAI for 2 seasons, Dennis Chan left his team and put up a red jersey for his third season. Lead the league in rebounds, Tigers could further strengthen their inside power with this addition. Another former SAMURAI, and also another Dennis, Chang will also register for the Tigers, just he may not able to play at all as he has committed to another league.

10.M.I.B.

With four players leaving to form a new team and still there could be members leaving for business trip regularly, the Men In Black might have a hard time in Season III. They are going to add some new players in order to maintain a "team shape". The team finished 4th in both previous seasons and both against SAMURAI in the 3rd place game.

11. H.F.C. — Martin Khan from G. T. Explorers

"Born" in Heng Fa Chuen, Martin Khan first joined the S.B.L. since the first season of the league as an G. T. Explorer. He is why H.F.C. know and joined the S.B.L. last September. Played ten games with his colleagues, he will now go back to his "native" but he will not play his former team before the playoff since the two teams are in two different divisions. H.F.C. lost two games only since they joined the S.B.L. and they were averaging a league high 42.9 points in seven games.

12. Trojans

The defending champion needed to fill the void after Vincent Siu and Frankie Lee left if they want to keep their championship hope again. They are going to lose also another big man Man Wan, who will play for another league and might not able to defend the championship with the Trojans together.

Major off-season transactions:

Player From To
Bryant Chan G. T. Explorers Challenger
Martin Khan G. T. Explorers H.F.C.
Gary Chow, Leo Chow, Yin, Ho, Tony Chow M.I.B. GRIZZ
Vincent Siu, Frankie Lee Trojans T-REX
Dennis Chan, Dennis Chang SAMURAI SOUTHORN Tigers