Story by Lim Yi Fei/Red Sports. Photos by Stefanus Ian/Red Sports.
Wei Qin (HG #7) attempting to dribble past Woodgrove’s defence during the North Zone B Division basketball match between Hougang and Woodgrove. (Photo 1 © Stefanus Ian/Red Sports)
Singapore Basketball Centre, Monday, January 29, 2017 — Hougang Secondary (HG) took off in the third quarter with precise ball movement to beat Woodgrove Secondary (WG) 35–26 in Round 1 of the North Zone B Division Basketball Championship and advance into the second round.
With this win, Hougang improved to a 3–1 win-loss record with their only loss coming from Yishun Secondary, while Woodgrove dropped to a 3–1 record.
Lee Zhun Yang (HG #6), Woo Wei Qin (HG #7) and Nigel Chew (HG #9) of Hougang tied with nine points each.
Sky Chong (WG #8) of Woodgrove led his team with nine points while teammate Yung Juen (WG #13) had eight.
As soon as the ball was tipped, Hougang came to a formation which drove the game plan, while Woodgrove had misplaced passes as they tried to settle into the game.
This resulted in opportunities for Hougang as they capitalized on their rivals’ mistakes and passed out to shoot whenever possible.
Led by Woo Wei Qin (HG #7) and Giggs Ong (HG #14) who hustled hard for offensive rebounds, even the tall players of Woodgrove were no match.
Woodgrove then called for a timeout and it seemed like a turning point for them, as they quickly warmed up and started forcing fastbreaks, ending the 1st quarter with a slight lead of 7–5.
Though it seemed that Woodgrove had the height advantage, Hougang advanced smartly with plays and box-outs.
Undeterred, Woodgrove took a different approach – denying both their rivals’ shots and passes. It proved successful as Woodgrove managed to stop their opponents in their tracks.
By halftime, Hougang trailed 14–16.
But Hougang managed to edge ahead with double threes, pulling away with the lead. They were not going down without a fight. With the thought of history repeating themselves at the back of their heads, Hougang put the pedal to the metal and limited their opponents to only two points.
By the end of the third quarter, things were going well for Hougang at 26–18.
Down to the final quarter, Woodgrove upped their game but lost precious points due to poor shots, losing their chance for a comeback.
Still going strong, Hougang never let the objective out of their sight. They defended any open rivals and fought until the end. They played it slow to their advantage and allowed their opponents to fumble.
At the buzzer, Hougang exploded into cheers and the joy of avenging their seniors’ loss two years ago took over.
Hougang’s vice captain, Woo Wei Qin (HG #7), said: “We did not give up until the very last second even though we were leading. We gave our 100 percent and the team deserved the credit for their hard work. We held our heads up even though it was against Woodgrove.”
“Previously, we played against Yishun and we were leading in the last quarter by seven points. However, we got complacent and eventually lost to them. Learning our mistake, we pushed on,” he added.
Hougang’s captain, Lee Zhun Yang (HG #5) also said the team still had room for improvement.
“We can still improve on our box-out and rebounds. Our man-help was absent sometimes when we play man-to-man defense so the opponent was able to come into the paint easily,” said Zhun Yang.
Scoring by Quarter
Hougang vs Woodgrove
1st Q: 5–7
2nd Q: 9–9 (14–16)
3rd Q: 12–2 (26–18)
4th Q: 9–8 (35–26)
Top Scorers
Hougang Secondary
Lee Zhun Yang (#6) – 9 pts
Woo Wei Qin (#7) – 9 pts
Nigel Chew (#9) – 9 pts
Woodgrove Secondary
Chong Shao Kai, Sky (#8) – 9 pts
Teo Yung Juen (#13) – 8 pts
Hougang Secondary Roster
Toh Hong Guan (#0), Byron Ng (#2), Daryl Poh (#5), Lee Zhun Yang(6), Woo Wei Qin (#7), Nigel Chew (#9), Ryen Tan (#11), Giggs Ong (#14), Marcus Cheng (#25), Nigel Bong (#30), Kyler Ho (32), Jasper Loo (34)
Woodgrove Secondary Roster
Alfred Soo Ian Hern (#4), Lim Rong Xuan (#5), Tham Sheng Hong (#6), Lim Zun Kang Falco (#7), Chong Shao Kai, Sky (#8), Chen Pengkun (#9), Soh Keng Yip (#10), Fang Hanbin (#11), Neo Zhen Quan (#12), Teo Yung Juen (#13), Scott Tay Yong Jin (#14), Chung Yue Heng (#15)
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