North Zone basketball all-star boys triumph in Combined Schools selection

By Ian Chew. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports.

CCAB, Thursday, March 19, 2009 – Is it an honour to represent the Singapore Combined Schools team? Any spectator will say yes just by witnessing the sterling efforts put in by the zonal all-star teams to secure the championship.

An estimated 120 of the best under-17 basketball male and female players gathered in the past two days for a final selection for this year’s Combined Schools team under the watchful eyes of the teachers. The female team had been finalised the day before while the boys fought for available slots on the team today.

Yet it was not just eventual places on the Combined Schools team that mattered. Each zonal team (divided into east, south, north and west) was determined to give a good showing by winning their respective match-ups. The players have been earlier identified due to their good performances for their schools during their zonal competitions.

Even before the competition began, the North zone team was rocked by the absence of key forward Yao Ming from Presbyterian High while the South zone team had two tall players- Jia Jun of Queensway Sec and Wong Kam Seng of Catholic High – withdraw due to illness.

Yet the North team shrugged off the early setback by winning all of their group matches with ease to qualify for the final. The South team, on the other hand, just managed to wiggle their way through by beating the East team by two points, though they had lost a massive 16 points earlier to the North.

Outstanding players though, were aplenty in all teams. Most notable was New Town’s Lor Weng Siang, who led his West team admirably to the third position overall with his robust play. Although Kenneth Yong of Manjusri dazzled with his lightning breaks to score for the East, Weng Siang and company proved the better team towards the end with a slim 50-46 win.

Similarly, Larry Liew (North Vista) and Russel Low (Presbyterian High) rallied their North Zone team from a 27-31 first half deficit to score a 63-55 victory over South Zone. This was despite the exertions of Jabez Su (Catholic High) and Ng Zhao Feng (Gan Eng Seng Sec) for South Zone in the final minutes.

Ngee Ann Sec centre Scott Driscoll was pleasantly surprised at his inclusion to the Combined Schools squad after the games.

“I never expected to be selected due to the presence of good foreign players like Ming Xuan (Catholic High) participating in the all-star zonal competition this year!” he said.

With such stellar performances from the young players, the future certainly looks bright for Singapore’s basketball scene. Led by coaches Joe So from Jurong West Sec and Tan Jing Yang from Dunman Sec, the eventual 12 players in the Combined Schools team will be slated to compete in the under-17 Milo Youth Cup in June later this year.

Shortlisted players for the Combined Schools squad
1. Lor Weng Siang (New Town Sec)
2. Ng Zhao Feng (Gan Eng Seng Sec)
3. Kenneth Yong (Manjusri Sec)
4. Adam Goh (Dunman Sec)
5. Jabez Su (Catholic High)
6. Larry Liew (North Vista Sec)
7. Gerald Toh (Seng Kang Sec)
8. Royson Quek (Peirce Sec)
9. Wu Qing De (Chung Cheng High (Yishun))
10. Chong Ming Xuan (Catholic High)
11. Russel Low (Presbyterian High)
12. Scott Driscoll (Ngee Ann Sec)
13. Goh Kong Tat (Catholic High)
14. Tan Jun Wei (Anglican High)
15. Ng Kian Hao (North Vista Sec)

Results of Matches
0900 North 30 South 14
0940 West 28 East 26
1020 North 32 East 25
1100 South 38 West 27
1140 North 31 West 26
1220 South 34 East 32
Third and Fourth Placing: West 50 East 46
Final: North 63 South 55

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdzXp-nV8_A

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT6ul31cDBA

Editors note: If you recognise yourself or your team mates in any of the photos, feel free to leave the names behind in the comments section and we will update the captions accordingly. Names of the players mentioned in the article will also be very much appreciated. Thanks!