Story by Dylan Chua/Red Sports. Photos by Chan Hua Zheng/Red Sports.

Rachel Tan (NJC #2) surveys the defense for an opening. She finished with a game-high 23 points. (Photo 1 © Chan Hua Zheng/Red Sports)

Delta Sports Hall, Thursday, March 1, 2018 — Two-time defending South Zone champions National Junior College (NJC) defeated Guangyang Secondary (GYS) 66–28 in the South Zone B Division Girls’ Basketball Championship Final to clinch their third consecutive zonal title.

Captain Rachel Tan (NJC #2) scored 23 points to lead NJC, who have reached the South Zone final for each of the past four years.

“I am just thankful,” said Rachel (NJC #2) when quizzed about her thoughts after NJC completed a three-peat in the zonal competition.

“I am glad that we played all out and everyone put in maximum effort. It doesn’t matter whether we are playing a first round match or the final, we have to give everything in every match that we play,” added Rachel (NJC #2).

Guangyang depended heavily on Jasmin Pun (GYS #23) for offensive solutions and she duly led her team in the scoring column once again – tallying all her 12 points in the first and last quarter – but was some way off her 26-point performance against St. Margaret’s Secondary in the semi-finals.

Guangyang were called for an eight-second violation three times in the opening minutes of the game as NJC took full advantage to build an early 10–2 lead and never looked back.

Rachel (NJC #2) scored seven straight points to start the third quarter as NJC built a 30-point lead with 6:42 left in the third. NJC scored 13 unanswered points before Veronica Tan (GYS #20) banged in an under basket shot with 1:16 left in the third to stop Guangyang’s scoring drought.

Within a minute of play in the final quarter, NJC had built a 56–16 lead behind three straight fast-break lay-ups.

11 players on the NJC roster scored in the final as they never skipped a beat despite using a 12-man rotation.

NJC will bring a flawless 6–0 win-loss record to the National B Division Girls’ Basketball Championship and the team hopes for a better showing after they did not advance past the first round last year.

“I hope that my team continues to play like we have done and that we will continue giving our all. We hope to finish in the top 4 for nationals,” added Rachel (NJC #2) with regards to their expectations for the National Championship.

Guangyang will head to the national round with a 4–2 win-loss record after twice falling short against NJC, having lost 41–27 to their opponents in a preliminary round encounter previously.

The National B Division Basketball Girls’ Championship will begin after the March School Holidays.

Scoring by Quarter
NJC vs Guangyang
1st Q: 22–8
2nd Q: 11–6 (33–14)
3rd Q: 17–2 (50–16)
4th Q: 16–12 (66–28)

Top Scorers
NJC
Rachel Tan (#2) — 23 points
Engie Low (#27) — 10 points

Guangyang
Jasmin Pun (#23) — 12 points

NJC Roster
Tan Wei Xuan Rachel (#2), Ng Mu Rong (#3), Agnes Lee Ying Faye (#5), Joanna Wei Xin Yue (#9), Arshia Bansal (#10), Tiana Huang Chienchi (#14), Kimi Neo Huilin (#15), Amanda Han Xinzhi (#20), Aruna D/O Vadivelu (#21), Baskar Janisha Reddy (#25), Engie Low (#27), Breanne Kaur Gill (#32)

Guangyang Roster
Jastena Gurung (#2), Janelle Lim (#8), Grace Lim (#9) ,Chia Jie En (#10), Tan Ying Ying (#11), Adeline Ee (#12), Veronica Tan (#20), Jasmin Pun (#23), Valerie Sng (#25), Eksa Mabo (#30), Dursan Rai (#31), Toh Wang Xin (#36)

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