Siglap withdraw from National Basketball League Div 1 final against Eng Tat Hornets
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Adroit HB (in white) playing Siglap Basketball Club in a National Basketball League Division 1 semi-final clash on Aug 27, 2025. Adroit won 67-52, but were later disqualified for fielding two players under investigation for match-fixing.
PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Follow topic:
- Siglap Basketball Club withdrew from the NBL Division 1 final against Allinton Eng Tat Hornets due to the “extended postponement”.
- Eng Tat's team manager expressed disappointment as they anticipated a strong match, especially considering Siglap's SEA Games contingent.
- BAS confirmed the final date remains and Eng Tat must field players to be declared champions at the Jan 18 prize presentation.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – The prolonged 2025 season of the National Basketball League (NBL) Division 1 looks set to end without a finale, as Siglap Basketball Club have pulled out of the Jan 18 final against Allinton Eng Tat Hornets.
In a statement posted on social media on Jan 14, Siglap announced that they will not be playing in the title decider at the Singapore Basketball Centre due to the “extended postponement”.
Eng Tat were initially supposed to face defending champions Adroit HB in the final, which was moved from Aug 30 to Sept 7, then postponed indefinitely after Adroit had fielded suspended and ineligible players in the Aug 27 semi-final win over Siglap.
Adroit were then disqualified for that offence.
Siglap added: “Most of our players have returned to their respective routines and commitments.
“We would like to sincerely apologise to our sponsors, supporters and fans as well as the basketball community, and express our gratitude to everybody for their unwavering support throughout the entire season and over the many years.
“We would gracefully accept the first runner-up position, and continue to push our players to excel in the coming NBL 2026 season.”
When contacted, a Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) spokesman told The Straits Times that a prize presentation will be held on Jan 18 as scheduled.
The spokesman added: “BAS has confirmed that the NBL Division 1 2025 final date remains fixed, and should Siglap be unable to field a sufficient number of players to commence the match, it will be deemed a forfeit of the match in accordance with the tournament rules and regulations.
“In such a case, Siglap will be awarded the runner-up position, while Team Hornets are still required to turn up with a sufficient number of players in order to be declared the champions.”
Asked if any action will be taken against Siglap, the spokesman said: “There is no sanction. If by the time the match starts, a team does not have sufficient players to start the match, it will be considered as forfeit of the match.
“The score is 0-20. This is as per our rules and regulations following FIBA rules.”
Eng Tat team manager Max Nah expressed disappointment after finding out about Siglap’s withdrawal.
He said: “We were looking forward to this final... Their team is pretty strong with six of them coming back from the recent SEA Games.
“I thought that it would be a good showdown, but they chose not to play, so I’m a little bit surprised and disappointed.”
ST has reached out to Siglap for comment.
This episode has come following a series of lows for local basketball.
On Aug 19, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau announced the arrest of eight Singaporeans and one permanent resident aged between 19 and 35 for their suspected involvement in match-fixing
One of the matches that was allegedly fixed was Tagawa’s 66-43 win over Tong Whye on Aug 1.
The following day, the BAS said that it would allow the league to continue as scheduled, citing fairness to the teams and players who have trained hard for the competition.
It stated then that “any officials or players under arrest or who have been arrested will be immediately suspended from all league activities”.
The BAS had on Aug 21 issued suspension letters to eight players – two each from Adroit, Tagawa, Tong Whye and Chong Ghee.
But Adroit questioned the BAS’ grounds of suspension, claiming that no charges have been filed against their two players in question.
On the day of the semi-final against Siglap, the two players were allowed to play after signing declaration forms which stated they had not been arrested for any offence, and did not have any holding charges against them in relation to match-fixing.
But in September, a BAS disciplinary committee found that the Aug 21 suspension notices were valid and effective and both players were ineligible to compete in the semi-final, thus disqualifying Adroit.
