Story and photos by Dylan Chua/Red Sports
Sim Xuan (NV #2) driving to the hoop. He poured in a game-high 20 points against SST. (Photo 1 © Dylan Chua/Red Sports)
Clementi Sports Hall, Monday, March 21, 2016 — North Vista Secondary overcame a rough start before comfortably seeing off School of Science and Technology (SST) 73-41 in their opening match of the National B Division Basketball Championship.
Sim Xuan (#2) poured in a game-high 20 points and Cheng Ye Hui (#7) added 19 points as the North Zone Champions improved to 13-0 on the season. Vernen (#5) scored a team-high 17 points for SST.
Sim Xuan (NV #2), who made a game-high five 3-pointers in the game, was clearly happy to get this game out of the way. “We didn’t train during the holidays as coach and I went to Taiwan for a national U-18 training trip. We were nervous. Everyone came back from the holidays unprepared and we didn’t shoot the ball well. We were quite rusty. Our opponent gave us a very good fight, they were very ready,” he said.
SST, who finished fourth in the West Zone, twice got into surprising leads in the 1st half as North Vista were clearly not their usual self. Vernen (SST #5) scored four of his game-high five 3-pointers in the 1st half, including three straight from beyond the arc to start off the 2nd quarter.
Despite being down 8-11 and 23-24 in the 1st and 2nd quarter respectively, the team in white had too much quality for an upset to be on the cards.
North Vista’s starters checked back into the game at the midway point of the 2nd quarter and soon found their groove. They closed the quarter out on a 8-0 run to lead 31-24 at the half. It was a lead they never relinquished.
North Vista put together 17-3 and 18-0 runs in the 3rd and 4th quarter respectively to comfortably take home a 73-41 victory.
Dunman High School edged out Yuying Secondary 42-39 in Group D’s other encounter on the first day of competition.
North Vista next face Dunman High while SST and Yuying will battle it out with both teams’ season on the line after their respective opening day losses. Tip-off for both games is 3pm on March 24 at Clementi Sports Hall.
Score by Quarter
North Vista vs SST
1st Q: 18-13
2nd Q: 13-11 (31-24)
3rd Q: 22-7 (53-31)
4th Q: 20-10 (73-41)
Top Scorers
North Vista
Sim Xuan (#2) – 20 points
Cheng Ye Hui (#7) – 19 points
SST
Vernen (#5) – 17 points
North Vista Roster
Lim Joe Yang (#1), Sim Xuan (#2), Tiong Chuan Yao (#3), Vincent Gerard Embay Bancod (#4), Dylan Toh (#5), Nicholas Tay Zhi Kang (#6), Cheng Ye Hui (#7), Samuel (#10), Reuben David Faustino Amado (#12), Christian Co Pepito (#19), Keith Tan Wei Long (#22), Dorian Chin Jun Long (#34)
SST Roster
Nyi Nyi (#3), Owen (#4), Vernen (#5), Thomas (#6), Dominic (#7), Oliver (#9), Mah (#10), Tony (#12), Kiang (#13), Justin (#15), Mahidhar (#16)
National B Division Basketball Championship – fixtures and results
More photos next page
Leave A Comment