Favourites NS Matrix the team to beat in Agong Cup

PETALING JAYA: As the defending champions who have won four straight titles since July, NS Matrix will be the team to beat in the upcoming Agong Cup.

NS Matrix won the Piala Harapan Basketball Tournament after beating Malaysia University Basketball Team (MUBT) 72-69 in July before demolishing KL Aseel 72-20 to emerge victorious in the Malaysia D-League in August.

The Negri Sembilan outfit claimed their third title in the Malaysia Games (Sukma), beating Federal Territories 79-68 in September.

They continued their winning streak in the second-leg final against Johor Southern Tigers to be the newly-crowned champions at the Major Basketball League last Sunday.

Key player Ting Chun Hong revealed that the wins have lifted the team’s confidence but he wants his boys to keep their feet on the ground.

“We’re the defending champions, so we want to retain the title,” he said.

“Winning the Major Basketball League has boosted our confidence but we should not be complacent. We have to keep going and make progress,” he said.

The 26-year-old Chun Hong is a hard man to please.

Despite doing his part as the scorer for his team, he was unsatisfied with his performance.

He contributed a total of 29 points en route to help his team beat the Johoreans.

“I need to work on reducing turnovers, passing when I’m being guarded and basic skills like dribbling and shooting three-pointers,” said Chun Hong, who was named as the season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Competing in Group A, Negri Sembilan will open their campaign against PDRM this Saturday at the Maba Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Selangor, ATM and Johor will join Group A while Melaka, Penang, Perak, Sabah and Maba Selection are placed in Group B.

The six teams competing in the women’s category are Negri Sembilan 1, Johor, Penang, Melaka, Negri Sembilan 2 and Selangor.