Story and photos by REDintern Low Zheng Yu
Darren Pay (DHS #6) with the crucial steal and basket to tie the game. He scored the last 7 points of Dunman High to secure the comeback victory. (Photo 1 © Low Zheng Yu/Red Sports)
Anglican High, Monday, February 27, 2017 — Dunman High School (DHS) led a furious comeback despite being down 16 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Chung Cheng High School (Main) (CC) 69-64 in the semi-finals of the East Zone B Division Basketball Boys Championship.
With this win, Dunman High will advance to the final to have a rematch against Anglican High.
On the other hand, Chung Cheng will vie for third against Dunman Secondary.
Chung Cheng got off to a hot start. Chin Jhin Tze (CC #21) scored a quick three to give Chung Cheng the lead.
Dunman High, however, were not doing as well. They were missing open layups and shots which they usually made. Despite the poor shooting performance, Dunman High kept the game close with their hustle plays.
The second chances from offensive rebounds and steals leading to fast-break opportunities kept Chung Cheng’s lead to just three points (16-13) as the first quarter expired.
Chung Cheng got into a rhythm in the second quarter. Eldrin Tor (CC #2), with his bagful of moves, was able to easily weave through Dunman High’s defense to score easily. He scored 11 points in the second quarter, making two of his four three-pointers then.
The first half ended with Chung Cheng up 36-23.
Chung Cheng maintained their lead with smooth passes and sharp shooting from both beyond and within the arc. Eldrin Tor (CC #2) was also able to spot the loopholes in Dunman High’s defense. He threaded needles and made many assists to his teammates for the easy basket.
As the game progressed, Dunman High slowly got into a groove as they started making their usual shots. They increased their defense intensity, out-hustling Chung Cheng for the rebounds and steals.
However, Chung Cheng were hot from beyond the arc. Eldrin Tor (CC #2) and Chin Jhin Tze (CC #21) scored two three-pointers each in the third quarter out of their total eight made. Eldrin Tor (CC #2) led Chung Cheng with a game-high 22 points.
This consistent sharp shooting allowed Chung Cheng to continue leading with a huge margin.
The quarter ended with Chung Cheng up 58-46.
The fourth quarter started with Chung Cheng scoring two quick baskets. These baskets gave them a 16-point lead, the largest of the game.
Undaunted, Dunman High got to work. They ran their full-court press defense and started racking up steals which gave them fast-break points.
Dunman High’s teamwork was like clockwork. The players were communicating and covering for one another. They were getting it done on both ends of the floor.
Darren Pay (DHS #6) of Dunman High helped chip away at Chung Cheng’s lead. His anticipation for Chung Cheng’s passing lanes, coupled with a pair of active hands, got him many steals which were converted into fast-break points by his teammates.
It was evident that the Chung Cheng players were exhausted as their turnovers piled up. Their passes started to get sloppy and more predictable, allowing for steals and easy buckets by Dunman High.
The exhaustion also affected Chung Cheng’s sharp shooting as they started missing open shots which they had made in the first three quarters.
With about three minutes left to play, Darren Pay (DHS #6) made a crucial steal and went coast to coast to score the go-ahead basket to tie the game at 64-64.
Momentum shifted in Dunman High’s favour. On the ensuing Chung Cheng possession, Dunman High’s defense were able to force yet another turnover. Spotting a loophole in Chung Cheng’s defense, Darren Pay (DHS #6) drove in and scored the clutch basket to give Dunman High their first lead of the game with about a minute left to play.
Darren Pay (DHS #6), with ice in his veins, scored the last seven crucial points for Dunman High, securing the 69-64 comeback victory over Chung Cheng and their path to the final.
Vice Captain Darren Pay (DHS #6) said, “In the first half, my shots were bricks and on the defensive end, I gave number two (Eldrin Tor) a lot of space and he rained on me. To make it for my team, I had to play better in defense. My mistakes in the first half motivated me to do better in the second half.”
“I feel that coming out of the game, our team was nervous. We didn’t play our brand of basketball. We let our emotions and nerves get the better of us. We played better in the second half with more desire and confidence.”
Eldrin Tor (CC #2) of Chung Cheng said, “After they (DHS) scored a few times, our confidence went down a bit. We also got tired as there weren’t many players to rotate. But we are always confident. We just got unlucky this time.”
Scoring by Quarter
Dunman High vs Chung Cheng (Main)
1st Q: 13-16
2nd Q: 10-20 (23-36)
3rd Q: 23-22 (46-58)
4th Q: 23-6 (69-64)
Top Scorers
Dunman High
Kinczel Tan (#8) – 17 pts
Chung Cheng (Main)
Eldrin Tor (#2) – 22 pts (4 x 3-pointers)
Chin Jhin Tze (#21) – 20 pts (4 x 3-pointers)
Dunman High School Roster
Matthew Ho (#4), Avner Tan (#5), Darren Pay (#6), Jonathan Goh (#7), Kinczel Tan (#8), Nicholas Soh (#9), Colin Ho (#10), Zachary Gan (#11), Leong Ee Hao (#12), Heng Zhi Cheng (#13), Huang Shun (#14), Yong Wei (#15)
Chung Cheng (Main) Roster
Sean Tan (#0), Eldrin Tor (#2), Chen Xin Yu (#3), Mervin Lee (#6), Antonio Soo (#7), Calvin Go (#9), Chai Yu Kang (#12), Li Ye (#13), Chin Jhin Tze (#21), Zhou Yong Ming (#23), Ryan Wang (#30), Chew Junhong (#34)
More photos next page
Leave A Comment