Story by Chan Hui Mui/Red Sports. Photos by REDintern Low Hui Yu/Red Sports

national b division netball

The Greenview GK puts pressure on the IJTP GS. (Photo 1 © Low Hui Yu/Red Sports)

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh), Friday, April 15, 2011 — Netball powerhouse CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) missed out on the final for the first time in four years after losing 49-50 to Greenview Secondary in extra time. Greenview sank a the penalty shot in the final second to win their National B Division Netball Championship semi-final.

The last time CHIJ did not make the National B Division final was 2007 when they were knocked out in the second round.

The first quarter saw both teams settling down quickly and making little errors with CHIJ leading 11-10 at the end of the first 10 minutes.

The game was still a tight affair in the second quarter. However, Greenview managed to create a precious turnover with a few minutes left on the clock to steal the lead 21-20 at half time.

In the third quarter, Greenview Goal Keeper, Grace Ang, went on a hunting spree, intercepting several balls which were converted. CHIJ were also not making wise passes which further exacerbated the situation for them and Greenview led 31-25 at the third quarter break.

Just as the game seemed to be over, CHIJ fired themselves up in the final quarter. The CHIJ Goal Shooter (GS) became more mobile to keep Grace Ang (Greenview GK) busy and the CHIJ defenders also tightened their defence to forced a couple of held balls.

CHIJ had more patience and better vision to narrow the deficit slowly to finally draw level at 39-39 at full time to force the game into extra time.

In the first minute of the extra time period, the CHIJ GS missed her shot and her opponent won the rebound. Greenview converted this to take the lead 40-39. From then on, CHIJ had to play a chasing game. Both teams were 44-apiece at half time of the extra time period.

Both teams continue to score from their own centre passes. With little time left on the clock, CHIJ defenders created a turnover. However, the CHIJ Goal Attack could not put in the shot to take the lead.

In the final second with both teams at 49-apiece, a contact call against the CHIJ Goal Defence gave Greenview the most important penalty shot of the match. When the Greenview GS, Chow Xing Hui put in the shot, her teammates went crazy as the buzzer went to signal a 50-49 win.

“We were the underdogs. We did not have as much pressure as CHIJ probably would have since CHIJ came in second last year. When we went into extra time, I told the girls that they threw away the game in the fourth quarter. We were up by 7 points yet we allowed CHIJ to draw level in the game,” said Greenview coach Bok.

“I told the team that we will win as we went into the extra time. I knew if we played to our best, we should be able to win. The feeling was indescribable when we won the game,” shared Greenview’s captain, Vivian Koe.

“My girls have given their best efforts and my shooters shot well. In this kind of close game, luck probably played some parts as well,” said CHIJ coach Kok Mun Wai.

Greenview will play Singapore Sports School in the final. They met earlier in the second round and Sports School beat Greenview 34-27 then.

“The only thing that is stopping us from beating Sports School is the thought in us that they are Sports School. As long as we are able to put aside this thought, we should be able to beat them because we know we are the best,” said Koe.


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