BASKETBALL

Dr Fatimah Under-16 Tournament 2007
5 November – 16 December 07

Story by Red Sports reader Ian Chew.

The highly-anticipated Dr Fatimah Under-16 Basketball Tournament 2007 tips off next Monday at the Singapore Basketball Centre. Boasting a record 60 participating school teams - 40 boys' teams and 20 girls' teams – this competition promises to be the highlight of the basketball calendar for the year-end school break!

Lasting for an entire month, the matches will take place at a few venues, namely the Singpore Basketball Centre, Geylang Serai CC basketball court and Blk 5, Haig Road basketball court.

Mitch Tan, a member of the organizing Geylang Serai CSC committee, explained the rationale for the competition.

"We want to do our part in developing the basketball standards among youths in Singapore. That's why we concentrated on the under-16 category. It also helps that many teams are looking at the November and December holidays to tune up for next year's inter -school competitions."

This move seemed to meet a sore need for competitions over the next two months.

"The response was overwhelming! We even had to turn away teams who desperately wanted to take part in the competition! This has given us the confidence to make it even bigger next year and make it a permanent fixture in the schools' basketball calendar."

And it is all for the good of basketball in Singapore.

"Every cent of funding we have received so far is ploughed back to organizing the tournament. It will all be done for the benefit of the students. The winning teams can look forward to a host of exciting prizes generously given by our sponsors!"

With exciting matches between powerhouses in all the four zones participating in the competition such as Catholic High, Anglican High and Unity Secondary, neutrals can look forward to a fun-filled competition!

Dr Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC, will give out the prizes at the final on Sunday, 16 December 07 at the Geylang Serai CC premises.