By Les Tan/Red Sports

Aaron Wong

In last year’s shootout, Aaron Wong made it to the final round when he dropped 12 3-pointers out of 25 shots and had the highest points total on the day with 14. He’s back this year to see if he can win the title that is now held by Desmond Heng of Fairfield Methodist Secondary. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

127 youth basketball players are set for a 3-point shootout this Saturday to see who has the hottest hand in Singapore. The players, all 18 and under, will shoot out in a prelude to the final round of matches of the adidas Nations Basketball League.

The four-team league has seen some of the best youth ballers in Singapore mixing it up with each other and all the games so far have been competitive and close. The most breathtaking game saw Whites beat Golds with a half-court buzzer-beating three-pointer by Teo Kun You.

This Saturday at Catholic High, the league will climax with the Whites taking on the Blacks in a 2.30pm game to decide the winner of the league. Both teams are unbeaten. The best two players in the league will be sent to the adidas Nations basketball camps in China and the United States while another additional five players will get to visit the Philippines in June to see Dwight Howard of the American National Basketball Association.

In the 3-point contest, defending champion Desmond Heng, 16, of Fairfield Methodist Secondary, is back this year to see if he can keep his shootout title while players who made the top seven last year – Aaron Wong of Catholic High, Larry Liauw of Hougang Secondary, Chong Rui Kun of Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary – are down to shoot this Saturday as well.

“I am really nervous, seeing 140 people joining and wanting to win,” said Desmond. “It is really exciting. Winning is not going to be an easy task but I am going to do my best. I don’t think I will be able to defend (the title) this year.”

The shootout will also see some female ballers – Joy Wang of Queensway Secondary, Pearlyn Chung, Pamela Loh and Janice Ong, all of Unity Secondary.

So what do the girls think of their chances?

“I think my chances are quite low,” said Pamela Loh of Unity. I think I will be out in the first round? Because we will be competing against guys and what’s more, 18 year old guys. That’s gonna be scary.”

“I’ve been practising a lot with my other teammates Pamela and Janice,” said Pearlyn. “I think that the chances of us getting in to the top few are actually very little but we will try our best to score as many as we can. :D”

It will certainly be a fascinating shootout and spectators are welcome for the shootout that will start at 11am. Entry is free.

Registration Details

Registration is free and was closed last Sunday, February 15, 2009. Due to the high numbers, there will be not have any walk-in or late registrations on Saturday.

All players registered to play in the adidas Nations Basketball League will not be allowed to take part in the 3-point shootout in view of the high number of registered players.

Only players currently in their school team with a team jersey are allowed to take part. If you used to be in the school team last year and are not in one this year, sorry, but you can’t take part. If you are in the school team but they haven’t issued you a jersey, sorry, but you can’t take part as well.

Registration time: 10.15am

You have to show up and shoot in your current school basketball uniform and wear proper basketball footwear. No slippers.

The shootout will have 3 rounds.

Round 1

You will get to shoot only one set of 15 balls.
You will have 30 seconds to warm up.
You will then be given 40 seconds for your set of 15 balls.
Each successful basket is worth 1 point.
5 balls will be placed in each rack and the last ball is worth 2 points.
You will shoot from 3 different positions on the 3-point arc (45 degrees on each side and the centre position)
Round 1 will start at 11am and will finish before the start of game 1 at 1pm.

Round 2

The top 12 players from Round 1 qualify for Round 2.
You will get to shoot one set of 25 balls in 60 seconds.
Each successful basket is worth 1 point.
5 balls will be placed in each rack and the last ball is worth 2 points.
You will shoot from 5 different points on the 3-point arc (180, 45, 90 degrees).
Round 2 will take place during the quarter breaks of the first adidas Nations league game starting at 1pm.

Round 3 (Final)
The top 5 players from Round 2 qualify for the final round.
You will get to shoot one set of 25 balls in 60 seconds.
Each successful basket is worth 1 point.
5 balls will be placed in each rack and the last ball is worth 2 points.
Only the top 3 get prizes.
The final round will take place during half-time of the final game between the Whites and the Blacks starting at 2.30pm.
1st prize: 3 pairs of adidas basketball shoes
2nd prize: 2 pairs of adidas basketball shoes
3rd prize: 1 pair of adidas basketball shoes

Desmond Heng

Defending champion, Desmond Heng, 16, of Fairfield Methodist Secondary. (Photo 2 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

Confirmed List of 3-point Shooters

Ang Jin Kai, 17, Riverside Secondary
Chen Wei Xiang, 17, Telok Kurau Secondary
Cheong, Boaz, 16, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Cheong, Darren Wei Shan, 15, Kent Ridge Secondary
Cheong Wei Liang, 16, Peirce Secondary
Cher, Ignatius, 13, Catholic High
Chia, Francis Bing Rong, 16, MacPherson Secondary
Chin Chong Kiat, 17, Seng Kang Secondary
Chin Wei Kang, 15, Canberra Secondary
Chong Rui Kun, 17, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary
Chua, Desmond, 15, Unity Secondary
Chua, Ian, 15, Balestier Hill Secondary
Chua, Jasper, 14, Ngee Ann Secondary
Chua, Jeremy Wee En, 16, Boon Lay Secondary
Chua Wei Jian, 14, Canberra Secondary
Chung, Pearlyn, 13, Unity Secondary
Foo, Darren Shou Yuan, 13, Catholic High
Gan, Oswa, 17, Dunearn Secondary

Gay, Joshua Horng Shyan, 16, Mayflower Secondary
Goh Bing Da, 15, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Goh Bing Qi, 15, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Goh, Edmund Zoon Meng, 15, Yuying Secondary
Guo Leibing, 15, Hwa Chong Institution
Han Xing Yuan, 13, Bukit Panjang Govt High
Heng, Desmond, 16, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Ho, Edwin Yuan Yi, 17, Christ Church Secondary
Ho Hao Yang, 16, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Huang, Wilson Ling Yi, 15, Clementi Town Secondary
Jun Wei, 16, Ping Yi Secondary
Kho Hui Long, 15, Clementi Town Secondary
Koh, Bryan, 15, Catholic High
Koh, Nicholas, 15, Hwa Chong Institution
Koh Xun Hao, 15, Mayflower Secondary
Kohar, Adrian Sebastian, 15, Maris Stella High
Kor, Bryan Gregory Chong Yang, 15, Hwa Chong Institution
Kow, Alton, 16, Balestier Hill Secondary
Lee, Dominic, 16, Henderson Secondary
Lee, Jeremy Weng Fatt, 16, Ang Mo Kio Secondary
Lee Yi Wei, 17, Henderson Secondary
Leong Heng Wei, 12, Jurong Secondary
Leong, Justin, 16, Ping Yi Secondary
Leong Wei Hao, 14, Catholic High
Leow Zhen Wei, 14, Teck Whye Secondary
Liauw, Larry, 17, Hougang Secondary
Liauw, Louis, 18, Hougang Secondary
Liew, Larry Hua Sen, 15, North Vista Secondary
Lim, Bryan, 15, Serangoon Secondary
Lim Chong Mou, 14, Catholic High
Lim Guo Dong, 15, Yuying Secondary
Lim, Mark, 17, Pioneer Junior College
Lim, Nixon, 17, Queensway Secondary
Lim, Vincent Soon Guan, 13, Catholic High
Lim You Yi, 18, Northland Secondary
Loh Hong Shen, 18, Hwa Chong Institution
Loh Hui Han, 18, Pioneer Junior College
Loh, Pamela, 13, Unity Secondary
Loh You Ren, 15, Gan Eng Seng Secondary
Low, Remus, 15, Unity Secondary
Lowell (surname?), 15, Peirce Secondary
Loy, Dion, 14, Hwa Chong Institution
Loy, Gordon, 15, Hougang Secondary
Muhammad bin Jasni, 16, Mayflower Secondary
Muhammad Zulhaziq, 13, Bukit Panjang Govt High
Neo, Clarence Jia Jun, 15, Yuying Secondary
Ng Sze Kang, 15, Seng Kang Secondary
Ng Yan Bo, 16, Hillgrove Secondary
Ng Yong Jian, 14, Ngee Ann Secondary
Ng Zheng Han, 15, MacPherson Secondary
Oh, Nicholas Jia Hao, 16, Boon Lay Secondary
Ong, Andy, 17, Mayflower Secondary
Ong, Gray Jia Jun, 13, Bukit View Secondary
Ong, Janice, 13, Unity Secondary
Ong Yan Xun, 17, Queensway Secondary
Pang Chongjing, 17, Gan Eng Seng Secondary
Phua, Gary, 13, Kranji Secondary
Png Wee Kai, 15, Queenstown Secondary
Poh Desmond Jia Jun, 18, ITE College East (Simei)
Poh Sheng Wei, 15, Ping Yi Secondary
Poh Wei Hao, 15, Naval Base Secondary
Quek Lai Jun, 17, Seng Kang Secondary
Seah, Dean Gengjie, 18, Pioneer Junior College
Sim Yong Jun, 14, Hougang Secondary
Tan, Alvin, 16, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary
Tan Baiyong, 16, Peirce Secondary
Tan, Colin, 18, ITE Ang Mo Kio
Tan, Edwin, 17, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary
Tan, Gareth Yu Shu, 15, Christ Church Secondary
Tan Han Boon, 17, Seng Kang Secondary
Tan, Jason Chin Seng, 15, Hougang Secondary
Tan Jia Kang, 15, Ngee Ann Secondary
Tan, Kelvin, 15, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary
Tan, Kelvin, 16, Chung Cheng High (Yishun)
Tan, Ken Ming San, 16, North View Secondary
Tan, Louis, 16, Queenstown Secondary
Tan Rong Shun, 15, Ngee Ann Secondary
Tan Wei Da, 18, Yuying Secondary
Tan Xin Fa, 15, Kent Ridge Secondary
Tan Yang Ming, 13, Catholic High
Tan Zheng Wei, 15, Ping Yi Secondary
Tang Beng Hong, 17, Hougang Secondary
Tang, Daryl, 16, Fairfield Methodist Secondary
Tang, Don Jun Zhong, 16, Hougang Secondary
Tay, Zann Tian Huat, 16, MacPherson Secondary
Teo, Brandon, 13, Deyi Secondary
Teo, Douglas Loong Chew, 15, Balestier Hill Secondary
Teo, Zan Wei Jie, 15, Queenstown Secondary
Tham Wei Kiat, 17, Canberra Secondary
Thiam, Darryl Yu Jian, 15, Balestier Hill Secondary
Toh Yi Sin, 16, Hougang Secondary
Tok, Jonus Jun Ming, 15, Maris Stella High
Tse, Benedict Zhuo Hong, 17, Pioneer Junior College
Wan, Clive, 16, Henderson Secondary
Wang, Joy, 15, Queensway Secondary
Wang Wei Yeow, 16, Ping Yi Secondary
Wee Hong Chao, 16, Clementi Town Secondary
Wei Dong, 16, Ping Yi Secondary
Wong, Aaron Da Wei, 13, Catholic High
Wong, Dylan Yun Fa, 15, Queenstown, Secondary
Wong, Henry Jing Rui, 16, Hwa Chong Institution
Wong Keng Yang, 15, Unity Secondary
Wong Ye Xun, 17, Gan Eng Seng Secondary
Yang, Mike Gui An, 16, Canberra Secondary
Yeo, Samuel, 15, Maris Stella High
Yu Cheng Yeh, 17, Unity Secondary
Zhou Zhen Qiang, 16, Yishun Secondary