Story and photos by Low Zheng Yu/Red Sports
Sim Jia Hao (NTU #4) stops and take the jumper. He led NTU with 16 points. (Photo 1 © Low Zheng Yu/Red Sports)
NTU Wave, 2018, October 4 — Nanyang Technological University (NTU) stayed focused to defeat Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) 61-58 in the Singapore University Games (SUniG).
With this win, NTU secure a spot in the Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) games, having a 4-1 win-loss record. On the other hand, SIM got handed their first loss of the season, falling to a 4-1 win-loss record. NTU will play Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) next while SIM will play against National University of Singapore (NUS).
SIM got off to a quick 6-0 start which forced NTU to take a timeout. The timeout allowed NTU to compose themselves as they came out on a run of their own, quickly eliminating the lead that SIM had.
“I think our composure is better this game. For the last few games, we had a lot of turnovers, but in this game, in the first half, we managed to minimize our turnovers and protect the ball better,” said NTU captain, Seah Chin Seng (NTU #24).
NTU went into the second quarter with composure as they played good defense to limit SIM’s offensive prowess. Sim Jia Hao (NTU #4) scored 6 straight points, including a buzzer beater, to give NTU the 27-25 lead going into the half. He led the team with 16 points.
In the second half, NTU were able to go on a huge offensive run in the third quarter to increase their lead. They outscored SIM 22-14 in the quarter and took a 10-point lead at the end of the third.
Not wanting to lose, Ng Kian Hao (SIM #27) tried to will his team back into the game. He had a game-high 22 points. However, with time expiring, SIM’s efforts fell short as NTU took the game 61-58
Scott Driscoll (SIM #21), SIM’s captain, commented, “I think today we lost in terms of the effort. The 50-50 balls, I would say we aren’t as hungry as them and it showed on the court. Moving forward, firstly, I think we can improve on our team’s cohesiveness as a lot of us are playing division one and have national team commitments, so training as a full squad is actually quite rare. Hopefully, we can have that moving forward. Secondly, I think we can learn to trust the team a bit more, especially for me. I must be able to find the open man and identify the correct chances and not take them one v two. It is not over till the final whistle. I think we still have a good chance. So, we are going to go at it with full intensity and 150 percent of our efforts. So let’s get ready.”
Moving forward, Chin Seng (NTU #24) felt that the younger players can step up and be confident in their offensive plays, “I think our young players can get more minutes on the floor and improve themselves. For ourselves, seniors, when our own seniors graduated last year, we feel that our team’s scoring got affected a lot as our seniors were the one that carried our offense. I would like the juniors to be more active in the scoring role so that when us seniors graduate, they won’t feel the scoring deficit that we felt.”
Scoring by quarter
NTU vs SIM
1st Q: 08-10
2nd Q: 19-15 (27-25)
3rd Q: 22-14 (49-39)
4th Q: 12-19 (61-58)
Top Scorers
NTU
Sim Jia Hao (#4) – 16 pts
Chia Zao Liang Lyon (#0) – 10 pts
SIM
Ng Kian Hao (#27) – 22 pts
Wang Liang Rong (#9) – 11 pts
Loh Youren (#5) – 10 pts
Hiew Zi Jie (#10) – 10 pts
NTU Roster
Chia Zao Liang Lyon (#0), Wong Liang Hao Brian (#2), Sim Jia Hao (#4), Neo Rymond (#5), Lim Yong Cheng, Justin (#10), Liau Ming Shun (#11), Rong Hao (#13), Tan Zhi Sen (#14), Benjamin Solvberg Buan (#15), Kwan Jian Fu (#17), Tan Aik (#21), Chun Wang Xuan (#23), Sean Chin Seng (#24), Lee Yee Kai Darryl (#30), Toh Xuan Hao Sergul (#35)
SIM Roster
Devin Tan Jun Yong (#0), Tan Baiyong (#1), Bryan Chong (#2), Loh Youren (#5), Mun Wai Kin (#6), Jasper Goh (#8), Wang Liang Rong (#9), Hiew Zi Jie (#10), Loke Zhi Jian (#11), Gary Yeo Jun Yuan (#14), Ng Yong Jian (#17), Scott Driscoll (#21), Yap Baocheng (#25), Ng Kian Hao (#27), Sherman Lim Jian Hao (#36)
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