Story By Zachary Foo/Red Sports. Photos by Laura Lee/Red Sports
Cheong Yun Da (RVHS #7) goes for a reverse layup against Wen Mingliang (SAJC #13). (Photo 1 © Laura Lee/Red Sports)
Singapore Basketball Centre, Wednesday, April 30, 2014 — St. Andrew’s Junior College (SAJC) overcame a terrible performance on the boards to beat River Valley High School 49–36 in the National A Division Basketball Championship. With this win, SAJC are through to the second round.
Ashley Ng (SAJC #5) led all scorers with 24 points, while Tang Kang Wei (RVHS #11) paced his team with 10 points.
The first quarter was a tight affair between both teams. Good ball movement allowed SAJC to create open shots on offence, but they were unable to convert their jumpers. River Valley also had the same shooting woes, but were solid on the boards. SAJC’s frontcourt allowed the River Valley players into the paint too easily, which gave them a good position to secure the rebounds. Ashley Ng (SAJC #5) was the only player who could get his shot going in the quarter, nailing two three-pointers.
The second quarter saw River Valley committing a lot of bodies in the paint, as they made securing the rebound their prime objective. This proved to be successful as yet again, they had the bulk of the rebounds in the period. SAJC attempted to slow the pace of the game by going to their post players. However, they turned the ball over on entry passes on a few occasions. Their offence started to become more desperate, as the perimeter players drove into the lane regardless of the number of people inside.
River Valley started to come into their own in the third quarter. Their defence was able to force turnovers from SAJC by continuously pressuring the SAJC ball handlers. Ashley (SAJC #5) was the main source of points for SAJC in the quarter as he scored eight points to give the team a slim four-point lead.
The final quarter saw SAJC pull away from River Valley, as fatigue got the better of the latter team. This affected River Valley on defence as they gave away easy fouls. Yu Jing (RVHS #6) fouled out midway through the quarter as a result of this. Robin Alviedo (SAJC #8) and Kentley Pai (SAJC #4) were able to combine for a couple of fast break points that put the game away for good. SAJC ended the game 49–36 winners, securing their ticket into the second round.
SAJC player, Wen Mingliang (#13), said, “RVHS were very good opponents, they never gave up until the last minute. We worked hard together as a team and show team spirit. My teammates trusted each other and ran hard at every possession. This was what got us the win in the end.”
Scoring by Quarter
St. Andrew’s Junior College vs River Valley High School
1st Quarter: 11–6
2nd Quarter: 10–10 (21–16)
3rd Quarter: 12–13 (33–29)
4th Quarter: 16–7 (49–36)
Top Scorers
SAJC
Ashley Ng (#5) – 24 points
RVHS
Tang Kai Wei (#11) – 10 points
SAJC Roster
Pai Jun Yu Kentley (#4), Ng Ming Xiang Ashley (#5), Wu Shao Yang (#6), Koh Yong Zhi (#7), Alviedo Dionne Robin Menez (#8), Huang Yida (#9), Long Wei Kai Wayne (#10), Lim Zheng Xuan (#11), Chang Weng Kong (#12), Wen Mingliang (#13), Safkit Ullah Khan (#14), Toh Xuan Hao Sergul (#15).
RVHS Roster
Heng Shu Han (#4), Chan Yan Xiong Lucas (#5), Tan Yu Jing (#6), Cheong Yun Da (#7), Chun Jun Ming (#8), Chan Hua Zheng (#9), Zhang Zhichao (#10), Tang Kai Wei (#11), Tay Ruixing Theodore (#12), Lee Shyh Haur (#13), Bryan Lew Ju Yu (#14), Jia Zhenmin (#15)
National A Division Basketball Championship — Fixtures and Results
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