BASKETBALL
National ‘C’ Division Championship 2007 Semifinal
Presbyterian High School vs Anglican High School
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 at the Singapore Basketball Centre
Story and pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports/soulbreath pictures
Presbyterian High beat Anglican High 59-57 in a heart-stopping overtime match that could have gone either way.
Sherwin Yen of Anglican High tears through the Presbyterian High team. Sherwin scored a team-high 18 points in the game. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports
Presbyterian High started slowly, committing at least three turnovers in the first quarter that had their bench groaning away. The lack of rhythm in the Presbyterian High team reached a low when Goh Yao Ming (#8) managed to throw the ball way over the head of teammate Russel Low (#5), the tallest player on the court. The Anglican High boys took advantage of the turnovers and raced to a 6-2 lead prompting the Presbyterian High coach to call a timeout at 5:56 on the clock. The Anglican High team, playing a fast passing and running game, kept their noses in front and finished the first quarter ahead at 10-9.
In the second quarter, Presbyterian High finally found their rhythm and took the lead for the first at 18-17 midway through the quarter. This led to the Anglican High coach calling a timeout to stabilise his team but when play resumed, Anglican High still struggled to score, with Presybterian High putting up four unanswered points to stretch the lead further to 22-17. This led to another Anglican High timeout but Presbyterian High were now well and truly warmed up and restricted their opponents to just one point for the last four and a half minutes of the second quarter. Anglican High also did not do themselves any favours by not sinking baskets when the opportunities arose.
Ng Jun Jie of Presbyterian High tries to maintain ball possession against Chee Khan Liang of Anglican High. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports
With 7:05 left in the fourth quarter, Presbyterian High were now leading 42-40. Goh Yao Ming then sank a 3-pointer at 5:55 on the clock to stretch the lead further to 46-40. In response, Chee Khan Liang (#7) of Anglican High drove to the basket but the block from Ng Jun Jie (#9) was so strong that Khan Liang fell hard on the floor with a huge thud and did not hear the cheers he got for sinking the basket on the layup as he doubled up in agony. Ignoring the pain, he got up to sink the free throw to complete the three-point play and narrow the score to 43-46.
Then Anglican High raised the temperature in the hall when they scored seven unanswered points to move clear into the lead at 50-46, the last three coming from a 3-point basket by Choi Chi Min (#13) that made the supporters go crazy.
Russel Low of Presbyterian High (in white) looks to outwit Tan Jun Wei of Anglican High. Russel scored a game-high 27 points. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports
With 2:34 left on the clock, it was the turn of the Presbyterian High and Russel Low show. Scoring four straight points, Russel, who had a game-high 27 points, dragged his team back level at 50-50. With 1:16 left, Jonathan Haryono came back on the court after his coach hauled him off earlier in the quarter due to four personal fouls. At 1:01 on the clock, Chee Khan Liang made one of two free throws to put Anglican High ahead 51-50. Then Tan Jun Wei (#4) of Anglican High had an opportunity under the basket but the towering height of Russel Low made sure he did not score. Then Russel went back up the court and scored two to edge Presbyterian High ahead 52-51 with 51:81 left. Then Anglican High hopes were raised when Russel immediately went down with cramps and had to go off.
The score was soon level again at 53-53 and with seconds to go, the ball was in Presbyterian High’s possession. A drive and layup by Lionel Tan (#10) did not succeed. The supporters groan. Winning the rebound, Presbyterian High then got the ball out to Goh Yao Ming for a 3-point effort. As the ball sailed through the air, all eyes were transfixed on the ball – but he missed! The supporters groaned again and the game went into overtime.
High on adrenaline and playing through pain, both teams exchanged baskets, Goh Yao Ming’s two-point effort was answered by Anglican High captain Boh Xuan Jie (#12) to make the score 56-55 in his team’s favour. Then at 3:52 on the clock, Russel Low, recovered from cramps, came back on court and Presbyterian High had their big weapon again. Making an immediate impact, Russel made a basket to bring the score to 57-56 in his team’s favour. Presbyterian High then edged further ahead to 58-56. For the next one and half minutes, both teams just could not put points on the board, their respective supporters moaning with each miss. Russel then fouled Leslie Loh (#14) of Anglican High and Leslie shot one of two free throws to reduce the gap to one.
Tan Jiahui of Presbyterian High (in white) finds his way blocked by Sherwin Yen of Anglican High. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports
Trailing 57-58 and with time running desperately short, Anglican High attacked again through Leslie who missed with an under-the-basket attempt. Then Chee Khan Liang fouled out of the game while defending against Jonathan Haryono of Presbyterian High and all hope for Anglican High faded away. Going to the line, Jonathan was calm enough to sink one of two to make the score 59-57 to secure a place in the championship final for his team.
A dejected Choi Chi Min of Anglican High troops off the court. Chi Min scored 17 points in the game, the second highest in his team. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports
Presbyterian High (17-0):
Simon Low (#4)
Russel Low (#5)
Timothy Ho (#6)
Jonathan Haryono (#7)
Goh Yao Ming (#8)
Ng Jun Jie (#9)
Lionel Tan (#10)
Lim Wei Chieh (#11)
Koh Zhe Quan (#12)
Tan Jiahui (#13)
Andrew Wong (#14)
Ivan Yeo (#15)
Anglican High (15-1):
Tan Jun Wei (#4)
Tan Zhi Sen (#5)
Jasper Choo (#6)
Chee Khan Liang (#7)
Sherwin Yen (#8)
Jeremy Quah (#9)
Sean Hoo (#10)
Joshua Wong (#11)
Boh Xuan Jie (#12) capt
Choi Chi Min (#13)
Leslie Loh (#14)
Samuel Tan (#15)
Match statistics:
Free throw shooting:
Presbyterian High shot 13 out of 25 from the line
Anglican High shot 17 out of 29 from the line
Turnovers:
Presbyterian High committed at least 9
Anglican High committed 2
Top scorers:
Anglican High: Sherwin Yen (18 pts); Choi Chi Min (17 pts – one 3-pointer)
Presbyterian High: Russel Low (27 pts); Goh Yao Ming (23 pts – one 3-pointer)
Editor’s note: Please leave any corrections or updates in the comments section. More pictures in the gallery.
wa , sherwin , khan liang and jeremy all now very strong le . NICE GAME =)
tt catholic high number 12 is a volleyball player n was seen durung finals that he dun even stands at the right place to shoot foul ball.
zhi sen was a bench warmer through out the whole game so how could it be him??please change it…
de 4th picture’s guy is sherwin, not zhi sen. please have it changed immediately.
dats sherwin, zhisen was benched and he didnt play, so it is impossible to be him.
that guy isnt zhisen, its sherwin.
AHS nice game le..
stupid sherwin getting stronger le hor!!
i find time to go kebergan CC to play with u!
CAT HIGH RULEZ!starting they off form.. den later warm up le can liao.. all post hahas. #15 so jian.. lols.
prebs high is not an all rounded team only rely on 2 ppl, anglican high can play their whole bench. this is why cat high won prebs todae in finals. russel could not afford to foul! cat high had 3 inside players! 12 14 15