Story by REDintern Daniel Yeo. Photos by Dylan Chua/Red Sports.

Sim Yi Brenndon Ariffin (NV #5) pulls up for an elbow jumper on his way to a game-high 18 points. (Photo 1 © Dylan Chua/Red Sports)

Sim Yi (NV #5) pulls up for an elbow jumper on his way to a game-high 18 points. (Photo 1 © Dylan Chua/Red Sports)

OCBC Arena, Monday, April 2, 2018 — In a clash of zonal champions, the North comes out tops over the West as North Vista Secondary (NV) takes down Unity Secondary 69–44.

This win now means that North Vista has qualified for the semi-finals with a 2-0 win-loss record in the quarterfinal round. Unity, on the other hand, has only the slimmest chance of qualifying for the next round with a 0-2 win-loss record.

North Vista were led by Sim Yi Brenndon Ariffin (NV #5) and Qi Feng (NV #3), with 18 points and 14 points respectively. Unity were led by Jonathan Ng (Unity #35) with 15 points, while teammate Nicholas Peh (Unity #7) chipped in 11 points.

The first quarter was a quarter out of the ordinary – despite their dominance throughout the tournament, North Vista found themselves down after the first 10 minutes of basketball.

Both teams love to play fast, and it was a constant back-and-forth from the starting buzzer as they executed their run-and-gun offences.

To combat this, both teams were also playing aggressive defence with full-court presses. North Vista was going the extra mile by double-teaming the ball-handler whenever possible.

However, North Vista’s defensive strategy did not seem to be going according to plan – Unity’s spacing prevented them from doubling as it would be leaving another player wide open. On the other hand, Unity’s defensive IQ was leading to steals, which gave them plenty of fast-break opportunities for easy points.

We asked North Vista after the game about their mindset after Unity’s first-quarter surge: “We were telling each other: don’t give up, we need to win this game.”, Amos Tai (NV #7) explained.

With that thought in the back of their heads, North Vista played out of their minds to get back into the game – they kept Unity scoreless for five straight minutes and went on a 10–0 scoring run.

This quarter, it was North Vista’s turn to create steals, with their active hands pressuring the Unity ball-handler and reaching into passing lanes. Without a doubt, this was one of the reasons why Unity had their lowest scoring quarter of the game in this second frame.

The third quarter began and both teams got on the board quickly – Jonathan Ng (Unity #35) found open in the paint for a layup and Reuben Amado (NV #30) banking in a push shot.

Although North Vista’s fast pace and smart passing were helping them get better looks in the half-court set, it was truly a game of fast-breaks by both teams.

Again, both teams were employing their full-court presses. North Vista, however, took whatever opportunities they could to double-team or even triple-team the Unity ball-handler for more points off the fast-break.

As the final quarter began, Unity tried to chip away at North Vista’s 15-point lead with some active defence. Of course, North Vista was not going to let that happen – Amos Tai (NV #7) led the charge with eight points in the quarter, as he and his teammates cemented their lead with a flurry of treys and fast-break points for an eventual 69–44 win.

North Vista, despite the win, were critical of themselves, focusing on their poor performance in the first quarter. When asked about how they played, the whole team put in their two cents: “We played badly, sloppily, arrogantly.”

Unity, on the other hand, are looking in from the positive side. When asked about how they felt facing the reigning North Zone champions, captain Ryan Hoa (Unity #2) told us: “We were nervous but determined to win. Although the results weren’t as expected, we’re happy to have fought hard.”

The second round of the National B Division Basketball Championship will conclude on April 4, at OCBC Arena.

Scoring by Quarter
Unity Secondary v North Vista Secondary
1st Q: 11–7
2nd Q: 9–17 (20–24)
3rd Q: 11–22 (31–46)
4th Q: 13–23 (44–69)

Leading Scorers
Unity Secondary
Jonathan Ng Zi Bin (#35) – 15 points
Nicholas Peh Chi Leong (#7) – 11 points

North Vista Secondary
Sim Yi Brenndon Ariffin (#5) – 18 points, 2 3PM
Chan Qi Feng (#3) – 14 points, 2 3PM

Unity Secondary Roster
Melvin Chua Dong En (#1), Ryan Hoa Wai Ming (#2), Jarric Quek Jun Ying (#3), Raymus (#4), Nicholas Peh Chi Leong (#7), Spencer (#8), Li Ming (#9), Jude Emmanuel Viray Pabustan (#11), Neo Tock Peng (#12), Nurhairie Nazief (#15), Clarence (#20), Jonathan Ng Zi Bin (#35)

North Vista Secondary Roster
Shayan Medhi Nejad (#2), Chan Qi Feng (#3), Vincent Gerard Embay Bancod (#4), Sim Yi Brenndon Ariffin (#5), Chace Ng Kai Le (#6), Amos Tai (#7), Dillon Ong Yan Kai (#9), Arnald Foo Wei Bin (#10), Justen Chiam (#11), Jayson Yanoria (#24), Damien Yau (#25), Reuben David F Amado (#30)

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