Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday: The stakes are high for homegrown basketball squad the KL Dragons, as they prepare for their upcoming Asean Basketball League (ABL) match against the Singapore Slingers on January 17 at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

The fixture, the Dragons’ third in seven days, comes fresh off a 74 - 92 away loss to the Slingers last Monday.

“This game is crucial to us for two reasons,” says team coach Goh Cheng Huat.

“Firstly, it’s our last home game of the season, and we’re determined to get even with the Slingers so we can end on a high note for the fans and ourselves.”

“Even more importantly, we’ve got to keep our Playoff hopes alive by staying focused and winning our last two games,” he added.

Commencing on 30th January, the ABL Playoffs will consist of the league’s top 4 teams contending for the title of ABL Champions.

The Dragons are currently in 4th place with 18 points, although the Brunei Barracudas trail with 17 but with one game in hand.

The General Manager of the Singapore Slingers, Michael Johnson, expressed confidence at beating the Dragons for a second time in a row. “After turning the tables against the KL Dragons in Singapore last night, we’re now looking to give them some of the same treatment in KL on Sunday, and knock them out of the play-off race.”

Goh cites the Dragons’ recent explosive home victory over the Philippine Patriots as proof that his team has what it takes to win the upcoming games and make the playoffs.

“We’ve already shown that we’re more than capable of dishing out a tough fight to each and every team in the ABL. What we need to work on now is consistency, because when the Dragons are on form, there’s no stopping us.”

Aside from a number of strategic surprises he promises to unveil during the upcoming match, Cheng Huat is certain that the fans themselves will play a significant role in inspiring the team to victory.

“The KL Dragons and the ABL itself may be new, but I’m touched by how supportive our fans are. The MABA stadium is almost always at full capacity, and I’m quite sure you can hear the cheers from a mile away,” he quipped.

The Dragons’ next game will be their last of the season, and will be against Indonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma on January 23 at the BritAma Arena in Jakarta.