BASKETBALL

National ‘A’ Division Boys Quarterfinal
Hwa Chong Institution vs St Andrew’s Junior College
Wednesday, 9 May 2007, at Singapore Basketball Centre

Story by Lee Hwee Cheng.  © Red Sports /soulbreath pictures

The following pictures in this report have been kindly taken and contributed by Shaun Chook, our student-photographer and regular volunteer from Victoria Junior College.  Thanks, Shaun!

Hwa Chong’s Calvin Chia (no.4) goes on a lay-up against Saints’ Jordan (no.15).  © Shaun Chook

On the first day of the much anticipated National ‘A’ Boys Basketball quarterfinal round,  a resilient Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) pulled through a mid-game crisis and bagged their first points in the "Group of Death" when they beat an equally determined St Andrew’s Junior College (SAJC) 74-55.

In the first Group Y match that took place concurrently on the other court, Innova Junior College lost a good lead in the last minute of the match when Jurong Junior College (JJC) put in a three-pointer in the last four seconds to level the game 33-33 at full-time. The game went into overtime, and JJC emerged victorious with a 43-39 win.

It didn’t seem all that rosy for HCI right from the start, however, as the Saints went all out to make their statement in the game and turned out the early leader when the first period ended 14-17 in favour of the Saints.

In the second period, like a fox hot on a rabbit’s heels, HCI gave relentless chase to close in on the leader, but everytime just as the predator was about to pounce, the prey would scoot a few steps ahead.  Within just 15 seconds starting the second period, HCI had a promising start with a fast-break as Calvin Chia (no.4) drove down the middle lane, drawing two SAJC defenders to double in on him, then dished the ball quickly to teammate Wong Yong Kang (no.15) who finished with a basket and put the team just one point behind.  But SAJC, determined to keep the lead, hopped four points ahead quickly with a quick rebound from Kok Yong (no.9) following a missed lay-up by teammate Jian Ming (no.6), and another tough rebound from Jordan (no.15) less than a minute later. 

Saints’ Jian Ming (no.6) on one of his quick moves towards the basket.  © Shaun Chook

HCI’s Lim Sheng Yu (no.13) pursued with an offensive rebound of his own to cut the gap to two points again, but almost immediately, SAJC’s Alwin (no.14) pulled away with an easy lay-up.  A blocking foul by Sheng Yu on Jordan gave two more free throws, and a six-point lead, to SAJC at 19-25.  In a matter of seconds, Hwa Chong stepped up their chase as Calvin, going on a quick attack, spotted Sheng Yu in a sweet spot right under the basket and tried to send a fast assist which resulted instead in a converted free throw.  Back on the defensive end, Yong Kang hustled and picked up a resulting loose ball and while looking for a counter attack ahead, spotted teammate Fang Naizeng (no.10) sprinting down the right lane.  A long pass was sent to the right lane, but the ball got deflected by the outstretched arm of a defender, hit the rim and landed into the hands of Poon Chonglin (no.12) instead, who popped in an easy jumper in the paint.  HCI’s Naizeng then made a baseline jumper and in just ninety seconds, HCI were again only a point behind the Saints at 24-25.

With just under three minutes left in the first half, Saints proved a tough nut to crack when Alwyn (no.5) intercepted a careless no-look pass from HCI’s Calvin in a set play and exploded on an easy fast-break to inch the gap slightly apart again.  But almost immediately, Hwa Chong’s Chonglin sank a three-pointer that finally levelled the game at 27 apiece.  Saints shook themselves away from the predator’s grip a minute later when Alwyn saved a loose ball in their offense and beat the shot-clock with a timely turnaround jumper.  In the last 30 seconds of the half, just as Saints looked to finish another quarter with two points ahead, Hwa Chong’s Billy Lang (no.14) picked up a defensive rebound and seemed to look ahead for a sprinting forward when he decided to take matters into his own hands, exploded on a fast-break himself, dribbling past two defenders along the way, and levelled the game 29-29 at half-time.

Hwa Chong’s Billy Lang (no.14) tries to shake off a Saints defender on a drive.  © Shaun Chook

The tussle for the lead continued in the first half of the third period.  While resting Sheng Yu on the bench, Hwa Chong finally took over the lead when, in a display of fluid teamwork, Calvin drove into the left lane for a lay-up but dropped the ball to Yong Kang who had snuck in along the baseline when two defenders closed in on him, and the latter finished with an easy  basket.  But they did not stay long in the leading position when Saints bounded a few steps ahead quickly with a field-goal from Alwin and a crisp three-pointer off the board from Kok Yong (no.9).  After three minutes into the period, Saints were once again up ahead at 33-39.

But HCI continued to terrorize with their pursuit.  After a field-goal and a three-pointer of their own within the next half minute, they were nipping at Saints’ tail again at 38-39.  Into the fifth minute of the period, Hwa Chong’s Sheng Yu came back into the court and immediately unleashed his menacing power in the paint again with an easy rebound and basket, pushing his team back into the lead once more at 40-39.  From this turning point, Hwa Chong captured their prey for good, and Saints were clearly overpowered and outwitted for the rest of the game.

Hwa Chong tweaked their strategy at this point as well, launching into a tireless full-court man-to-man defense.  With a suddenly energized defense, they forced Saints into committing two consecutive turnovers and other unanticipated fumbles in passing.  Hwa Chong took the opportunity with the repossessions and scored a baseline three-pointer from Leong Yeow Lin (no.7) to move ahead a few steps at 44-39.  With the sticky defense came the defensive steals.  And with the steals came the fast-break chances.  In the last ninety seconds of the period, Hwa Chong’s Chonglin sank a field-goal and Sheng Yu added four more points from a jumper and an under-basket assist from Calvin.  Hwa Chong looked set to take the third period with a ten-point lead, but with eight seconds to go, Saints’ Alwyn made a sneaky drive into the paint and got an assist for an easy basket.  At the end of the third period, Hwa Chong led 50-42.

Saints’ Kok Yong picks a loose ball for a counter attack.  © Shaun Chook

Saints returned in the fourth period with fierce determination.  In their first possession, Jian Ming drove the ball along the baseline, spotted teammate Jordan cutting into the centre lane from the free throw line and passed the ball for an assist.  The shot was initially blocked by HCI’s Sheng Yu, but the rejected ball landed back in Jordan’s hands and was quickly put into the basket.  A three-pointer from Kok Yong again half a minute later put the Saints just three points shy of the leader. 

HCI went immediately on a 7-0 run in less than two minutes to widen the lead again by ten points – all with the help of three consecutive baskets from no.12 Chonglin.  In a fast-break led by playmaker Calvin, he spotted Chonglin cutting into the left lane and sent an assist off a bounce-pass for an easy lay-up.  In the next two plays, Chonglin drove to the basket himself, did a turnaround move past two defenders on a lay-up and picked up his own rebound from a missed lay-up to put his team ahead at 57-47. 

Hwa Chong’s Fang Naizeng (no.10) protects the ball from Saints’ Eng Sen while deciding on the next play.  © Shaun Chook

The final six minutes of the game belonged to HCI’s Sheng Yu as he out-rebounded everyone else in the paint, interrupted Saints’ attack in the paint with his menacing defense, assisted his forwards on fast-breaks from his defensive rebounds, followed up on his teammates’ shots with his own offensive rebounds, drew fouls, made his free throws, overcame triple-teams in the low post and still managed with his long legs to step in toward the basket for a hook-shot.

By this time, SAJC seemed to have lost the answers on the defensive end to Hwa Chong’s forwards who did not look one bit tired and continued to ravage with their one-on-one attacks.  On the offensive end, a few baseline moves to the basket were executed with a beautiful finish, but mostly, the Saints could not shake off Hwa Chong’s sticky defense.  While they continued to make baskets, they were just not enough to catch up with their opponents.

Hwa Chong went on a 24-13 run in the final period alone to win their first quarter-final match 74-55.

Saints’ Eng Sen (no.4) tries to control possession of the ball in spite of a hustle from Hwa Chong’s Chonglin.  © Shaun Chook

Editor’s note:  If you recognize yourselves or any of your friends in these pictures, drop us a note in the "Comments" section and we’ll update the captions accordingly.  Thanks!