Sterling RI display ends Guangyang’s impressive basketball run

Story and photos by Mr Ian Chew/Red Sports.

RI’s Jordaan Goh (#8) had a stellar game, scoring 22 points with his signature 2-step lay up to lead his team to a 63-27 win over Guangyang Sec. (Photo 1 © Ian Chew/Red Sports)

CCAB, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 – As impressive as Guangyang Sec’s form had been lately, they simply had no answer to a determined Raffles Institution freight train. Showing remarkable improvement in their overall team play, RI simply steamrolled past Guangyang 63-27 in a one-sided South Zone second round victory.

At least Guangyang put up a fierce fight in the first quarter. With a 3-pointer scored by Guangyang’s #8, the team managed to limit RI’s lead to just 7-5 after the first quarter.

However, the floodgates soon opened up in the second quarter. Besides controlling play for his team expertly, RI’s point guard Justin Chua also added 7 of his 15 points in a pivotal second quarter to establish a 23-11 lead at the half.

To add to Guangyang’s woes, RI slapped an aggressive full court zonal defense on the team in red. Though Guangyang’s #13 managed to power his way to 6 points in the second half, the fast tiring Guangyang guards struggled to cope with RI’s physical intensity.

In the end, the result was largely academic with RI running out deserving 63-27 winners.

With this win, both RI and Catholic High cemented their places in the zonal semi-finals, though in highly contrasting fashions. Both teams will meet on Wednesday to determine the winners of the group as well as their semi final opponents.

Guangyang Sec may be eliminated this round, but expect to see more of them in the coming years.

“We’ll be back!” promised Mr Yong, teacher-in-charge of the team.

Both #13 and #7 were the key players for the Guangyang team, scoring 6 and 4 points respectively. (Photo 2 © Ian Chew/Red Sports)

RI had other starring players as well, with #12 powering in for two of his six points. (Photo 3 © Ian Chew/Red Sports)