BASKETBALL

Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Games 2007
National University of Singapore vs Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Monday, 8 October 2007 at NIE-NTU

Story by Ian Chew. Pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports/soulbreath pictures

The National University of Singapore (NUS) saw off Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) 57-39 in an IVP basketball match yesterday.

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See Guan of NP drives past Naveen of NUS. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

It was a much closer game than the score suggested. NUS led by 3 points at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead to 6 points at the end of the half. They employed an interesting full court zone defense and substituted all five players at regularly intervals.

"This is to ensure that all our players play at full intensity during the 3 of 4 minutes they are on court, especially on defense," explained Darrel Chua, a member of the NUS team in a post match interview. "In fact, this has always been a hallmark of the NUS team where we rotate our players regularly, especially in the first half."

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Darrel Chua (#12, NUS) tussles with Weijun (#21, NP) for the ball while Raven (#7, NP) looks on. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Coming off the half-time break, NUS were more prepared to play than NP and quickly opened up a 10-point lead. Bandar Tjetty (#9) played exceptional basketball for his NUS team, scoring 10 points while making crucial steals and executing accurate passes. He then capped his performance with an unbelievable turn around 3-pointer at the buzzer to put his team 46-33 up at the end of the third quarter.

A visibly dispirited Ngee Ann Poly barely improved in the fourth and final quarter as they only managed another six points. They were clearly rattled by the more energetic and physical play of the NUS team and never got into any sort of rhythm, despite the best efforts of their coach. On the other hand NUS played a smart possession game in the fourth quarter, scoring another 11 points to eventually win the game 57-39.

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Weijun (#21, NP) tries to find a way through a NUS defense that shut down NP effectively yesterday. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Lai Wai Kit (#15, NUS) spoilt an otherwise aggressive and well played game by his team by throwing an elbow that just missed his NP opponent. Joshua, probably enraged that the referee had missed an earlier hit on him by Weijun (#21, NP) that sent him sprawling backwards, approached the NP bench at the end of the game. It threatened to boil over but he was dragged back by his bench.

A disappointed head coach of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Mr Vincent Koh admitted: "Our players lost the plot in the third quarter as we couldn't adjust mentally to our opponent's physical play. A few of my key players were not as hungry and determined as the NUS team and didn't perform to their expected level. We were also not helped by some missed refereeing decisions. I'm sure of a much improved performance by my team in the next match."

NUS next face Republic Polytechnic (RP) on Tuesday evening 9 October at NIE-NTU while Ngee Ann Poly will play Republic Polytechnic on Wednesday evening, 10 October at the same venue.

NUS
Fabien Apheceix (#2)
Lee Rongtzuu (#3)
Wong Huijie (#5)
Bandar Tjetty (#9)
Lee Zeyan (#11)
Chua Xian Yi Darrel (#12)
Joshua Koh (#13)
Lai Wai Kit (#15)
Huang Zhongwei (#21)
Darren Chua (#23)
Joshua Lim Hao Zheng (#31)
Naveen L.P (#32)
Cheok Liangwei (#91)

NP
team list unknown (If you would like to share with us the names of the NP team, please email us or leave it in the comments section. Thanks.)

More pictures in the gallery.

Results so far and upcoming fixtures:

Monday, 8 October 2007, 7:30 pm at NTU-NIE

RP 94 SMU 52 (Men)
NUS 57 NP 39 (M)
SMU 53 NP 35 (Women)
TP 48 SP 37 (W)
NYP 80 SP 71 (M)
ITE 44 NTU 43 (W)


Tuesday, 9 October 2007, 7:30 pm at NTU-NIE

NTU 116 SMU 34 (M)
TP 85 SIM 48 (M)
RP 54 SP 29 (W)
NUS 67 NYP 28 (W)
ITE 49 TP 45 (W)
NUS 62 RP 57 (M)


Wednesday, 10 October 2007, 7:30 pm at NTU-NIE

TP vs NTU (W)
RP vs ITE (W)
NYP vs TP (M)
RP vs NP (M)
NTU vs NUS (M)
SP vs SIM (M)
NUS vs SMU (W) (timing and location for just this game: 7pm, NTU Sports Hall)


Thursday, 11 October 2007, 7:30 pm at NTU-NIE

NTU vs RP (M)
NP vs SMU (M)
NYP vs NP (W)
NTU vs RP (W)
SP vs ITE (W)
SIM vs NYP (M)


Friday, 12 October 2007, 7:30 pm at NTU-NIE

NP vs NUS (W)
NTU vs SP (W)
TP vs SP (M)
NP vs NTU (M)
SMU vs NYP (W)
SMU vs NUS (M)
RP vs TP (W) (timing and location for just this game: 7:00 pm at RP)

MEN

Group A
National University of Singapore (NUS) – (2-0)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – (1-0)
Republic Polytechnic (RP) – (1-1)
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) (0-1)
Singapore Management University (SMU) (0-2)

Group B
Temasek Polytechnic (TP) – (1-0)
Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) (1-0)
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) – (0-1)
Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) – (0-1)

WOMEN

Group A
Institute of Technical Education (ITE) – (2-0)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) (0-1)
Republic Polytechnic (RP) – (1-0)
Temasek Polytechnic (TP) – (1-1)
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) – (0-2)

Group B
National University of Singapore (NUS) – (1-0)
Singapore Management University (SMU) – (1-0)
Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) – (0-1)
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) – (0-1)


Tuesday, 16 October 2007, 7:00 pm

Women’s semifinals at SP
Men’s semifinals at NUS


Thursday, 18 October 2007, 7:00 pm

5th/6th placing games for both men and women at SP


Friday, 19 October 2007, 7:00 pm

Women’s 3rd/4th placing and final games at NUS
Men’s 3rd/4th placing and final games at TP