Awards nominations proof S’pore basketball on right track

SINGAPORE — Following a fruitful 2015, the national men’s basketball team and coach Neo Beng Siang have been shortlisted for the Team of the Year (Team Sport) and Coach of the Year awards at the upcoming Singapore Sports Awards.

At last year’s SEA Games, Singapore’s cagers matched their highest-ever achievement at the biennial event by winning the bronze medal after beating Thailand 54-49 in the third-place playoffs. The Republic also achieved a third-place finish at the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (Seaba) Championships — a result which earned them a berth at the Fiba Asia Championship after a 14-year absence.

Neo, who left his post as national head coach in February, said he was “happy and proud” to have been shortlisted for coach of the year for the first time in his career. “It’s made even sweeter because the national team has been shortlisted as well,” said Neo. “It’s proof that Singapore basketball is on the right track.”

Reflecting on a successful year, Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) honorary secretary Ong Swee Teck said: “Being shortlisted in these two categories is a vote of confidence and an endorsement for us. It gives us the extra urge to continue to do better in the coming years. For now, our sights are firmly set on doing well at next year’s SEA Games.”

In the Sportsman of the Year category, national swimmer Joseph Schooling will be looking to make it a hat-trick following his previous wins in 2012 and 2015.

The 20-year-old, who won a historic bronze medal in the 100m butterfly final at the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, last year, is up against sailor Colin Cheng, canoeist Mervyn Toh and paddler Gao Ning. Shooter Jasmine Ser, the reigning Sportswoman of the Year, has been shortlisted for the award again this year, but will have to fend off competition from canoeist Stephenie Chen, paddler Feng Tianwei and bowler Shayna Ng.

A total of 11 categories will be at stake at the Singapore Sports Awards ceremony, which will be held on June 23 at the Raffles City Convention Centre. NOAH TAN

* For full list of nominees, go to www.singaporeolympics.com