By Ian Chew
Lim Boon Kiat (Whites, #40) catching a rebound as Aw Jun Xian (Blacks, #48) closes in. (Photo 1 ©Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Catholic High School, Saturday, February 21, 2009 – This time there was nothing left in the Whites tank in the end.
After two spectacular come-from-behind wins in recent weeks, the Whites team found themselves up against a more organised Blacks squad and eventually succumbed 64-69 in the deciding game of the adidas Nations Basketball League.
Yet the game was not without its exciting moments.
More than three hundred spectators watched Whites centre Lim Boon Kiat (#40) come up with a starring performance for his team, top-scoring with 16 points. Standing at over 1.9m tall, the ITE centre powered in for points. He was also spot on from the free throw line, converting four of his foul shots.
A blemish on his otherwise good display would be his attempted two-handed dunk in the fourth quarter which bounced off the rim. Had he converted that shot, his team may have given the Blacks a run for their money!
Instead, it was the strength in depth of the Blacks which showed in the end.
Coming off a 12-15 deficit in the first quarter, the Blacks coach Wong Hwee Liak kept their roster fresh for rest of the game by rotating his players. VJC guard Julian Low was replaced by Dunman Sec point guard Adam Goh in the second quarter. Adam went on to score 7 of his 16 points in the second quarter to lead his team in scoring.
Even their centres were not spared the rotation. AJC forward Ang Wei Xian sat down in the second quarter after being whistled for his third foul, bemused by the referees’ calls. However, Ngee Ann Poly’s Aw Jun Xian came off the bench for him and did well by scoring 4 of his 6 points in the second quarter.
Blacks centres Scott Driscoll and Koh Chee Siang also were rotated to good effect.
Both Julian and Wei Xian did manage to have a run-out for the Blacks in the fourth quarter, where they scored 10 of their team’s 17 points.
The Whites, having depended on a limited roster of Boon Kiat, Teo Kun You, Wong Kam Seng, Chester Leow and Ng Zhao Feng, were running out of steam towards the end. Although they did manage to outscore the Blacks 19-17 in the final quarter, they were unable to prevent their opponents this time round from deservedly winning the league.
Blacks Ang Wei Xian and Adam Goh capped off a good afternoon outing for their team by being two of the seven players selected for the prestigious upcoming adidas Nations camp to Shanghai!
Scoring by quarters:
First quarter: Whites 14 Blacks 12
Second quarter: Whites 17 Blacks 22
Third quarter: Whites 14 Blacks 18
Fourth quarter: Whites 19 Blacks 17
Top Scorers for Whites:
#40 Lim Boon Kiat – 16 points
#14 Travis Ang – 10 points
#16 Dominic Wong – 8 points
#31 Ng Zhao Feng – 8 points
#45 Teo Kun You – 8 points
Top Scorers for Blacks:
#7 Adam Goh – 16 points
#21 Julian Low – 12 points
#42 Ang Wei Xian – 10 points
#18 Macus Yap – 9 points
Dominic Wong (Whites, #16) is down with an apparent elbow injury after colliding with Aw Jun Xian (Blacks, #48). (Photo 2 ©Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Adam Goh (Blacks, #7) pushing past Ng Zhao Feng (Whites, #31). (Photo 3 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Travis Ang (Whites, #14) making a desperate attempt to score in the closing seconds of the match as the defenders Scott Driscoll (Blacks, #39) and Teo Liang Kai (Blacks, #20) try to block. (Photo 4 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Wee Seng Cheong (Blacks, #32) rushing past Teo Kun You(Whites, #45). (Photo 5 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Lim Wee Hoe (Blacks, #23) getting blocked by Wong Kam Seng (Whites, #34). (Photo 6 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Dominic Wong (Whites, #16) moving fast to add more points to the board in the closing seconds of the match. (Photo 7 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
[…] Blacks beat Whites 69-64 to capture the adidas Nations Basketball League. […]
erm…rock i love ur hair !
photo 2 is ng zhao feng, not chester leow.
I am Very puzzled by the fact that marcus yup from Black Didnt make it despite his awsome performance for the past few matches.