Story By Zachary Foo/Red Sports. Photos by REDintern Matthew Lau
Jun Wei (NHHS #6) drives by Pin Jie (PSS #7) (Photo 1 © REDintern Matthew Lau)
Clementi Sports Hall, Friday, February 14, 2014 — Nan Hua High (NHHS) toppled Pioneer Secondary (PSS) 36–31 in a high-stakes match where the victor got to progress to the second round of the West Zone B Division Boys Basketball Championship. Yao Jun (NHHS #10) led all scorers with 11 points, while Ong Guang Hui (PSS #10) paced his team with 10 points. Nan Hua High progress to round two of the championship, seeded into Group X.
Early on, Nan Hua identified Pioneer’s main scoring threat, Reece Low (PSS #15). They sent double teams on Reece each time, forcing him out of his comfort zone. Reece (PSS #15) had a solitary moment of success, evading his defenders before launching a nice hook over them for the score. Even though Nan Hua took the early lead, their lack of discipline on the boards gave up offensive rebounds to Pioneer. This allowed Pioneer to come back, ending the quarter trailing only 6–8.
The second quarter saw Nan Hua continue their success of frustrating Reece (PSS #15). They went hard at him on offence, drawing fouls from him, while completely denying him any chances to score. Even though they got a lot of free throws in the quarter, Nan Hua were unable to convert them.
Pioneer switched their tactics after the half-time break, fielding a small line-up in hopes of cutting the deficit. The lineup was mildly effective, but conceded a lot of turnovers to a very disciplined Nan Hua defence. Even so, Pioneer slowly crawled back into the game. Nan Hua took ill-advised shots on their end and Pioneer made them pay for it, cutting the lead to two points.
The final quarter saw Pioneer edge even closer, as they reduced the deficit to one point after two quick baskets. However, the turning point came when Reece (PSS #15) drew his fifth foul, relegating him to the bench for the rest of the game. The Nan Hua players seemed to be in high spirits after this, turning the tide and extending the lead once again. They held on to the end, winning 36–31 and booking their place in the second round.
Nan Hua captain, Jun Wei (#6), said, “It feels good to make the second round, but we played badly today. We have to improve our play for the upcoming opponents. The game was very competitive, Pioneer were worthy opponents. It was luck that got us the win.”
Scoring by Quarter
Pioneer Secondary vs Nan Hua High
1st Quarter: 6–8
2nd Quarter: 4–9 (10–17)
3rd Quarter: 8–6 (18–23)
4th Quarter: 13–13 (31–36)
Top Scorers
Pioneer Secondary
Ong Guang Hui (#10) – 10 points
Nan Hua High
Yao Jun (#10) – 11 points
Pioneer Roster
Yap Jun Hong (#4), Khor Zhi Xiong (#5), Goh Dong Jing (#6), Ng Pin Jie (#7), Hoe Zheng Yi (#8), Alwin Lim Jing Qin (#9), Ong Guang Hui (#10), Kesavan S/O Raman (#11), Ng Jia Ding (#12), Tan Wei Jian (#13), Tan Guan Hao (#14), Reece Low Jiajun (#15)
Nan Hua Roster
Liang Dingxun (#4), Dillon Yeo Kai Jung (#5), Au Jun Wei (#6), Khoo Chee Hau (#7), Ashwin Ravi (#8), Peerathach Sawadsuksobchai (#9), Yao Jun (#10), Pan Feng (#11), Ng Jun Kai Shawn (#12), Cheah Yan (#13), Lee Hong Yang (#14), Derek Chang Ding Cong (#15)
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