By Chan Hui Mui/Red Sports

Singapore Sports School, Sunday, December 6, 2009 – Singapore Sports School (SSP) sent 2 teams, consisting of National Schools B division players, to participate in the 2nd Netball International Youth Sports Challenge, and came in fourth and sixth respectively.

The tournament consisted of 10 teams from various countries like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Thailand and Malaysia. SSP Team 1 came in second while Team 2 finished third in their first round group matches. Team 1 beat Team 2 27-16 to qualify for semi-finals, while the latter missed out on the last four.

SSP Team 2 lost to New Zealand’s Rangitoto College 21-11 in the fifth and sixth-placing match. In the semi-finals, SSP Team 1 met Bukit Jalil Sports School from Malaysia, and went down to a 39-16 defeat.

In the third and fourth-placing match, SSP Team 1 faced Newcastle Netball Association (NNA) from Australia. The Australian team clinched the bronze medal after edging past their Singaporean opponents 28-19.

The start of the first quarter saw SSP encountering footwork trouble and gifted NNA an early 3-0 lead. SSP had little patience in making passes and that resulted in several turnovers to NNA. Further slack defending from SSP saw balls reaching the NNA goal circle with ease. NNA went into second quarter leading 11-2.

SSP slowed their pace down from then onwards and were more patient in making decisions, thus reducing their turnover count. However, NNA read their play and tightened their defence. SSP could not penetrate the Australians’ rear-guard, leaving NNA to widen their lead to 13 points.

With the score 18-5 to NNA, SSP made changes to their line-up in the third quarter. The adjusted line-up had better composure, sending more balls into the shooters’ hands. Coupled with crucial interceptions from the defenders, SSP outscored NNA 10-6 in the quarter, narrowing the deficit to 9 points.

However, SSP lost their composure in the final period. NNA also could not find their flow of the game, and with both teams committing unforced errors, the score for the quarter was kept to only a 4-all tie, wrapping up the game with NNA winning 28-19.

In the nerve-racking gold-medal match, Bukit Jalil Sports School were up against HTS Middelburg from South Africa. The match was tied 29 apiece after full-time, but the Malaysians proved the stronger of the two in extra-time to take top spot on the podium with a 39-34 victory.

Ranking:
1st: Bukit Jalil Sports School
2nd: HTS Middelburg
3rd: Newcastle Netball Association
4th: Singapore Sports School Team 1
5th: Rangitoto College
6th: Singapore Sports School Team 2
7th: Belmont North 2*
8th: Brunei Darussalam Schools
9th: Thailand Combined Sports School
10th: Belmont North 1*

* Belmont North is from Australia