AND1 STREETBALL 3on3 Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur 08/08/2010

Thrills and spills at streetball challenge

Tuesday August 10, 2010 By NG WEI LOON weiloon@thestar.com.my Photos by UU BAN

RUSSIAN student Andre Slepov bears an uncanny resemblance to the illustrious streetballer Grayson “The Professor’’ Boucher of the AND1 MixTape but he opted not to share the maestro’s limelight at this season’s AND1 Streetball Challenge grand finale at the Berjaya Times Square on Sunday.

For the past two years, the 20-year-old chemical engineering student at the Universiti Teknologi Petronas could easily mislead the three-on-three basketball event fans here into thinking of him as The Professor when both had similar short haircuts.













The Professor decided on a change in his hairstyle this year while Andre is sporting a longer version of the crew cut. After receiving the compliment that he looks like The Professor in the past, Andre felt that it would be awkward to allow the spectators to make the same mistake in perceiving him as The Professor when the real star is in town.

Third time lucky: Law accomplished his dream to emerge

as the top three performers in the freestyle contest

“It was also an opportunity for me to display a different image and personality,” he added.

Andre, who admires the MixTape, said Volume Seven was the only visual missing from the 10 series of his MixTape collection.
“I have been watching The Professor’s moves and trying to imitate his slick tricks.
“As a key figure in the MixTape team, he has been inspiring streetballers around the world to create their own routines,” added Andre.
Although Andre did not get a chance to have a shot at becoming the top three freestylists of the season, he was excited with the rare treat to catch a top class act live and rub shoulders with The Professor.

Off the ground: Ahmed going for a slam dunk

“I did not make it into the final of the freestyle contest because I missed the two earlier qualifying legs held in the Klang Valley,” he said.

In the In Search of Freestylists competition, previous winners Tan Soon Chern, Yap Tee Shen, Lam Wei Ken and Mohd Ismadi Hamidi also turned up to support the contenders.

A total of 10 hopefuls from 13 qualifiers featured in the contest offering one-year basketball products sponsorship worth RM3,000 each to the top three performers. Rookie Wan Muhd Nazrin Wan Abdul Rahim from SMK Seksyen 11, Shah Alam was part of the winning trio in his first final while Scalia Anorea Nethanial of SMK Taman Maluri and factory worker Law Chin Hui from Johor needed two and three attempts respectively for their triumph.
The 19-year-old Chin Hui showed his commitment when he travelled all the way to secure his place in the final at the third leg at Bandar Bukit Tinggi in Klang.
“I am glad that I have finally accomplished my aim to be among the top three finishers.
“I had fun going up against Scalia in the one-on-one round. And both of us came through today,” he added.
And The Professor making his solo debut appearance at the challenge also took the chance to address the misconception regarding streetball and his venture in conducting ball-handling clinics starting from late last year.
“We need to correct the streetball’s bad reputation because it is considered as not the real basketball.

“It is a common error for aspiring streetballers to jump into performing the tricks after watching the visual on a certain move.
“They have to acquire sound fundamentals in basketball before moving on to perform the tricky deceptions.
“It is not enough just to ‘flash’ (show off) the predictable fancy moves. They will become more threatening when they combine the dazzling actions with the ability to go for the basket and score points,” said the 26-year-old Professor, who left Malaysia to join his MixTape Tour teammates in Japan yesterday.
Nigerian student Abdus Salam Muyibi was the sharp shooter of the day netting nine shots to emerge as the champion in the Best Shooter side event.
Former Nigerian junior cager Micheal Ogheneme also teamed up with his HELP University College countryman Ahmed Temitope to thrill the spectators with a series of gravity defying slam dunks.
Meanwhile, the organisers wrapped up the seventh edition of the challenge with a total of 320 sides joining the fray in the six categories.
The top three teams in each category were rewarded with basketball shoes and goodies.
The partners for the event sanctioned by the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) were Milo (official beverage); StarMetro (official media); FlyFM and OneFM (official radio stations); and Doublemint (official chewing gum).

RESULTS
BOYS’
- Under-14
Semi-finals: Davidson 1 bt DNA Ice (5-4); Rapid bt The One Boys (9-4);
Third-Fourth: DNA Ice bt The One Boys (5-3)
Final: Davidson 1 bt Rapid (4-1)
- Under-16
Semi-finals: GVK 1 bt Survival A (7-3); Survival B bt S Sport (7-4)
Third-Fourth: Survival A bt S Sport
(3-2)
Final: GVK 1 bt Survival B (5-3)
- Under-18
Semi-finals: GVK 1 bt GVK 2 (4-3); GVK 4 bt Superman (1-0)
Third-Fourth: GVK 2 bt Superman
(3-1)
Final: GVK 4 bt GVK 1 (3-2)
GIRLS’
- Under-18
Semi-finals: Lucky 5 bt SCUD 1 (4-3); Lucky7 bt Black Forest (7-0)
Third-Fourth: SCUD1 bt Black Forest (2-0)
Final: Lucky 7 bt Lucky 5 (3-1)
MEN’S
- Under-23
Semi-finals: Black Wizard bt Infinity
(2-1); Water Fish bt The Big (6-3)
Third-Fourth: The Big bt Infinity (3-2)
Final: Water Fish bt Black Wizard (2-1)
- Open (non-Chinese Malaysian)
Semi-finals: Eastsider WR bt Akademix (5-2); Volcanic Warriors bt DDN (4-0)
Third-Fourth: DDN bt Akademix (2-1)
Final: Volcanic Warriors bt Eastsider WR (5-2)





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Key cagers hog the limelight at streetball challenge

Tuesday August 17, 2010 By NG WEI LOON weiloon@thestar.com.my

Outstanding: Lai Yong Xin (centre) receiving the award from Star 

Publications (M) Bhd Marketing Services general manager Iris Tan (left). 

On the right is Davidson.

THE key players from both teams in the boys’ Under-14 final shared the limelight at the AND1 Streetball Challenge grand finale at the Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Although eventual champions Davidson came through in edging Rapid 4-1 for the top spot in the three-on-three basketball contest, former international Tan Kee Hian spotted a budding cager from each side as the recipients of StarMetro’s Promising Players.
The duo of Lai Yong Xin from Davidson and Rapid’s Foo Ting Jun impressed Kee Hian with their exceptional attributes in leading their side to finish as the winners and runners-up respectively.


“It was an easier decision to pick him (Yong Xin) because he was part of the victorious team. He stood out with his outstanding display in helping his side triumph in the encounter. He also showed good leadership quality in providing his side with the winning momentum,” said Kee Hian.

On the other hand, Ting Jun was voted for showing great effort in putting up a fight in the decisive match.
“He is not as skilful. But, he tried to turn things around. It was unfortunate that his team went down on that occasion,” Kee Hian added.


Both will be rewarded with a training stint under the tutelage of the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) coaching crew.
This season, the organisers Ossia World of Golf also identified two budding cagers aged 15 years and below from each of the four legs held earlier.

Not just flashing: The Professor (in green) staying in control 
as he pulls off a deceptive move. — filepic

Eight other emerging talents securing their places to join the training camp were Jacky Lim Chen Aik and Tan Zhi Hao (USJ Summit); Low Meng Lek and Lim Teng Sung (Danga Bay, Johor); Yong Fook Oon and Gan Teck Hwa (Bukit Tinggi, Klang); and Tan Rui Yong and Loo Lian Wei (Penang Times Square).
The company’s executive director, Saw Swee Leong, acknowledged that it was important to inject fresh excitement into the challenge after hosting the event for the seventh consecutive year.
“Previously, we named one player from each leg as the most promising player. It was depressing when only three of the five turned up for the four-day training with the national women’s team at the beginning of this year.
“We increased it to 10 players because it will be more fun for them to go through the paces as a team. We have not finalised the details of the training programme.
“But, they will definitely be embarking on a learning experience with Maba. For the challenge, we will be going back to the drawing board and review the concept of the event.
“We need a change to keep it interesting,” Swee Leong said.


After a long wait, the organisers delivered their promise as the local streetball followers savoured the rare opportunity to catch their idol Grayson “’The Professor” Boucher of the AND1 MixTape in action at the recent grand finale.
The official partners for the event sanctioned by Maba were Milo (beverage); StarMetro (media); FlyFM and OneFM (radio stations); and Doublemint (chewing gum)
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