Contributed by reader Steven
Singapore Basketball Centre, Sunday, May 17, 2009 – A last-second 3-point buzzer beater by SAFSA ended the reign of local powerhouse Home United Basketball Club.
Widely tipped as the hot favourites again for this season, Home United failed to defend their title and lost 63-64 to SAFSA.
A miraculous shot near half-court by ex-national and Tong Whye player Derrick Lin gave SAFSA a dramatic victory and created history since nobody can remember when they last lifted a trophy in the NBL.
SAFSA were relegated two years ago to the NBL Division 2 due to an ugly fight between them and Home United and they were promoted back into Division after a tough season in Division 2 last year.
SAFSA were newly reformed this year, due to the departure of some good players like Wei Kian and Teo Chun Hoe. Despite the departure of these players, they were injected with experienced players like Derrick Lin, Rudy Tan, Jia Ling and up and coming youngsters Guo Liang (Eng Tat), Jackson (Tagawa) and Steven Khoo. SAFSA were considered as one of the dark horses in Division 1.
Despite trailing in points all the way, they came back from an 18-point deficit to win by a point. They were no match for Home United in terms of skills and some will say they merely won by luck, but overall they put in a fantastic performance worthy of the championship that night.
Home United didn’t lose to SAFSA as much as they lost to themselves. Koh Meng Koon as usual played a great game, but just couldn’t get the important shots in at the crucial moments.
This loss also sends an important signal to Home United that the other teams in the NBL are also improving unlike previous years where beat teams easily.
The SAFSA victory is a sign that the intensity level of the NBL Division 1 will get higher next year.
Anybody got any update on SAFSA match in Malaysia?? Heard they don Singapore colour in this tournament..
michael wong not mike wong
Is that guy from safsa with a superman tattoo last time use to play for tungsun?? He also got some baby luck.. Saw the 1st game safsa beat minyi.. His last min foul basket had safe them.. Very lucky man…but after that he seem to tone down this season or their coach only seldom use him.. Wat a waste…:)
HI MIB- have u been interviewed by press? or Mr Chua must say things that you want to hear?
then must thanks father mother for bringing him up???
monkey la u
I agree with Ming Lee , Prasad was unbelievable in the final. He displayed real courage going after everyloose ball. Really unsung hero. I would like to see these 2 teams go head to head again . It will be very exciting ……….
Some how i do not understand why everyone is rootting for home united to lose…. ?
t-net: fyi your list got two national players – Mike Wong and Pathman. And for Jiaren, he play for Raffles old boys. Out of the 12 players, 8 players are from the SEABA bronze medal team in 2001.
The perfect above 30 team.
PG : Derek lim (Safsa)
Cai Wen Xin (HUBC)
Sg : Goh Wing Leong (HUBC)
Mike Wong (Eng TAT)
Chia Lim (Safsa)
Sf : Koh Meng Koon (HUBC)
Koong Kum Hoong (HUBC)
Fu You (Tung San)
Pf : Sham (HUBC)
Goh Joon Aik (Siglap)
C : Low Jiaren (Tagawa)
Pathman (Tong Whye)
And only one of them in the NATIONAL TEAM : Sianz!!!!! 🙂
Who can cmopete against these legends when they play together…..
steven
yeah i agree that they have lots of young talent but they never use it. if he gets the chance i think he will show that he really did improve i think.
:0 nice final…..I felt the SAFSA’s tall indian and Superman logo at the arm was cool.. I think their defence plays a important part to the winning .. ….
UNSUNG heros of the team. . . . WELL DONE SAFSA..
eh .. i think this is not his second year, he has been in home u for quite some time le, at least 3rd or 4th bahz, & in fact home u really got the depth of young potential players de, just that they seriously lack the chance of playing, & under the guidance of so many good players inside home U, of course he will improve when playing in IVP, 😛
Damn i missed the game.
Any boxscore?
Roughly got how many people btw?
MIB
by the way i think this is onli like the 2nd year i saw him playing. i bet if given more chance, he can perform better. as i think i saw him played ivp and other competition as well. he seems to improve alot ever since playing in the national basketball league.
MIB.
this year i do not think that youngsters have enough chance to play. last year i saw En Ning played quite a number of games. he did play well. But for a player to perform, if i am not wrong he only played 2 games, if you are on the bench for too long. morale and confidence level will drop. especially someone who played alot last year and played well instead this year got to be bench for quite long.
the problem is i don’t know anyone there and i’m still a student. I think by the time i got enlisted into army, they are no longer there. or maybe safsa is no longer in the league. haha
why not?? u may approached someone u know in safsa to get in.. maybe Mr Chua or Derrick will wan u
yah, it up to me to believe.. thanks for your clarification.. I’m not their player… How i wished i could be one of them. but i dun tink i can make the team as i’m too lousy… wonder if SAFSA wants me???
No.. i am not Mr Chua.. just a friend of him.. he did mentioned to me.. well.. up 2 u believe.. i saw the article.. he did not claim the credit too.. it’s ok that u dun like him.. or are you a player from HUBC??? Please advise
Baller, what makes you think that i’ve mistaken him… I believe what i read from the article. Or you the Mr Chua himself or else you won’t know what he had told the editor… Pls advise… I would like to know..
Hi MIB.. maybe u mistaken him… he did mentioned but the eidtor did not write what he say.. he only interested in Steven and Guoliang..
Hi Baller, you are right.. i’m a fan of HUBC as i’m attracted to the way they play their defense and how the team is managed..
As for condemning of the coach, that’s not my intention..it’s how I feel.. as I have read in one of the article from an evening paper on his interview…he didn’t even mentioned player cum asst coach Derrick that he had adviced him on the game plan. He is just claiming credit for himself…and he didn’t even mention jialing effort.. what a sad thing..Just felt sorry for Derrick and Jialing.