The Pride of the Lion City, the Singapore Slingers, is the youngest team to have made it to the playoffs in 1 of the top-level leagues in basketball, the National Basketball League (NBL). They’ve also came in 3rd in the Brunei Cup and on Sep 19, the Slingers pit themselves against the Melbourne Tigers at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. But with the sponsorship from CLSA now on their back, it’s a whole lot more than just playing games in Australia and New Zealand.

While OutdoorZone might have said that basketball is “one of the most revered and loved games around the world”, the game’s a greenhorn in Singapore’s recently resurrected sporting arena. Before this, the sport has had little room to expand with only organisations like the Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) offering their expertise.

Managing director of the 12-man team, Bob Turner, knows this better than anyone and he’s determined to convince corporate companies about the benefits of sponsoring a team, not to mention, a local team, such as the Slingers.

An uphill task it may seem but with the surprise show of support extended by CLSA, a leading brokerage firm with agencies in London, New York and Singapore, the Slingers team is all geared up with a plan to convince the toughest sceptics.

Step 1: Gordon McLeod

The most important link in the chain and probably the one shouldering much of the pressure is Coach McLeod.

Gordon McLeod, who was once manager and coach of the New Zealand Basketball Federation and coach of both the Australian Junior Men‘s team and the West Sydney Razorbacks, is a determined,methodical man who’s almost like a father to his team.

When UrbanWire spoke to him, he was vehement that there was no secret to propelling the Slingers into the playoffs but he did reveal that “part of the strategy of any team is to have a plan, and you work towards that plan”.

Even as he harbours great aspirations for the Slingers, he’s realistic and knows that “it’s very hard to come into something and everyone expects [them] to win” especially with the little time that they had to prepare for the next game.

With a man unfazed by the apparent handicaps such as a younger team because of the smaller pool of players available and the lack of time to bond as a team, we say that the Slingers have got their basics down.

Step 2: More Competition, More Improvement

What keeps the players on their toes is competition, Coach McLeod explains. The team’s make-up will change constantly and with a “blend of old and new”, the rookies will push themselves to be on par with the more experienced players.

Players also work against themselves, trying to better their play at trainings. It’s a must as the Coach believes that, “If a player wants to keep his top position in the team, he has to stay above.”

So while 1 player might have spent the most time on court, Coach McLeod says that this is not a constant. The players are pressured during the strenuous, twice a day trainings to prove that they deserve playing minutes.

With that, there’s also keen competition between the 2 Singaporeans, forward, Pathman Matialakan and guard, Koh Meng Koon. This is more so since the coach has expressed the probability of recruiting another Asian player.

So there, competition within themselves is a much better motivator than any trophy.

Step 3: Family Time

A true believer in bonding, Coach McLeod wants for the team to “spend time together as a group, honing and accelerating development”.

The coach knows that the Slingers are a little behind the rest of the teams in the NBL but he trusts that the “quality time” will give the team “a little extra” and with a grin, he says, “we’ve had that time in Brunei”.

So, are these the 3 steps to a fail-proof plan? We’ll see when the 07/08 season, the 2nd year since The Singapore Slinger’s made their mark in the NBL, comes to a close.