International Look To 4th Shell Rimula Basketball
By James Kon

Bandar Seri Begawan - The biggest basketball tournament in the country, the Shell Rimula Ultra Invitational Basketball Tournament, is making a welcome return with promises of even more exciting games.

Six top clubs from Asia will join the Brunei national basketball team in vying for honours at the National Indoor Stadium beginning September 20 until October 1.

The regional basketball powerhouse, the Philippines, will be represented by Philippine Basketball Association teams, Redbull and Purefood, who will be playing under the names Remus Redbull and Wadura respectively. The third team from the Philippines for the tournament is Laguna Spring.

Redbull and Purefood are consistent titlecontenders in the PBA and will be bringing in their top players to the competition.

Also participating this year will be TG Sambo Xers. The Korea Basketball League champions this year will be competing under the name Hankook Raider, marking the debut of a professional team from South Korea in Brunei.

Hankook Raider looks set to be among the favourites to lift trophy this time round.

Adding to the on-court excitement will be the Shanghai Sharks from China. The Sharks were the team that two-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming played for before moving to greener pastures with the Houston Rockets in the NBA.

The Shanghai Sharks will be playing under the name of Suncity Dragon.

The last overseas team for the competition this year is Yulon from Taiwan. Yulon, who recently won the Jones

Cup - the most prestigious basketball competition in Taiwan - will be known as Chuan Tzu Yulon in the tournament.

Capping the participating teams is the Brunei national team, who no doubt will face a daunting task competing with some of the cream of Asian professional basketball.

As in previous competitions, each team is allowed two non-Asian imports, and it remains to be seen who - among the many star players available - will be coming to Brunei.

The Fourth Shell Rimula Ultra Invitational Basketball Tournament this year is jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; the National Basketball Association of Brunei; and the Tiong Hwa Community with Sunlit Advertising Bhd as event manager.

Yesterday saw an agreement signing ceremony between the tournament's sponsors and Sunlit Advertising.

Present to witness the signing was Awg Hj Jemat bin Hj Ampal, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Part of the proceeds from ticket sales for the tournament's matches will go to the Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah Orphans Fund, the National Orphans Fund and the National Welfare Fund.

All matches will take place at the National Indoor Stadium, and members of the public are most welcome to attend. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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