BASKETBALL

adidas Under-18 trials
Thursday, 6 December 07 at Catholic High School

Story and pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports/soulbreath pictures

15 out of 58 players made it into the adidas U-18 basketball team this morning at Catholic High School. Divided into teams, the players were made to play in front of the watchful eyes of five coaches.

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Ang Joon Kiat, 17, of Unity Secondary made the cut. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Said Ang Joon Kiat of Unity: “It’s quite competitive because the players can jump, attack. I haven’t played since my exams!” Unity finished fourth in the 2007 B Division National Championships this year and Joon Kiat has won a West Zone Championship gold medal for the past five years.

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Shawn Lim Fang Ching, 17, one of the 15 who made the adidas U-18 team. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Law Wei Song, 17, of Republic Polytechnic (RP), was another player who made the cut. Wei Song, who is taking a Sports and Leisure Management Diploma at RP, stands at 1.82m and played B and C Division basketball for Naval Base Secondary, moving from Centre in Sec 2 to the Power Forward position in Sec 3 and 4. “I played POL-ITE basketball but not IVP because I didn’t go for training!”

His friend Tan Chin Hong was also selected as one of the 15. Chin Hong, 17, standing at 1.85m, is at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and played B Division basketball for Jurong View Secondary but his team did not make it past the first round. “I like to play Forward but because of my height I always have to centre!”

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Some of the hopefuls waiting their turn to take to the court. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Players who made it into the adidas U-18 team:

Ang Joon Kiat
Sheldon Yen Jia Jun
Tan Eng Hui
Lim Fang Ching
Dallas Wong Kok Yong
Chong Ming Xuan
Tan Chin Hong
Law Wei Song
Hou Heng Sheng
James Hong Joon Pyo
Lor Weng Siang
Khaw Yeong Wooi
Wong Kam Seng
Richard Neo Li Zhe
Kan Wei Hong

Selection panel:

Hsu Tung Ching (Head coach)
Hu Guang Fu (Unity, Pierce, Nanyang Polytechnic)
Clement Lim (Woodlands Ring)
Ong Yao Kwang (North Vista)
Wong Hwee Liak (Anglican High, Nanyang Junior College, Zhong Hua, Temasek Polytechnic)
Ian Chew (Catholic High)

More pictures in the gallery.