By Tessa Cho/Red Sports. Photos by Laura Lee/Red Sports
Phi Yao (RI #8) drives the ball inside, faking a layup and passes the ball to his teammate to score from the outside instead. (Photo 1 © Laura Lee/Red Sports)
Singapore Basketball Centre, Friday, May 16, 2014 — Pioneer Junior College (PJC) bounced back from a loss to Raffles Institution (RI) in round 2 of the National A Division Boys Basketball Championship to defeat them 66–54 in the 3rd/4th playoffs.
Chua Cheng Wei (PJC #9) led all scorers with 18 points while Chan Chun Cheong (RI #4) paced his team with 15.
This is the third encounter between the teams. Apart from the second round matchup, they also met in a friendly match during the holidays which RI won.
In the first quarter, two successful free throws by Chua Cheng Wei (PJC #9) gave PJC a 2–0 head start. Tight defence saw PJC blocking RI attempts to score more than three times in the first quarter. Both sides walked off tied 16–16 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter kicked off with a turnaround jumper by Neo Rymond (PJC #5) who scored the breakaway point for his team. Both teams worked hard to gain possession of the ball as RI defended with a 2-on-1 full court press while PJC played a half-court man-to-man strategy.
While RI displayed better court coverage, with some long-range shots by Phi Yao (RI #8), PJC were catching more rebounds. A Brandon Ong (PJC #10) rebound provided the opportunity for a three-pointer by Tan Jian Yong (PJC #7). With the score level again at 26–26, two successful free throws and a basket by Chua Cheng Wei (PJC #9) and Eugene Low Ya Ming (#13) respectively gave PJC a two-point, 30–28 lead at the end of the second quarter.
The third quarter saw PJC pull away on the back of a three-pointer each by Tan Jian Yong (PJC #7), Cherwin Tan (PJC #8) and Darius Chan (PJC #12), as well as a number of accurate free throws. PJC outscored RI 16–9 to lead by nine points (46–37) heading into the final quarter.
Two three-pointers by Chan Chun Cheong (RI #4) helped RI to reduce the deficit to five points (45–50) In the fourth quarter. Tan Jian Yong (PJC #7) also sank two three-pointers in teply to keep PJC comfortably in front.
A high-scoring fourth quarter saw PJC outscore RI 20–17 to wrap up a 66–54 win.
PJC captain, Yeo Eng Heng (#6), said, “It’s awesome! Especially since we’ve come a long way (having lost to them twice previously). So since it was our last game, we wanted to just have fun and also seek vengence. But with the win, at least it lets us end the season with a bang and is a good farewell gift for the seniors as well.”
Scoring by Quarter
PJC vs RI
1st Quarter: 16–16
2nd Quarter: 14–12 (30–28)
3rd Quarter: 16–9 (46–37)
4th Quarter: 20–17 (66–54)
Top Scorers
PJC
Chua Cheng Wei (#9) – 18 points
Tan Jian Yong (#7) – 15 points (5 x 3-pointers)
RI
Chan Chun Cheong (#4) – 15 points (5 x 3-pointers)
Khoo Junn Wei Mark (#9) – 10 points
PJC Roster
Paul Tan Pei Yang (#4), Neo Rymond (#5), Yeo Eng Heng (#6), Tan Jian Yong (#7), Lim Tian Wei Cherwin (#8), Chua Cheng Wei (#9), Ong Jin Jie Brandon (#10), Lim Jin Kai (#11), Darius Chan Rong Rui (#12), Eugene Low Ya Ming (#13), Mun Wai Kin (#14), Mohamad Nazri Bin Mohamad Rashed (#15)
RI Roster
Chan Chun Cheong (#4), Khoo Jae En Kevin (#5), Zhuang Baokun (#6), Lim Mingjun (#7), Phi Yao (#8), Khoo Junn Wei Mark (#9), Joel Ong Wai Him (#10), Ernest Chng Yong Cheng (#11), John Zhang Jiong Yang (#12), Muhammad Zaki B Ghazali A T (#13), Deng Fang Shuo (#14), Teo Jun Yang Felix (#15)
National A Division Boys Basketball Championship — Fixtures and Results
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