By Gladys Lim (16S03K)
Photographs by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I) and Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A) of Raffles Photographic Society
Raffles Netballers huddle with River Valley Netballers after the game.
Raffles entered the last game of their season unbeaten, but not complacent. Despite the clean sweep of their last 7 games, the team had trained hard and stayed dedicated this year, and the fighting spirit blazed in each one of them that afternoon on 22 May, as they readied themselves for the pivotal match of their season. The final match was against River Valley High School (RV), whose team had been credited for making it to the finals with only 9 players, and to boot, had clinched victory against tough opponents from Hwa Chong Institution. But in spite of this, the Raffles team was determined to put on the best fight of their season.
Once the match commenced, RV started off with the first centre pass, but a missed catch by their team’s Goal Attack (GA) coupled with a quick pick up by our team’s GA Tessa Wong, and an accurate shot by Goal Shooter (GS) Isabelle Belanger put our team ahead of their opponents. This boosted the Rafflesian team’s morale and steadied their play. Jeimin, who played in Centre position, provided good support for the team with her effective leaps and considerable reach. Timely runs and good flow on the attacking side allowed the team to take a comfortable lead of 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Wing Attack (WA) Freda Mah in a leap to catch the ball.
In the second quarter, our team’s defence increased the intensity of our play. Good coverage by our Wing Defense (WD) Yvonne Goh, enabled Goal Defense (GD) Rukimini Roy and Goal Keeper (GK) Ayshath Zaseela to intercept and make turnovers for the team. Our tight defence cut off RV’s offensive path, making it tough for them to advance their attacks. The pressure led to a held ball that gave Raffles possession. Nearing the end of the quarter, GD Rukmini Roy made a dash out of the goal circle for an unexpected interception from their opponent’s Wing Attack (WA). The second quarter concluded with Raffles putting in 17 shots and RV putting in 5 shots.
Goal Shooter (GS) Isabelle Belanger taking a shot.
Entering the third quarter, Raffles continued their lead but RV did not give in. A long lob into their goal circle was successfully shot in by their GA. Yet, we stayed alert and WA Freda Mah was able to make an interception and score. The shooters and mid-court players communicated well during a smooth trade of passes between WA Freda Mah and GA Tessa Wong. They were assisted by Eyu Yan Yan, who took the court as a Centre. She displayed keen foresight and made quick runs into free space. Tessa Wong also executed swift movements in the goal third with GS Isabelle Belanger who helped put in shots. With a score of 42-19 in favour of Raffles, the quarter drew to a close.
For the last quarter, the coach substituted some players in to give all the team members an opportunity for court time and to experience the adrenaline on court. Nadia Quek took on the position of GA and scored an accurate shot a fair distance away from the goal post. Natalie Rodrigues who entered as a WD also put up a good show with her skilful deflections and interceptions. On the defensive side, GD Grace Tay made some powerful jumps against her opponents in the goal circle. Geraldyn Leong played as WA and did exceptional feeding of the ball to the shooters, ensuring that the opponent’s defenders could not challenge the ball. River Valley on the other hand, made conservative short passes to put in 8 more shots. The game ended with a score of 52-29 to Raffles, securing our girls a triumphant victory.
To the spectators, the competition faced by Raffles Netball may have seemed insignificant – judging from their seemingly easy victory. But they undoubtedly faced much internal pressure to succeed. For this season, the team’s regular coach, who had been out due to the upcoming Southeast Asian Games, was substituted by a former national coach, Mr Goh Seck Tuck. Tessa Wong (15S07A), Captain of the Raffles Netball team says, “Coach was very serious, dedicated and experienced. He was straightforward, and expected only the best from us, yet was understanding of the struggles we went through. He has taught us to fight against the odds, and helped us to enrich our capabilities, such as by challenging us [through giving] new drills.” Indeed, their coach had impressed the beauty of overcoming obstacles not as one, but as a whole, upon the Netball team. For everyone, it had indeed been a memorable season as each had a unique takeaway and renewed passion for the sport, especially after constant and tiring – but meaningful – trainings to amp up for the match. There was one thing the team would be sure to remember: the sky’s the limit. Every process determines the outcome, and indeed it was a well-deserved championship title for Raffles Netball.
A very proud Raffles Netball team.
List of Players:
Ayshath Zaseela, Isabelle Belanger, Grace Tay, Natalie Rodrigues, Freda Mah, Eyu Yan Yan, Geraldyn Leong, Rukmini Roy, Tessa Wong Ting, Yvonne Goh, Tang Jeimin
By Shikhar Gupta (15S06M)
Photos by Shikhar Gupta (15S06M) and Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E)
Right from the very start, this had been RI’s game to lose. Having defeated ACS (I) in the group stages previously, the mood was buoyant in the pavilion of an RI victory. Even then, ACS (I) showed an initial spark of fighting fire as the first four balls saw three boundaries off Vinay Gupta’s (15S03J) spin. Not much happened after that, with ACS(I) generally restricted to a run-rate below 6 runs per over (RPO) – a par score for the ‘A’ Division level – and wickets falling at a steady rate.
Following the 12 runs conceded from the first over, ACS (I) found the spin-pace duo of Vinay and Himanshu Kubal (15S06G) difficult to hit, and lost their first wicket on the first ball of the 3rd over to a sharp catch at slip by Vivek Tadikamalla (15S06M). Even with the fast outfield aiding them, the boundaries for ACS dried up, leaving them with just a single boundary outside the six fours that the openers shared between them.
RI’s wicketkeeper Harish Thiyagarajan (16S03F) runs out the last ACS (I) batsman on the final ball (Photo: Shikhar Gupta)
RI did have lapses of concentration in their fielding, with a missed run-out, two dropped catches and a couple of overthrows, but the tight bowling kept the runs from bleeding and the wickets falling. Eventually, ACS (I) were bundled out for 88 runs, losing a wicket to a run-out on the last ball.
Striding out to bat, Ameen (16S06M) and Kaushik (15S06G) plundered 20 runs off the first over with three 4s and a 6. The next over saw another 16 runs, and by 2.4 overs, RI had brought up their fifty score. Balls were continually peppered down leg-side by the ACS (I) bowlers, and the fact that they were short of length just gave Ameen and Kaushik every excuse to send them screaming over the leg-side boundary.
Ameen plays a shot on the leg-side (Photo: Shikhar Gupta)
Occasionally, ACS (I) bowled deliveries on the middle and off-stump, but the deliveries hardly gave the RI openers any trouble, with Ameen clobbering one ball over cover for 4. There were also a few deliveries stopped well by point and short third man, but it hardly did anything to stem the tide of runs. By the end of the fourth over, RI had been blasting away at 14.75 RPO, and the required runs had fallen to a mere 20 off 96 balls.
Sixes were aplenty in the RI innings, with Kaushik blasting the first one off the second delivery he faced, pulled strongly over fine leg. Ameen did not hold back either, with a strong pull giving him his first 6 of the day. The poor ACS (I) bowling also conceded 15 extras, propelling RI even more quickly towards the 89-run total.
Throughout the match, Kaushik was firmly in control of the RI innings, and provided a steady anchor with ones and twos. Over at the other end, Ameen unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes to bring up his 50 in just 20 balls, reaching the landmark through two consecutive sixes on the leg-side. There was a minor bit of drama, as the ball could not be recovered after one of Ameen’s sixes. This situation, coupled with the impending rain, raised fears that all of RI’s efforts would be for naught if the game was washed out with just 7 runs to win. Soon after, play resumed, but after bringing up his 50, Ameen defended the next four balls to give Kaushik the chance to hit the winning runs.
In a bit of an anti-climax, ACS (I) managed to claim the wicket of Kaushik on the first ball of the 6th over as he tried to slam the ball over long-on, but found himself clean bowled. It was a wicket for ACS (I), but a completely inconsequential one, for the game ended two deliveries later with a bye.
RI displayed complete dominance, in both bowling and batting. Deservedly, Kaushik and Ameen were the stars of the day, scoring 74 runs and taking 6 wickets between them. Even the coach was effusive in his praise, calling their performance “splendid”.
The team poses for the post-match photo (Photo: Choo Shuen Ming)
Even with his brilliant innings, Ameen was modest after the match, pointing out that “doing it for the team is more important than the individual achievement”, but added that all his shots were being pleasantly hit by the middle of the bat, allowing him to race to 52 off 20 balls.
As the rest of the team strode onto the pitch in a boisterous manner to celebrate, Kaushik had tears in his eyes and hugged Ameen tightly, citing the fact that in the past few seasons he had “let [the team] down, and this [game] was a good send-off”. Evidently, his plan to bowl dot-balls to build up pressure had worked very well and had snared him 4 wickets.
Sidanta Gunasinghe (15S03K), the Captain of the RI team, gave credit to ACS (I) for putting RI “on the back-foot right at the start” with 12 runs off the first over. However, he showed faith in his bowlers’ ability to “take on any opponent” and was rewarded handsomely with all ten wickets.
The game was a one-sided affair, but had plenty of action to satisfy neutrals and the RI support. For a team to be cruising at a run rate just below 17 RPO is tremendous any way you put it, and it is now up to next year’s team to pick up the mantle from where it has been placed. The win is even sweeter as it sees the title return to RI after the loss last year. In the meantime, let’s congratulate the RI side and join them in celebration.
Final Scoreline RI 89 for 1 (Ameen 52*, Kaushik 22) beat ACS (I) 88 all-out (Santosh 15, Kaushik 4-16, Ameen 2-18)
By Heather I’anson-Holton (16A01E), Alex Tan (16S03B) and Karen Cuison (16A01D)
Photos by Li-Ann Hoong (16A03A) of Raffles Photographic Society
Snaking ticket booth queues stood testament to the high level of anticipation surrounding Raffles Runway’s Singapore-themed spectacle. Aptly named re: collections, it celebrated Singapore’s 50th birthday and Runway’s 10th year as an official CCA.
Audience members were greeted by delicate paper moons and stars suspended from the entrance of the Albert Hong Hall. Puffs of dense smoke permeated the entire room, undercut by vivid, shifting beams of multi-coloured light and a throbbing bassline courtesy of DJ AK. Two strips of blue fluorescent light flanking the runway took it from drab to dazzling. The show’s shimmering, otherworldly atmosphere was a clear indicator of what was to come.
Outfits followed loose themes, including urban isolation and entrapment, comfort and change. The photo booklet created by Runway organized the garments by times of day. This ambiguity created the impression of a lack of cohesion – but this was understandable, with so many designers with diverse styles. If anything, the ambiguity stimulated dialogue, giving audience members the space to interpret garments freely. The diversity also showed the magnitude to which Runway took to their overall theme, reflecting the individuality of the Singapore experience.
Workmanship was generally of a high standard. The garments showcased a breadth of technical expertise: from the pleats and braiding in Xiao Wei’s dress (15S06J), to the intricate beading in Teo Kai Wen’s (15S03H) poufy garment, each piece demonstrated delicate craftsmanship and a careful eye for detail. Ang Xue Ling (15S03F) mentions, “Some people managed to finish theirs over the December holidays, and some took a whole year.”
A bright, well-constructed orange maxi dress. (Designer: Xiao Wei)Intricate beading, immaculate poufiness. (Designer: Teo Kai Wen)
Designers’ interpretations of the SG50 theme were varied and refreshing, personal yet relatable. At the same time, the clothes resonated with one another, linked by their common inspiration. Some designers made use of tangible, recognizable icons, but the results were anything but predictable. Lim Wan Ling (16A01D) juxtaposed a city skyline against a lake to stunning effect, while Lim Ee Sing (16S07B) tastefully drew upon the MRT system to create a costume that looked simultaneously familiar and alien.
A garment inspired by Singapore’s skyline. (Designer: Lim Wan Ling)A quirky twist on our MRT system went into the designing of this dress. (Designer: Lim Ee Sing)
Other designers employed more abstract ideas. Megan Goh (16A01D) tried to replicate the ‘comfort and safety’ of HDB flats in designing her cape dress with soft, pastel fabrics. On the other end of the spectrum, Huang Zhoudi (15S06J) chose to highlight Singapore’s darker side with her gothic garments.
Soft colours reflect the comfort and safety of the HDB flats which most Singaporeans reside in, in this dress designed by Megan Goh (16A01D).Gothic glamour from designer Zhou Di.
re: collections featured thoughtful collaborations. The senior batch of Modern Dance put up an energetic, dynamic performance, while behind-the-scenes clips from Film Society demonstrated an acute sensitivity to the mood and intent of the artists. It also lent the audience a glimpse into the clamour before the glamour – including, but certainly not limited to, setting up audio-visual equipment, planning venue layout, and liaising with lighting technicians. Overall, both collaborations lent edge and unity to re: collections.
Modern Dance at re:collections
If there was anything we had to nitpick on, re: collections took a while to hit its climax, making for a sleepy and somewhat awkward first twenty minutes of the show. In addition, many of the menswear pieces seemed to take on a similar structure – loose cape over ordinary collared shirt and black pants.
The process of putting the show together was not without its challenges. For one, designers had to consciously transcend common, literal and too-dogmatic interpretations of a seemingly limiting SG50 theme.
“Quite a few people wanted to use the Supertrees as inspiration, and initial sketches had very obvious signs of them, like veins in red running down the fabric. The design itself wasn’t bad, it’s just that we asked the designer instead, “what do you feel about Gardens by the Bay? What do you feel about Supertrees? Is there any other way to express a Supertree other than literally taking the veins of the tree on a dress?” From there, it changed.”
Irene Tee (15S07D)
Surely, fashion would not be fashion if it were not provocative, and re: collections had its fair share of controversy. During the matinee show, a model walked down the runway in a white varsity-style top studded with red sequins that read “Peace Love Happiness” on the front, and a large “50” on the back, coupled with glittering golden shorts and similar knee-high socks. This prompted a noticeable increase in buzzing and murmuring from the audience, who mocked both the model and the piece, and circulated pictures on social media. Not wanting their model to have to suffer the repercussions of a subversive design, the golden shorts and socks were substituted for black, more neutral tones during the evening show. Runway laments the audience’s response, expressing regret that they could not support and showcase the work of all artists.
Guest designer Mudassar Ahmad (15S03A), who was behind this bold costume, told us that he aimed to marry the celebration of national values and the dismantling of masculine stereotypes. Whereas “peace” and “happiness” are tenets of Singaporean society, familiarly embedded into the pledge we take daily, “love” is not as prominent. “I feel like in our society we don’t really give much for loving people, just for them being people,” he opined. When queried about the audience’s uncalled-for response, Mudassar expounded on his idea of fashion as a form of art, and art as a vessel of change in society. “I think it’s precisely because people aren’t ready that there’s all the more need for us to step out and make a statement, because that’s how change happens.”
In her closing address, teacher-in-charge Ms Janissa Soh summed up the show best, urging the audience to see RProject as a process rather than an end: “The designers started this process to get us thinking and looking at our own society. I’m not talking about other people. I’m talking about you and me. How have we contributed to this society? How have we made it cold, white, harsh? As we start this process, as we start SG50, we hope all of you can join us to take a moment to reflect.”
By Stella Soon (16A01C) and Karen Cuison (16A01D)
Photos by Carla Mosqueda (16A03A) of Raffles Photographic Society
Smiling for the camera with medals in hand.
On the 19th of May, Raffles Basketball played an electrifying match, against long-time powerhouse Hwa Chong Institution. In spite of their intimidating streak of having won the Championship title for the past 9 years, Raffles Institution’s team did well in their pivotal match, wresting the A Division title for the first time in nine years.
From the start of the game, Raffles set up a stable ten-point lead. Most Valued Player Justin Yeo (#10) stood out for his clever moves which outwitted the Hwa Chong defenders throughout the game. While the whole team displayed excellent chemistry, another standout player of the game was Vignesh Rengarajan (#11), who helped to score many goals using his quick reflexes and nifty footwork.
Justin (#10) shooting into the hoop for the team.
Similarly, Hwa Chong’s team lineup featured many capable players, so both teams were matched evenly in terms of skill and physical ability. Despite this, Raffles pushed on to take advantage of Hwa Chong’s minor slips in ball handling in the midst of their intense match, and tapped on several free throws, to add significantly to the scoreline. At one point of the game, the difference in scores even went up to 20, in favour of Raffles.
The game reached its climax in the last quarter, with Raffles putting in their utmost to retain their lead from the third quarter, and Hwa Chong trying desperately to close the gap. It was a frantic last lap, with both teams’ coaches repeatedly calling for timeouts to give the players pep talks and motivate them in the last few minutes of the game. Unfortunately, the large scoreline gap between the teams proved too big for Hwa Chong to close, thus ending the game with a 17-point victory to Raffles. The team spirit of the Raffles basketballers was evident in a poignant moment at the conclusion of the game, when the other players spontaneously ran onto the court for one big, comforting group hug.
The team in a moment of friendship and camaraderie.
When asked about his thoughts on the team’s performance, the Boys’ Coach Mr. Liu Tong immediately replied that they had done “very well”. With 8 years of experience in training Raffles Basketball under his belt, he commented that this year’s team was particularly “capable” and “well-behaved”, and could rise to champions as long as they had the necessary team spirit. The importance of team spirit was echoed by Ejin Tan (#9) (16S03S), who mentioned that the most impressive part of their victory had been their teamwork, as they did their best to sync the ball and create open chances to score. Ejin shared that the team had put substantial effort into their game preparations; committing to physically-demanding trainings thrice a week, as well as having serious talks about their game strategy. It was undeniably not an easy journey for our players, but they managed to rise above the occasion to do the school proud despite the tough competition. Raffles Press would like to congratulate the Basketball Boys for their hard-won victory!
Final Scoreline
RI 78-61 HCI
List of Players:
Ernest Chng (#4)
Joel Ong (#5)
Jieren Teh (#6)
Chean Shao Jie (#7)
Phi Phat (#8)
Ejin Tan (#9)
Justin Yeo (#10)
Vignesh Rengarajan (#11)
John Zhang (#12)
Zaki Tan (#13)
Jovi Lim (#14)
Daran Huang (#15)
By Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E), and Olivia Tan (16A01E)
photos by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E), and Raffles Photography Society
May 15 saw our Basketball Girls playing a decisive match against National Junior College in their (successful!) quest for third place. The team had fought hard on their way to the finals, facing formidable opponents, such as Hwa Chong Institution in their semifinals. During the intense match, #4 Bernice drew first blood with a clean shot that was met with cheers by the Rafflesians watching. Throughout the first quarter against Hwa Chong Institution, the adept team managed to stay ahead of their opponents with a score of 24-16, leading by an impressive 8-point difference.
#9 Starter Charmaine in tip off.
Together with Captain #12 Woon Wei Jing keeping the team together with a spark of her own, the girls managed to press on with extraordinary three-pointers at the most unexpected moments of pressure. Both spectators and players could feel the intensity of the atmosphere during the third and fourth quarter, it wasn’t a surprise that both sides made a couple of slip-ups in the passes. We changed our line-up periodically to break the flow of Hwa Chong’s play, as #4 Bernice substituted #9 Charmaine, and #9 Charmaine later subbing #12 Wei Jing. Time-outs were called at the most burning moments with the coaches on each side rattling out strategy by strategy, raising their voices at times to get their points across with fierce sternness.
Despite making efforts to resist the mental and physical pressures on them, the girls experienced severe cramps nearing the buzzer, rendering them immobile with pain. It was also unfortunate that out of the eight players that played that day, at least four were fouled or injured. But in the end, it was a moving to watch how each and every one of them got up, stood strong, played on — against pain or pressure, they never once gave up.
#6 Starter Rachel on court looking for a pass.
There were moments when the Rafflesian crowd was slightly miffed, especially when the referee called travelling and pushing; despite protests and the incredulous looks on the team’s faces. With Hwa Chong narrowing the point gap in the game’s last few minutes, tensions climaxed, pressuring both sides’ coaches to call a timeout whenever the opponent had control. The court had an air of cutting distress during overtime, with each side searching desperately for an edge over their opponents. But throughout the process, several accidental fouls were made under pressure—resulting in a constant exchange of free throws. As expected, making two clean shots under such intimidating circumstances with all eyes on you (including the ticking time) is not an easy feat. However, the team’s #10 Lim Jie En who was subbed in at the crucial time managed to make both shots to the roaring cheers of the crowd, upping the team’s morale by a notch.
“Team, we got this.”
If anything at all, it was their teammates’ injuries that caused the most mental pain for each player. #4 Bernice Yeo crashed to the ground with a serious cramp that ran from her toes to her thighs, refusing to subside despite efforts to apply muscle sprays. However, Bernice was not the first to experience the cramps. Due to muscle fatigue from high intensity workout, several of Bernice’s teammates experienced similar pains—yet it was apparent that her cramps were of much higher severity. The girl’s coach, concerned and anxious, went onto the court to carry Bernice on her back to the bench, calling for timeout. It was indeed heart wrenching to see a fellow Rafflesian in such pain, but the sight of the coach’s care and concern was met with a warmly-moved applause from the spectators of both schools.
Coach expressing her concern for #4 Bernice.
With a couple of key players down, it was indeed a rough time for the team, considering that they were already shorthanded due to injuries. Moreover, it was evident that Hwa Chong was not going to back down as they managed to break the draw on the scoreboard by making two consecutive two-point baskets, thus having a lead over Raffles. The atmosphere on the court was taut with concentration and desperation; and despite #4 Bernice’s re-entry into the court, the girls, under pressure and not in their best condition, were having trouble keeping up, thus ending the match with a close 62-58.
Captain Woon Wei Jing was gracious in agreeing to answer our questions, in spite of the team coming so close to winning. She admits that they “could have done better”, and that they should not have “let their guard down” during the first half. However, Wei Jing was clearly proud of her teammates, as she knew that they had “fought really hard” and she was very “impressed” with the team’s “good spirit”.
The Coach’s statements echoed that of the captain’s, agreeing that each and every one of the girls “played their best” and “persevered to the last minute” despite being clearly “shorthanded”. So that afternoon, the girls went home with their hearts heavy, but also determined, as they looked ahead to their third-fourth match against National Junior College on Friday.
62-58. A close match indeed.
The 3rd – 4th match began well, as we gained an early lead, with #4 Bernice scoring the opening points, and the girls managing to win rebounds and constantly pressure their opponents, causing NJ to miss many shots. But midway through the quarter, NJ subbed all 5 players, while our 5 remained. With their fresher players, NJ managed to turn the tide in their favour. Within the last two minutes of the quarter, NJ scored 9 consecutive points, and it didn’t help that their last two baskets were 3-pointers. Our morale took a definite blow, as we ended this quarter down 8 – 12. The pressure was on to catch up.
The second quarter saw a bit of a stalemate, and a subsequent breakthrough by our girls. Initially, it was frustrating to see that whenever we closed in, NJ would score and pull away again, keeping us under constant pressure. Our team held on though, with a notable play being where #4 Bernice made a spectacular move to keep the ball in play by jumping out of the court and knocking it back in before she touched the ground — a testament to the skill level of the players in this match. The pressure escalated further however, when NJ began to score unanswered, till by mid quarter, the score stood at 11 – 20. The tension was palpable. NJ was pulling away, and the girls had to turn the game around. The coach called a timeout, breaking NJ’s momentum, and giving the girls a breather and strategy refresher. It seemed to work, with #9 scoring right after, and again later on, this time with 2 defenders on her. It was clear that we’d regained our momentum. We ended the quarter well, closing the gap to 17 – 22 with some satisfying plays. One which stood out was when #6 Rachel failed to convert her free throws but kept going, intercepting a pass immediately after her throws, and successfully scoring a 2 pointer. So for this quarter, though we were still trailing behind, now we had the momentum, and we were chasing NJ down.
During the half–time break, one of the boys’ basketball players (who declined to be named) mentioned NJ’s strategy of continually substituting their players, while we were, as the coach mentioned in the semi-finals, “shorthanded”. It was thus an uphill battle, with the girls facing more well-rested opponents. As he said, “the only limiting factor is stamina.” But the girls pushed on, with the 3rd quarter seeing them close the gap and really chase down NJ. Captain #12 Wei Jing opened the quarter with a brilliant 3 pointer which closed the gap and ramped up the pressure on NJ, which mounted even further when #9 Charmaine equalized at 22 all, setting off a wave of cheers from our side. What followed was an almost point-for-point exchange for the rest of the quarter, and at one point the score stayed unchanged for three and a half minutesThe atmosphere was charged, with our spontaneous cheers of “Defeeeeeend defend!…” interspersed with shouts of “D-UP!” from the boys’ basketball team. Both teams had fought neck and neck this quarter, with every point being hard fought, and that set the mood as we entered the intense final quarter.
#7 Carisia going for the ball and defending hard despite the exhaustion.
The final quarter started with NJ trying to pull away as they widened the point gap to a 26 – 34. In between the fight for an upperhand, NJ subbed everyone, again trying to wear us out. Perhaps because they were more energized than our players, resulting in a subsequent pair of free throws, bringing the score to 30 – 36. But they couldn’t take away our momentum, as we caught up 35 – 36, with a stunning shot from #4 Bernice from under all three of her defenders, converting one free throw, and #9 subsequently scoring both her free throws to thunderous cheers, an incredible feat considering how exhausted she would have been this late in the game. The comeback was real.
#9 Charmaine sinking that free throw
Perhaps all too real for NJ, as they called a timeout; maybe feeling the need to restrategize and break our flow. During the timeout, there was anticipation in the air. We were a mere point behind, and down to the last minutes. So when a decisive 2-pointer was made our side erupted in cheers, with the score of 37 – 36 putting us in the lead for the first time since the first quarter. The girls were on a roll, and at 1m16s to go, #12 Wei Jing scored a stunning 3 pointer from the right, straight down into the hoop, securing our lead in a truly spectacular fashion. With a minute to go, the girls were able to maintain their cool amidst the cheers, the palpable tension, and their own exhaustion, and it was incredible to watch. When the buzzer finally sounded, all of the supporters on our side simply exploded with mirth, shouting and cheering with wild, total abandon (this writer was hoarse by the end of it all, and had to desperately search for water before doing the interviews). The girls were too worn-out to celebrate, but one could see it on their faces — that mixed in with all the exhaustion, was also joy at having just played an incredible match.
#12 Wei Jing’s incredible 3 pointer, which cemented our lead at 40 – 36.
After the match and their team talk, we again caught up with the captain Wei Jing about the game. As it turns out, they has been training thrice weekly for three hours at a time since the holidays, and she shared that in fact one of the most memorable parts of the season was the trainings, “that [they] were able to endure the trainings as a team” and “never gave up”. Their training clearly paid off, as they managed to overcome “all the cramps, all the injuries, foul trouble” and mental and physical pressure, as Wei Jing shared. For this match, they faced a couple of obstacles in particular, with one being their short-handedness, since as Wei Jing shared, they really had “few that can play such long minutes, up and down” for about an hour, and it was “mentally and physically tiring” for those on the court. Also, nearing the end of the season, many had sustained injuries, and couldn’t continue to come down for training, further exacerbating this issue. This game also saw them facing foul troubles, and Wei Jing provided an insight into this. Apparently, they were taking a “long time to adapt to a new style of defense”, from ‘zone defense’ (which is slower) to ‘full court man’ (which is faster paced). On the whole though, they pushed through and overcame these, and as Wei Jing said to sum up, though it was “not exactly what we expected earlier on, [she] would like to thank the team for putting in so much effort, and that they hope to continue this intensity for next year, and get even better results”. That afternoon, despite the constant pressure, the exhaustion, and the tension as the game wore on, the girls played even harder and eventually ‘bounced’ back. It was incredibly moving to watch, and Press would like to give our most heartfelt congratulations to them on their 3rd place! Through these two games, the girls’ basketball team truly showed us what it means to hang in there, and give your all. They showed us what it meant to be a team — that they didn’t simply support each other because they were a team; they are a team because they support each other.
40 – 36. This match was so much more than just the score – the tense moments, the emotions, and above all, the spirit of the team the girls displayed that day.
