The Singapore Slingers have signed two Singaporean players to the team for the 2006/07 Philips Championship season.

Koh Meng Koon, a 28-year-old member of the Singapore Police Force and Pathman Matialakan, a 26-year-old local basketball coach are now full-time members of the Singapore Slingers, making them the first Asian-born players to enter the Philips Championship NBL.

These two avid basketball athletes will commence training full-time, five days per week and suit up for all Singapore Slingers home matches for the 2006/07 season. Along with participation on game nights, they will attend all promotional activities with the team and conduct school clinics under the Singapore Slingers Junior Development Program.

A delighted Meng Koon expressed his excitement at joining the squad, “I’ve always had a love for basketball and being given the opportunity to be a professional player is like a dream come true for me,” he said.

Pathman followed on with similar sentiments saying, “I’m most looking forward to working under the tutelage of Coach McLeod. With his extensive experience, I know I’m headed for a good start in my sporting career.”

Gordon (Gordie) McLeod, the inaugural Head Coach of the Singapore Slingers, was previously a Coach and Director of Player Development for the New Zealand Basketball Federation, coach of the Australian Junior Men's team and of West Sydney Razorbacks, a professional men's team in the NBL. He was also Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport between 1993 and 1997.

A further two Singapore National Team members have been awarded scholarships under the Singapore Slingers. The joint scholarship program between the Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) and the Singapore Slingers will further develop key basketball skills of promising players.

Hans Goh, General Manager of BAS said, “This scholarship programme is one of many initiatives that BAS and the Singapore Slingers are working on to promote basketball at the grassroots level in Singapore. Having a professional basketball team now based in the city is one of the best promotional tools any sporting association could have.”

Dean Vickerman, the Assistant Coach of the Singapore Slingers and recently appointed Coach of the Singapore National team will oversee the scholarship program with an aim to integrate both programs in preparation for the SEA Games 2007.

Scholarship Program Players: Wong Wei Long and Ng Wen Bang.