Story by Chan Hua Zheng/Red Sports. Photos by Dylan Chua/Red Sports.

Nicholas Liew (Bowen #8) rises for the lay-up. He scored 16 points to lead his team to an overtime victory. (Photo 1 © Dylan Chua/Red Sports)

Nicholas Liew (Bowen #8) rises for a lay-up. He scored a game-high 16 points to lead his team to an overtime victory. (Photo 1 © Dylan Chua/Red Sports)

Clementi Sports Hall, Monday, March 21, 2016 – Bowen Secondary started off their campaign in the National B Division Basketball Championship with a 55-50 victory over National Junior College (NJC) in an overtime thriller.

Nicholas Liew (#8) led Bowen with 16 points, with teammates Teng Wei Jie (#5) and Wu Shen Chou (#10) chipping in 8 points apiece. On the other hand, Belkham Low (#71) led NJC with 14 points while Teng Wei Jie (#5) and Wu Shen Chou (#10) added 11 points and 9 points respectively.

The opening period saw both teams playing tight defense, forcing turnovers from their counterparts for fast break points. With 3 minutes left in the quarter, Belkham Low (#71) put his defender in the spin cycle to set himself up for an easy layup to even the scoreline at 13-13. However, Bowen responded with a 4-0 run over the final 3 minutes of the period to secure a 17-13 lead.

The second quarter opened with a fast break layup by Daniel Ang (Bowen #13) off a steal that sparked a 10-0 run by Bowen over the first 1:45. NJC found themselves taking tough contested shots as Bowen clamped down on defense. At halftime, NJC trailed 23-33.

After the halftime break, NJC drew first blood on a tough layup in traffic by Nicholas Gao (#99) that sparked a 9-0 run by NJC over the opening 3:40 to cut their deficit to 1. In the third quarter, NJC outscored Bowen 13-5 to end the quarter trailing by just 2 points (36-38).

Bowen struck first in the fourth quarter with Wu Shen Chou (#10) scoring a offensive putback to put Bowen up 40-36. However, a triple by Belkham Low (#71) and a fast break layup off a Bowen turnover by Huang Yifan (#22) on the following possession sparked a 9-2 run to give NJC a 45-42 lead with a minute remaining in the quarter.

On the following possession, NJC forced a crucial Bowen turnover and had a wide open layup, but Daniel Yap (Bowen #13) denied it with a huge chase down block. On the following possession, Teng Wei Jie (#5) came up clutch, draining a wild fadeaway 3 pointer despite his defender putting a hand in his face to even up the score at 45 apiece. By the end of the fourth quarter, both teams were tied at 47 and the game went into overtime.

NJC drew first blood in overtime on a free throw by Huang Yifan (#22). However, it was all Bowen from then on, as NJC struggled with their shots in overtime. At the final buzzer, Bowen came away with the 55-50 overtime victory over NJC.

Bowen will next face off against Chung Cheng High (Main), while NJC will next play Jurong Secondary. Both matches will be held at 4.15pm on March 24 at Clementi Sports Hall.

Scoring by Quarter
Bowen vs NJC
1st Q: 17-13
2nd Q: 16-10 (33-23)
3rd Q: 5-13 (38-36)
4th Q: 9-11 (47-47)
OT: 8-3 (55-50)

Top Scorers
Bowen
Nicholas Liew (#8) — 16 points
Teng Wei Jie (#5) – 8 points
Wu Shen Chou (#10) – 8 points

NJC
Belkham Low Jin Rong (#71) – 14 points
Seow Wei Xuan (#3) – 11 points
Huang Yifan (#22) – 9 points

NJC Roster
Seow Wei Xuan (#3), Ian Tay Wei Han (#10), Aviral Agarwal (#13), Huang Yifan (#22), Rayden Teo Wei Xuan (#25), Belkham Low Jin Rong (#71), Jonathan Gan Jing Heng (#72), Janson Tan Jeung Yong (#91), Nicholas Gao Lu Xin (#99)

Bowen Roster
Cyrus Wong Chin Kiat (#4), Teng Wei Jie (#5), Harry Yap (#6), Darryl Chan (#7), Nicholas Liew (#8), Lee Yao Hong (#9), Wu Shen Chou (#10), Shawn Tay Jia Yi (#11), Avinesh (#12), Daniel Ang Yi Le (#13), Wilbur Tan Ming Sheng (#14), Teo Zhe Kai (#15)

National B Division Basketball Championship – fixtures and results

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