Last Sunday, the night before NS Matrix Deers faced Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pilots in the BCL Asia-East Group A opener, Teamwork Sports Management—the company I co-founded—hosted a closed-door session with the Pilots' social media team. We invited local basketball creators to learn firsthand how a professional team runs digital strategy. It wasn’t just a talk. It was a wake-up call. To be clear—not for the creators. They already get it. A Wake-Up Call for Team Management Creators film, edit, post,...
6 days ago • 3 min read
By Jordan Yap — Kuala Lumpur, March 28 They had it. After two tough outings where they were mostly chasing, this time NS Matrix Deers were ahead—by 20, no less. The crowd at MABA Stadium could feel it. So could the players. And for 30 minutes, it looked like a breakthrough was finally coming. Then the final three minutes happened. And the ghosts of Games 1 and 2 came rushing back. The Deers surrendered a 50–30 lead and watched as Indonesia’s Pelita Jaya—making their first appearance in BCL...
7 days ago • 2 min read
NS Matrix Deers star Ting Chun Hong—better known to fans as “Mei Mei”—has been diagnosed with a mild strain of the gastrocnemius muscle in his left calf and will be sidelined for at least two weeks, he confirmed Tuesday. The injury occurred in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s BCL Asia-East clash between the Deers and Mongolia’s Bishrelt Metal. Mei Mei went down unexpectedly while attempting a right-side drive and was unable to stand, eventually helped off the court by assistant coach Kuek...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Two games into the Basketball Champions League Asia-East, and the NS Matrix Deers find themselves backed into a corner. Less than 48 hours after a double-overtime heartbreaker against Taiwanese powerhouse Taoyuan Pilots, the Deers endured another painful blow—this time falling 98-86 on home court to Mongolia’s Bishrelt Metal in their second Group A matchup. With a 0–2 record, Thursday’s showdown against Indonesian giants Pelita Jaya has become a must-win. "Nobody likes to lose, but we played...
9 days ago • 3 min read
“Shoot! You’re open!” We’ve all heard it. Players hear it. Coaches yell it. Parents scream it from the stands. But what if that’s the exact opposite of what great basketball teaches? A few weeks ago, I interviewed Coach Iurgi Caminos — Head Coach of Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pilots and a seasoned Spanish coach who’s worked across Europe and Asia. And he said something that instantly reframed the way I look at player development: “You’re open for a reason.” Coach Iurgi Caminos said. That line hit hard....
13 days ago • 3 min read
You’ve heard it before — probably too many times: “We don’t have enough funding.” And just like that, we fall into a predictable cycle: no money, no progress. No progress, no change. Stuck in mediocrity. But what if this entire mindset is flawed from the start? Talent Over Money: Japan’s Quiet Revolution After attending the East Asia Super League Basketball (EASL) Summit recently, I had the privilege of spending two insightful hours with Chihiro Saito, Head of International Development Group...
20 days ago • 4 min read
Read the online version here... Do we prioritize local heroes or chase international stars? It’s a question that recently came up during my podcast conversation with Coach Iurgi Caminos, who leads the Taoyuan Pilots in Taiwan’s P. LEAGUE+. Coach Caminos hails from Spain—a basketball powerhouse that has its own debates over how to balance domestic and foreign players—and he offered a unique perspective on what it means to truly elevate a league’s quality while still nurturing homegrown talent....
27 days ago • 5 min read
Read the online version here... Naturalized Players: Necessary, But Not Enough for Malaysian Basketball Across the basketball world, countries are increasingly using naturalized players to bolster their teams. This trend is evident from Asia to Europe and beyond. Naturalized players can help Malaysia stay competitive and raise basketball's profile with the government and public. International success boosts visibility, funding, and legitimacy. Without strong performances, basketball risks...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Read the online version here... I just want to recap the past 10 days—a stretch that’s been pivotal for Malaysian basketball: A coaching reset. A roster shake-up. National teams kicking off their SEA Games campaigns. If you’ve followed Malaysian basketball long enough, you know we’ve seen moments like this before. New coaches, big statements, fresh training camps—always with the promise that things will improve. But watching everything unfold this past week, I found myself asking: Is this...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read