Tigers ready to roar
By Benny Ang

Fresh off their third place finish in last year's tournament, it would seem as though the SYH Tigers are ready to improve on that showing as they start out as pre-tournament favourites to win the 3rd Shell Rimula Ultra Invitational Challenge Trophy Basketball Tournament 2003.

Back and vastly improved, the Tigers under the tutelage of their coach Willy Rodriguez are stacked with talent one through 12 on their roster and it's going to take a monumental effort from one of the other six teams to stop this juggernaut.

Bobby Parks, this year with CESK L.Mark Lakers, has already hailed this team as favourites and with good reason too.

This year, they have two imports from America in Todd Bernard and Rossell Ellis, both stars in their time as imports in the PBA and their presence here in Brunei has swayed things in their team's favour considerably.

Bernard, who spent the best part of two seasons in Mobiline in the PBA, is a deadly shooter who can win games on his own and given the chance may just do so in this tournament.

Ellis, a high-flying athletic swingman from America also spent time in the PBA with Coke and with his long reach and amazing vertical leap, can dunk from anywhere on the floor.

With these two in the ranks, it's no surprise that every critic has this team ranked as favourites.

Even their coach Rodriguez could not find many reasons to disbelieve the hype.

"I think we have a great chance to win this tournament. We have very good imports and we have very good Filipino players. We are in good shape.

"I don't know much about the other teams but if we just worry about what we can do, we will have a great chance of winning," said Rodriguez.

There are only two players returning from last year's team in Peter Naron, the leader of this solid group of veterans and the youngster Rolly Menor while Peter Martin is a new addition after being a valuable part of last year's championship team Suncity Dragons.

Team manager Wee Lee Jong was a bit more cagey about his team's chances although he did like what he saw from his team's practice session yesterday.

"I think every team is more equal this year. We still have a good chance with Rossell and Todd in our side but that's not to say we're going to walk over everyone.

"We may certainly be one of the favourites but it's not going to be as easy as everyone thinks. Every game will be tough and unless we play to our potential, we may still come up short," said the Tigers supremo.

The rest of the cast is flooded with ex-PBA stars who have the know-how and experience to bolster their title chances and there is no doubt that this is a vastly improved Tigers side just ready to roar. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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