Wong Siong Keng is just one of the best’s coaches that handled the MABA (Malaysian Amateur Basketball Association) that led the team to bag awards and medals.
Wong Sing Keng was the former head coach of Kelantan and one of the king-pins in basketball of Malaysia during the 1960. He was born and had his education in Sitiawan. Even at young age, Wong Sing Keng has indulged himself in playing basketball.
During the late 40’s he transferred to Kuala Lumpur and represented the Gau Tet Geng Cup Inter State for Basketball. After a decade, he started teaching in Chong Hua a secondary school in Kota Bharu. In this school he cultivated the young teens on basketball. He guided the young teens on basketball playing. Wong Sing Keng was given the chance to join in the Agong Cup Comptetion that year (1960) and 1961, and bring home the bacon for that same two years.
The bacon he brought home didn’t stop there. On the year 1965, the coach won the 1965 and 1966 Agong cup Competition. He was also chosen to participate and represent the whole Malaysia in SEAP Games in Nangoon. After which, the coach Wong Sing Keng decided to leave the school and retire.
After retirement, he still continued on being a mentor and a coach for the basketball players. He was chosen to be one of the coaches of the national team for women and men division. Again with his aid with the basketball team, the women division brought home five golds from five consecutive years of participation in the SEA (South East Asian Games), year 1977-1985.
Wong Sing Keng was also the one who created the coaching syllabus with the assistance of Ronald Kaupinan a US peace corp who worked in Malaysia. They have created the coaching syllabus for Level 1 and 2 coaching and even conducted coaching seminars to coaches who are interested with basketball. Also, during the year 1975, the Level 3 coaching was first held in MABA.
Coach Wong Shiong Keng is a strict yet caring coach., as stated by some of his students. When he was still alive, he observed discipline on his players. Due to this, the basketball team was harness to play and stand as one. According to one of his students, he remembered Wong Sing Keng say that, offensive and defensive skills of the players are the basic and most essential factor to win a game.
Wong Sing Keng retired on the year 1988 and built a home in Ipoh, Perak. Nevertheless, as a real basketball enthusiast and has passion on the said sport, he still extended his knowledge, learning and advices to the coaches of MABA and its basketball players. Along with his retirement came along a disease that attacked him until his condition deteriorated. He died last September 2010.
The women team of the Malaysia Amateur Basketball Association really salute the coach even he is now dead. He left a great legacy to the woman’s team because of his good and proper guidance.
Return from Coach of Malaysia Amateur Basketball Association toBasketball In Malaysia
Return from Coach of Malaysia Amateur Basketball Association toBest Basketball Tips