AJC cruise into QF with 75-36 win over CJC

BASKETBALL

National ‘A’ Division Boys First Round
Anderson Junior College vs Catholic Junior College
Friday, 4 May 2007, at Singapore Basketball Centre

Story by Lee Hwee Cheng. © Red Sports /soulbreath pictures

The following pictures in this report have been kindly taken and contributed by our volunteer, Goh Shao Wei. Thanks, Shao Wei!

AJC’s Lim Yan Ming (no.6) attempt a three-point shot in spite of two defenders. © Goh Shao Wei

In their last first-round match of the National ‘A’ Division Basketball tournament, a game whose final result would ironically determine the fate of four teams in this Group B, Anderson Junior College took the heat in their stride and cruised to a comfortable win over Catholic Junior College 75-36, heaving a sigh of relief at the same time with a deserved placing in the upcoming quarter-final.

The game started on a rather equal platform for both sides, as it turned out a match-up of guards and forwards. Anderson’s key ingredients lay in the ‘ninja’ trio of no.4, 6, and 7, all amazingly capable of dishing out silent kills at the most delightful moments. Into the third minute of the first period, AJC’s no.7 was playing the role of playmaker at the top of the key when out of the corner of his right eye, he spotted teammate no.6 make a body fake then sneak into the lane toward the basket. It is the beauty of such on-court chemistry and crisp timely coordination that makes guard-forward pairings such an eye candy. No.7 deftly dished a flick-pass to no.6 to assist him in an easy lay-up. No.6 next followed up with a three-point play on his own, as he took on a one-on-one fast-break, made the basket and drew a foul at the same time. AJC’s no.4 showed off a couple of quick moves in the last minute of the period, as he drove baseline past defenders and found himself easily under the basket. In the last play, he intercepted an pass in the opponents’ offense and led an immediate three-on-one attack. He dished a no-look flick to no.7 on his left flank, but the reverse lay-up hook-shot was missed.

Catholic did find their own answers to Anderson’s counter-attacks in the first period, with quick legs capitalizing on the opponents’ still-unsettled defense. No.5 scored an uncontested fast-break of his own, bringing the score to a 2-point difference in the middle of the period. In the seventh minute, no.7 executed a baseline drive, finishing the move with a right-handed hook shot and a basket. CJC managed to execute a three-point play on a counter-attack in the last minute of the period, and at the end of it, Anderson led the scoreboard only by six at 16-10.

CJC’s no.12 make a field-goal attempt in the presence of AJC’s Patrick Lim (no.10). © Goh Shao Wei

It was horrors for Catholic in the second period as Anderson went on a 17-7 rout in the ten minutes. Immediately in the first three seconds of the period, as CJC made their starting throw-in, AJC’s no.7 pounced out for a interception and completed his stealthy move with an easy lay-up on a fast-break. In the next minute, AJC’s no.7 made a confident cross-court pass to teammate no.6 at the low-post position, who took on his defender with a drive into the paint and a basket on a lay-up. CJC’s no.12 answered with a jumper in the paint, but AJC demoralized their opponents with two consecutive three-pointers, one from no.7 and then another from no.6. By then, with only three minutes gone, AJC had already pulled away to a 12-point lead at 26-12.

CJC launched into a three-point attack, in a hurried bid to catch up on the scores, but none of the plenty shots taken was made. Fortunately, in another unintended three-point play, CJC’s no.5 made the first of two awarded free throws, but missed the second. Out flew a teammate for the rebound and a basket was made instead.

As time ran down to the last minute of the period, AJC seemed to fall prey to fumbles as Yan Ming spotted an unguarded Zeng Zhi Bin (no.13) under the basket but threw a bad pass and Li Rong attempted a fast-break but ended up on the floor when he slipped and fell. CJC made good use of the chance by popping in another field goal in their next attack, but it was still AJC who ultimately threw in the surprises at the end. At the last 8th second, AJC’s Lee Zhi Shu (no.8) drove past a defender down the right lane, scored a basket, drew a foul in the process and completed his mission with a three-point play. But all’s still not ended for the CJC camp until AJC’s Yan Ming went on a last-second quick attack, drove down towards the baseline but stopped and popped a buzzer-beater with a definitive bank-shot. By half-time, AJC was comfortably ahead with 16 at 33-17.

AJC’s Samuel Ch’ng (no.4) takes a shot. © Goh Shao Wei

It was CJC who made the first effort in the third period to draw the gap a tad closer, with no.10 and no.13 each making a free throw in the first minute, followed by an interception and counter-attack that ended with a basket by no.12. Again, the efforts were rendered fruitless when within the next minute, AJC went on a sudden 9-0 run. Yan Ming first astounded with two consecutive three-pointers, then Samuel contributed a three-point play when he was fouled on a lay-up. By this time, just three minutes into the period, AJC was leading 42-21.

In the last second minute of the period, AJC exhibited perfect teamwork when Li Rong, while controlling the play at the top of the key, spotted teammate Samuel draw his defender out with a fake and run down the right lane, and immediately sent the ball to him for a lay-up. But Samuel, instead of making the lay-up, used his quick eye to spot an unguarded Zhi Bin in the centre of the paint and immediately dished the ball to him for an easy basket. (Ed: Aaah, it would’ve been much easier if I had a drawing board instead!) AJC pulled the lead further by the end of the third period with a 49-27 score.

In the final period of the game, CJC seemed to have lost steam as they found difficulty with holding possession of the ball for offensive opportunities, or even when they finally had, with sinking in their shots. Most of all, CJC seemed to have lost the energy to defend against AJC’s relentless and untiring attacks and counter-attacks. AJC’s "ninja trio" continued to terrorize the CJC side, as if they had no qualm showing no mercy to ensure a quarter-final berth. While CJC continued with their poorly taken three-point attempts, Yan Ming and his counterparts continued to floor their opponents with their fast-breaks and well-executed team-plays.

In the last ten minutes of the game, Anderson went on an astonishing 26-9 run to finish the game with total confidence and a 75-36 victory over Catholic.

Editor’s note: If you do recognize yourselves or any of your friends in these pictures, drop us a note in the "Comments" sectiong and we’ll gladly update the report and captions accordingly. Thanks!