By reader AJCien.

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Now that the semi-finals have ended, it’s time for the ultimate showdown between the best in A Division basketball. Hwa Chong Institution, battling on two fronts, now face off with Raffles Junior College (girls) and Anderson JC (boys) respectively. Here’s an analysis on what’s going to be in store for the final.

RJC-HCI girls final: A battle royale between two most established schools in the A Division with a history of championship titles. With the rivalry spilling over to basketball, this looks like an enthralling match to watch in a battle for the best school in 2008. HCI, by defeating Victoria JC, have effectively removed the very challenger who can seriously threaten RJC in the final. As much as HCI will be backed by a partisan crowd, RJC will prove a stiff challenge. RJC doesn’t seem to have let up in the last few matches, although St Andrew’s JC did give them a scare last time in the semis.

Prediction: RJC to deny a double (and HCI’s title since two years ago) by edging the tight match by a few points.

AJC-HCI boys final: On paper this looks like a no-brainer. In contrast to HCI who are basically on another unbeaten run, AJC have lost in the group stages, albeit having confirmed top spot by the time the matches were played.

The resting of key players for key phases did help AJC sustain its run to the final, with few injury problems plaguing the team. While the stronger HCI players can be pretty hard to stop, AJC has a team captain who can rally his troops. Skeptics may point to their captain Yan Ming being a one-man show, but I’ve a feeling that this is AJC’s year.

Jet-lag may cause HCI’s downfall. With two of their star players being rushed back from overseas just for the match, HCI may need to find a way to help the boys cope with the after-effects of the depressurised air cabin and its consequences of lower oxygen absorption, altitude sickness and fatigue. With a lead time of less than 24 hours from touch-down to match, it might be the trigger factor to a potentially dangerous loss in form in such a high-stakes match. How the HCI bench can backup the starting five remains to be seen. There may be squad depth but it can only be effective if all players have seen action in the season’s matches.

But AJC will also have a few things to face. In their last meeting in 2006, AJC choked at the big stage, when a 3rd quarter romp by HCI deflated the team. And this year, their Jekyll and Hyde form did put off a few, where they lost in supposedly-winnable matches. The real AJC showed up in the semis, but will they do the same in the final? Or they will cower in terror at facing HCI’s partisan crowd?

Prediction: As an alumni I’d like AJC to win, and if they did they would put in their all and edge this closely (<5 points). But with HCI in hot form, a somewhat more realistic prediction would be HCI winning by 6-14 points (assuming their star players recovered in time from jet lag, if not, 5 or less.)

Post-match report
A Division Girls Final
A Division Boys Final