By Koh Yizhe/Red Sports
Michael Wong of Choa Chu Kang looks to get past his Bukit Batok opponent. He finished with 11 points in the game. (Photo 1 © Joseph Lee/Red Sports)
Singapore Basketball Association, Thursday, September 7, 2012 – Tournament favourites Choa Chu Kang overcame a slow start to beat Bukit Batok CSC 68-51 in the quarter-finals of the Singapore National Games basketball tournament.
Choa Chu Kang will face off against Nee Soon U Sports. Nee Soon, with an average age of 18, recorded a huge 128-41 victory over Hougang Team 2.
Choa Chu Kang had a slow start, managing just a slim lead at the end of the first quarter.
However, they turned up the intensity in the remaining three quarters to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Their experience over the other team clearly showed as Low Jiaren scored 12 points while Michael Wong, who used to play for the Singapore Slingers, got 11 of his own in the comfortable win.
“We didn’t play to our expectations,” said team manager Abdul Latif Zainal.
“The players looked a bit tired throughout while the defence was sloppy and lacked intensity. We’re a running team so our defence is very important to get the turnovers and the fast break. We didn’t do that too well today,” added Abdul Latif.
On the semi-final match against Nee Soon U Sports, he said: “It will be a match between the young and the old — experience versus brawn. They are a young team while we’ve got experience on our side. We’ve faced each other before and it was a close game. I’m expecting no different.”
In the other semi-final, Nanyang CSC will take on Nee Soon Central CSC.
Nanyang CSC withstood a second-quarter rally from Jurong Green @ Jurong Central CSC to win their match 76-53.
The team from the West clawed their way to within five points in the second quarter, but they eventually faded out and were eliminated.
The closest quarter-final of the evening saw Nee Soon Central prevail 71-65 over Bukit Panjang CSC after trailing for most of the match.
Boasting the likes of former Slingers Hong Wei Jian and Lim Wai Sian, Nee Soon were expected to take the match comfortably. Instead, they found themselves behind and only managed to seal the match with free throws at the end.
Both semi-finals will be played on Saturday, September 8th, at the Singapore Basketball Association from 5pm onwards.
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