Home United win back-to-back games in National Basketball League

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Last weekend, Home United Basketball Club played their only scheduled back-to-back games in this year's National Basketball League championship.

On Saturday, May 2, 2009, Home United Basketball Club beat Eng Tat Basketball Club 74-49 in an impressive display of basketball.

From start to finish, the game was pretty much all Home United. Good rebounding and a 15-point game from Home United's No. 6 Shanmugadas was a big reason for the win. Home United's points in the first quarter alone equaled that from Eng Tat's first and second quarter put together. It was sign of how good Home United's offensive execution was that night. Eng Tat were just not making their shots and could not stop Home United at their end.

Eng Tat were outplayed and outrun by Home United that night. However, it was clear which team the crowd rooted for, as every shot made by Eng Tat was followed by loud cheers from the stands. Eng Tat continued to fight for every shot even though they were down by a large deficit but never looked to come back.

Home United Basketball Club returned to the Singapore Basketball Centre on Sunday, May 3, and beat Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (SAFSA) 83-66 in a match that saw SAFSA leading 38-34 at the end of the second quarter.

Home United put up a lethargic display in the first and second quarter. At first they took a comfortable 9 point lead but a 9-0 run by SAFSA saw them finish the first quarter level 20-20 with Home United. Home United kept missing their shots and played poor defence.

In the second quarter, each team matched each other shot for shot before SAFSA took the lead with 4 minutes remaining in the quarter. The quarter ended with Home United down 4 points to SAFSA. Not a familiar place for the Home United team.

The start of the third quarter saw a different Home United. They played with more energy and went on a 7-2 run to regain the lead just 2 minutes into the quarter to make it 41-40. SAFSA could not stop Home United and any sign that Home United were going to taste defeat that day was erased. From then on they did not lose the lead again and went on to win the game.

Home United v Eng Tat match statistics:

Home United
Jersey #/Name/Pts/ Fouls
4 Mitchell 5 1
5 Alan Lim Shijie 2 5
6 Shanmugadas 15 1
7 Tan Kee Chai Jason 0 2
8 Derrick Aw Chi Tong 7 1
9 Koong Kum Hoong 6 3
10 Koh Meng Koon 11 0
11 Chua Boon Heng 4 1
12 Gary Koh Kok Siang 8 0
13 Khng En Ning
14 Wang Weizhi
15 Teo Chun Hoe 12 0
16 Tay Wee Khong
17 Victor Tan Han Qiang 2 1
18 Melvin Tan Wee Yao 2 0

Total points: 74
Total fouls: 15

Eng Tat
Jersey #/Name/Pts/Fouls
4 2 5
5 0 2
6 5 2
7 5 2
8 15 2
9 4 4
10
11 12 2
12 2 0
13 0 0
14 2 4
15 2 2
16
17 0 0
18

Total points: 49
Total fouls: 25

Home United v SAFSA match statistics:

Home United
Jersey #/Name/Pts/ Fouls
4 Mitchell 13 0
5 Alan Lim Shijie 10 3
6 Shanmugadas 4 1
7 Tan Kee Chai Jason
8 Derrick Aw Chi Tong 5 1
9 Koong Kum Hoong 4 0
10 Koh Meng Koon 18 2
11 Chua Boon Heng
12 Gary Koh Kok Siang 12 0
13 Khng En Ning 2 0
14 Wang Weizhi 0 2
15 Teo Chun Hoe 6 3
16 Tay Wee Khong 2 0
17 Victor Tan Han Qiang 7 1
18 Melvin Tan Wee Yao