Malaysia made short work of Singapore in the FIBA Asia Cup on Saturday, winning 100 to 56 in a one-sided affair at the Singapore arena. The visitors took control early and never let up, extending their dominance over their neighbours after a narrow win in this fixture last December. By then it was clear this was going to be a different story entirely.
The difference showed in every facet of the game. Malaysia shot 33 of 69 from the field while Singapore managed just 17 from 52 attempts. The visitors also hit 16 three-pointers compared to five, and their ball movement was superior with 26 assists to 14. And here's the thing — the turnover count told the real tale, 11 for Malaysia against 27 for the hosts.
What stands out is the rebound battle, though not for the expected reasons. Malaysia pulled down 36 rebounds to 30, but more telling was their 18 steals. They were disrupting Singapore's rhythm at every turn, forcing mistakes that led to easy baskets. The hosts were second to everything in transition situations.
The recent form showed this gap was widening. Singapore had lost four of their last five games, including heavy defeats to Indonesia and Vietnam. Malaysia, meanwhile, had also struggled recently but showed they could still compete when their shooting was on. They lost to Hong Kong on Wednesday but looked comfortable against Singapore tonight.
The result leaves Singapore with plenty to ponder. They were outworked in every area — shooting, rebounding, ball security. Malaysia extended their advantage in this rivalry, and the margin of victory suggests the gap between these two nations is growing rather than closing.