B Division South Zone Round 2 Game 2: Raffles Institution vs Queenstown Secondary School (48-51)

Raffles Institution vs Queenstown Secondary School (48-51)

               It was the first quarter again. Despite telling ourselves not to fall behind in the first quarter like the previous two matches against Guangyang and Whitley, we did it again. The game started off with our 1-2-2 working horribly, no one was running the safety man and Queenstown grabbed hold of these mistakes made by us, scoring their fast breaks. Our offence was very poor in the first quarter as well, everyone was playing rashly, trying to drive inside despite of their zone defense. Our defense was also very loose, allowing them to just drive inside from the three point line. The opponent seemed to be playing a good game as they scored several and-ones and a three point despite our strong contest. Both teams were having foul trouble and the team fouls all went up to four. By the end of the first quarter, the opponent had outscored us by seven with the scoreline of 19-12.

               In the second quarter, things started to take a turn for the better. We stopped playing 1-2-2 full court pressure, resulting in Queenstown having less fast break chances. However our rebounding was poor despite us having a great height advantage over them. We allowed them to have several second chances in their offense whereas we were rather weak in offensive rebounds. However, our offense was running more smoothly and we managed to score two three pointers, bring down the point difference. Our defense was still very loose and we failed to close the first line of our match-up zone, letting their #9 drive in over and over again and scoring. By the end of the first half, we were merely trailing behind by three points. 

               As the third quarter began, tension started to build up. We were trying to close the gap while Queenstown was trying to widen it. Both teams were trying their best. The third quarter was closely matched. Amazingly, Queenstown scored three 3 pointers in a row but we stepped up to the challenge by scoring many shots from inside the paint, mainly via our post Danny. Though we did not manage to come back by the end of the third quarter, we were just behind by only four points. 

               Knowing the last quarter was the only chance we were left with to win this game, anxiety filled our hearts. Both teams were exchanging baskets and none of us was able to pull away from each other. Due to the foul trouble, our forward Jia Wei (#4) was fouled out and three others already had four fouls. With only around one minute on the clock and us down by one point, we knew this possession of ours would determine the outcome of this match. The ball was swung to the right winger, and the plan was to feed Danny. However he was pressure hard and were not able to swing the ball out to anyone. Unfortunately, after holding the ball without dribbling for five seconds, we lost this precious possession and the opportunity to win the match. A time-out was called by our side and the plan was to foul the ball-handler immediately after the sideline inbound, sending him to the free throw line. This worked out the opponent only managed to score his first free throw. This meant that if we were able to get the rebound off the second one, we still have a chance to score and bring this match to overtime. However, to our dismay, we lost the rebound. As we watched the opponent dribbling the ball around without attacking the basket, and the clock ticking down to zero, we had no choice but to foul him again. After scoring the first and missing the second, the result of the game was already set as there was only 0.7 seconds on the clock. 

               This loss was a surprise and unfortunately thing for us. Had we won this match, we would have had a 80% chance of going into the semis. Now that we had not, the chances of semis happening is very slim. As of now, all the teams in our group except Pei Cai (2-0) and Whitley (0-2) has a record of 1-1. 

               This match was a very poorly played match. It might be because of the fact that we were very lethargic having played a game only 2 days ago. But we must also consider the fact that the same thing happened to our opponents. Our rebound was very poor this game and 1-2-2 was extremely ineffective. Despite losing this match, we must still fight hard as there is still a chance for us to emerge into the semis. The next game against Serangoon Gardens definitely would not be easy and we must put in all we have if we want to get into the nationals.

Points by Quarter

                                            1st --------- 2nd -------- 3rd --------- 4th

       Raffles:                         12              13              10               13

       Queenstown:               19              09              11               12

B Division South Zone Round 1 Game 4: Raffles Institution vs Guangyang Secondary School (54-49)

Raffles Institution vs Guangyang Secondary School (54-49)

               Everything seemed to be in the undefeated Guangyang's favor as we stepped into the court, and thus fueled by the strong desire to win and advance into the second round, we proceeded with the tip-off.

               Despite losing the jump ball, we were able to regain the possession with a hard defense, forcing Guangyang to make a wrong pass. Guangyang put up an aggressive half-court 1-2-2 pressure and successfully stopped up from attacking the basket. We were having difficulties feeding the ball to our post, Danny (#10), and he was only able to score 2 points in the first quarter. As usual, the opponents were able to drive past our 2-2-1 pressure fairly easily, breaking the entire defense in a matter of seconds. Neither teams were able to get their offence going and the points remained at 0-0 for a few minutes. There were several easy baskets but we were not able to grasp these opportunities well and missed them all. Guangyang scored the first shot of the game by getting the rebound after missing their free-throw and making the shot. The main problem of the first quarter was that no one was running for safety man after missing the shot on the offence, allowing the opponent team to go for fast breaks and we ended up either fouling them or allowing them to score. We then continued to make many unnecessary turnovers from bad passes and Guangyang seized some of these chances by scoring the fast breaks. They also landed a three-pointer in their offence. By the end of the first quarter, they were able to keep us at only three points while they made twelve. 

               In the second quarter, both teams' offence started running smoothly. Guangyang had great team chemistry and were able to swing the ball swiftly around and break our defense. However we were also successfully cutting through Guangyang's 1-2-2 half court pressure and returned many baskets. Guangyang was generally scoring via pass and cutting while we were able to make one-on-one plays using our post, Danny. We ended the second quarter with a block by Yufan, which stopped their attempt in scoring a three point buzzer beater. We were able to outscore them by five points and were trailing by only four points by the first half.

               The third quarter did not go as well as the second, our defense was getting a bit lackluster and Guangyang had several easy drives. However, Danny stepped up to the challenge and put up an impressive display of skills, scoring ten out of the eleven points we made in the third quarter. The third quarter concluded with Guangyang stretching the lead to seven points.

               As the fourth quarter began, tension started to build up. We had three consecutive possessions in the beginning but we were not able to make a single basket. Danny were then able to make the first blood of the fourth quarter by scoring an under basket. Our forward, Jia Wei (#4), was able to score a free throw, further bringing down their lead to a mere four points. It was him again who then scored an amazing four point play, which made the bench and our supporters go into a frenzy as it meant that we were now tied at 38-38. We had our first lead (42-40) in the entire game after scoring two free throws, however we were not able to maintain that lead for long as Guangyang responded with a fast break, tying the game once again. After exchanging another two points, Jia Wei landed another three pointer. Sadly, Guangyang tied the game (47-47) once again after scoring a free throw and a deep two, both given to them free because of our mistakes. After another exchange of two points and little time on the clock, we decided to swing the ball around and if not able to score, head into overtime. As we held the ball, not making any moves towards the basket, Guangyang got anxious, which eventually lead to their loss. First, they fouled our vice-captain Yufan (#14), who made the first free throw but missed the second. However, Danny grabbed this rebound and put it back into the basket, drawing a foul. Though he did not land the free throw, we were able to get the rebound and pass it out to our point guard Marcus (#9). He was also fouled and made both free throws, which would be the last two points of the game. The game thus ended with us winning by five points, emerging as victors of our group. 

               We could not have won this game if not for Danny's and Jia Wei's great performance who scored 26 pts and 16 pts respectively. During the post-game team talk, it was reflected that the bench's cheering and encouragement also contributed a lot to our victory. Even though we were at a disadvantage in the first quarter, we did not give up and persevered, achieving the comeback in the last quarter. Having emerged as the overall champions of our group, our placement in the second round will be better. But we must not get complacent because of this win and train hard for a chance in the Top 4. 

Points by Quarter

                                            1st --------- 2nd -------- 3rd --------- 4th

       RI:                                 03              17              11               23

       GYS:                             12              12              14               11

               

B Division South Zone Round 1 Game 3: Raffles Institution vs National Junior College (51-24)

Raffles Institution vs National Junior College (51-24)

               This game against NJC was very crucial for both of the teams as both teams needed this win in order to advance into the second round. Thus we had prepared a lot for this game and put in tremendous effort in order to secure this win. After the tip-off, neither teams were able to get their engines pumped up and nobody was scoring for the first few minutes or so. However, we were able to find a way out of this stalemate with our vice-captain first knocking down a free-throw. Our offence then ran like a well-oiled engine and before we know it, we were already leading by 11 points by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter concluded with us easily outscoring NJC by another 8 points. 

               However in the third quarter, the tables turned as NJC started to break free of our full-court pressure easily, scoring many easy baskets. We also made several unnecessary fouls while trying to stop their lay-ups. These factors allowed NJC to score 12 points in the third quarter, while we only made 10 points. In the last quarter, the situation had gotten better but we still cannot stop the opponents from scoring. This could be due to our poor stamina as we had trained very little on stamina to begin with. Even though we did not stop them as effectively as before in our defense, we responded them by scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter, while NJC only scored 9. As the referee blew the final whistle, we emerged as victors, winning the game by a steady 27 points. 

               In general, we had a good game this time while NJC had a rather poor performance. There are still many areas for improvement for example how our rebound could be much better in the third quarter. We also have many more things to work on our full-court pressure as on several occasions, the opponent just drove past our pressure with ease. The next game against Guangyang will be critical as if we win, we will advance as the group champions but if we lose, there is a huge possibility that we would be knocked out in round 1. Guangyang currently has lost none of their games. 

Points by Quarter

                                            1st --------- 2nd -------- 3rd --------- 4th

       RI:                                 12              10              10               19

       NJC:                               1                2               12                9

B Division South Zone Round 1 Game 2: Raffles Institution vs Kuo Chuan Presbyterian (59-50)

Raffles Institution vs Kuo Chuan Presbyterian (59-50)

               After the tip-off, things went smooth-sailing for us as we knocked down 5 points in a row within the first 2 minutes and the opponent team had already committed 2 team fouls within the same period of time. However, our attempts to outscore the opponent were proved futile as they soon caught up to us and the 1st quarter ended with us tied at 7-7. Both teams had also committed 4 team fouls at the end of the 1st quarter. This was caused by our poor full court pressure. We did not double team and defend the opponent properly and made many unnecessary fouls while trapping them.  

               The second quarter continued without much action and the foul trouble continued to happen within both teams. But on the positive side, we managed to conclude the 1st half with a 6 point lead. It was in the 3rd quarter where we got pumped up and started to show more fighting spirit. Our offence went more smoothly and we were also playing more aggressively, contesting for rebounds and trapping more intensely. We also made less fouls compared to the first two quarters, whereas the opponent had already committed 4 team fouls within a short period of time. We grasped this opportunity well and drew many fouls from the opponent, stepping onto the free-throw line again and again. In fact, out of the 26 points we scored in the 3rd quarter, around half were made by free-throws. The 3rd quarter then ended with us having a steady lead of 19 points. 

               The final quarter was where things started to go downhill. Seeing the lead and thinking the win was probably already secured, players who were already lethargic might have gotten complacent too. With the opponent team playing full court man-on-man, our point guard was heavily pressured and being locked down. The rest of the team did not assist the point guard in advancing the ball and thus caused quite a number of turnovers and easy lay-ups for the opponent. Our defense also loosened up and the opponent penetrated our defense with ease in several occasions. The opponent managed to outscore us by 1 points in the last quarter. With the final whistle blow, the game concluded with us emerging victorious 59-50.  

               In general, the game was well-played. Offense were running smoothly and plays were put into use effectively. Our full-court pressure also improved and managed to trap opponents, denying them from advancing into half-court on several occasions. However, our defense could be done better as we let them score a total of 50 points. Our free-throw percentage were also slightly better but there are still rooms for improvement. The last quarter was very badly played as we allowed the opponent to almost catch up to us. In the next match, we would try to ensure consistency and not let the same mistake happen again. 

Points by Quarter

                                     1st --------- 2nd -------- 3rd --------- 4th

RI:                                 7               17              26               9
KCP:                             7               11              13             19

For the Archives: Match Support Messages

It's been a while since I've posted here but I was browsing through the RJ batch '13's group messages and found our old messages for getting supporters:

(2012)

Against HCI in the Semi-finals:
Hi everyone, the guys basketball team has made it to the semi-finals of the nationals, but has unfortunately came in second in their group. We'll be playing arch-rivals HCI on Friday at 1.30pm at Singapore Basketball Centre, which is a short walk from Paya Lebar MRT.

It's going to be a tough fight (tougher than the finals, if we get there) with our team's injuries and plethora of individual talent HCI possesses. Nevertheless, we will not concede defeat without a fight in our attempt to upset the defending champions, who has yet to win a game by less than 40 points this season. (anything >10 is a blowout)

So, if you know any of the players or can't catch the NBA playoffs, this would be a perfect opportunity to catch some action. We saw that the crowd support made a huge difference in the girl soccer finals and hope the school can once again rally to be a sixth man on our side of the court.

P.S: You all can stay for the girls semis against SRJC as well at 3pm!

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(2013)

Against AJC in 2nd round:

Hi everyone, the Boys Basketball team will be playing rivals AJC (last year's finalists) on Wednesday at 3:30 at the Basketball Association of Singapore. It will be a BIG game as we have previously lost to the team by a substantial margin in a pre-season friendly (in our defense, we played the game right after our GP paper), but our much improved arsenal of tactics and trenchant style of play shall attempt to avenge our previous defeat.

This is a MUST WIN game and a defeat would signify a clash against the titans of HCI and their plethora of national team players and dunkers, which we hope to avoid until the finals, where it would be a more interesting spectacle for the supporters as we attempt to delegitimize them on the grandest stage of all.

Thus, we would really need everyone's support as we go to war and prepare to stake our lives against AJC and desist their attempt to return to the finals, as we make the case for ours. Whether it's a friend you're supporting or an ardent basketball lover, the palpable intensity of the game will be too much to let by, and we promise not to disappoint in our efforts.

If you would like to make your way down to the event venue and witness greatness, please follow the instructions from this link! http://gothere.sg/maps…

We hope to enter the game buttressed by our dearest friends and schoolmates, and your presence will inspire us and allow us to take our game to another level. See you there!

———————

Against Dunman High in 2nd round:

After a long grind it out match against AJC that involved many bated breaths, adrenaline rushes and never-seen-before technical fouls, our boys team unfortunately fell to AJC 47-52.

However, not all hope is lost and we shall not remained bowed, as we look to hang on to clinch a spot in the semi-finals against Dunman High, also victims of AJC. Both teams remain bloodthirsty in their attempt to cement and engrave their worth in this year's basketball medals, and as we leave nothing to chance, neither would Dunman.

Once again, we turn our heads to the school as we leave everything on the court to avoid a disgraceful elimination in the second round for the first time since... time immemorial. For those of you who were kind and fortunate enough to turn for the AJC game, we know that you saw us fighting for our lives, playing for the name in front of our jerseys, as well as the numbing excitement a basketball game entails.

If you and your friends would like to make your way down tomorrow, it is at the Basketball Association of Singapore near Paya Lebar, next to Geylang East Swimming Complex. It will be at 330, so come on down, especially if your school ends before that!

If it comes down to a guts game we shall be unfaltering.

--------------

Against HCI in Semi-finals:

Dream: Winning starts with a compelling vision. It is a seed that’s planted in your mind, and it grows every single day, with you feeding it with your desires, your hopes and dreams, insecurities and fears, passion and hate. Some people live in a dream world, and some face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.

Team: It’s not a collective group of individuals or talented players; it’s a connection that transcends and unites, a duty and responsibility, that my actions are inextricably tied to yours, and so are the results. The companions that have battled beside you and tasted sweet victory and bitter defeat together, the ones that have so much to give that the absence of just one of them will make you feel like you’ve lost a part of your soul.

Fight: Every player can imagine himself/herself winning it; they close their eyes and unbelievable things happen. Then they wake up and realize, the dream is no longer enough. They want MORE. When the grind gets going and times get tough, our effort will be relentless. We’ll give our opponents 40 minutes of hell, until the buzzer sounds, until it’s all said and done.

Win: When dream, team, fight, have been realized, nothing will stand in our way. In victory or in defeat, we will be champions, victorious in our own right.

The thrilling match against Dunman High saw us trailing by 8, only to come back with a 16-0 run and hold the opponents scoreless for the last 8 minutes to win 43-33. Now, we brace ourselves for the showdown against the monolithic entity known as HCI. After 7 years of supremacy and reign as the heralded champions, tomorrow marks the day where we shall impose our will and dethrone these former kings. Many might doubt us for that presumptuous premise, but 6 years in Raffles Basketball has taught us to exceed expectations, to play above our potential. This is what we live for, what we count on, and tomorrow we shall set this spirit at our highest.

There’s a bus for supporters (one way) to Paya Lebar tomorrow at 1:15 so if your school ends before that, please make your way down and give us your all. There’ll be the girls semi-finals vs Nanyang at 1:30, and the guys semi-finals at 2:30. We hope for everyone to be down and be the sixth man on the court, spurring the team on as we stake everything to emerge victorious.

For those of you who came down for the previous games, we thank you for your support, and that tomorrow, no matter how it plays out, remember this:

Count on Gryphons Basketball.

Count on DTFW.

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Against AJC (again) for 3rd/4th placing:

3rd/4th placing game. Monday, 2:30pm @ BAS.

No more cryptic messages, no more mercurial exhortations or esoteric allusions. No more motivational posts.

Be there, or be square.

All supporters are welcomed.

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C Division South Zone Round 2 Game 5: Raffles Institution vs Catholic High School (23-37)

Raffles Institution vs Catholic High School (23-37)

               Knowing the outcome of this game would hardly affect our chances to advance, we walked into the court with a “nothing to lose” mind-set. After the tip-off, neither team was able to get their engines running as the points remained at zero. Unlike previous games, we did not panic when faced with opponents’ full court pressure. We were able to advance the ball fairly easily but had difficulties meeting the basket. Then, we managed to break the tie. After being fouled, our side was able to knock down both foul shots, taking the first blood of the game. However, Catholic High School (CHS) returned us with a shot, tying the game once again. CHS then had a little bit of foul trouble as we scored the next 6 points all by free throws. While several mistakes made by us allowed them to nail in a three pointer and several baskets. The first quarter ended with both teams tied closely at 10-10.

               In the second quarter, things began to go downhill. CHS stepped up to the challenge, putting in more effort on their full court pressure. More intensity was seen in their defense and we had troubles moving the ball forward. Our attempts to score the ball were seen futile as our point remained at 10. However in CHS’s side, they were able to meet the basket and soon, a difference was seen between the scores. CHS then sealed off the first half with a three pointer, which took their lead to a further 6 points.

               As we stepped into the second half, we knew something had to be done. Our efforts to close the gap were however valiant. Whenever we made a shot, CHS would respond by returning one. This continued throughout the third quarter which ended with a score of 26-19.

               The final quarter was where we had our downfall. It was our last chance to catch up the point difference but we did not make use of it. Players were getting lethargic and the defense was loosening up. CHS grasped this opportunity, taking the lead to even higher and even manage to knock down an and-one.  They were then able to drag the game on with a steady lead. The final game of our season then concluded with CHS winning, with a final score line of 37-23.

               In the first quarter, we were able to keep up with the pace of the game. However, we lost up in the later parts due to our poor stamina. In CHS’s side, players were frequently substituted in and out of the court, allowing all the legs on court to be fresh and energetic. However, the players on our side were seen panting for their breath after each chase and not able to keep up with the fast pace of the game. This probably resulted in the downfall of our team in the second and fourth quarter.

               Even though our season has come to a stop, we still had tons of good times with one another, as a team. Growths were seen as a team throughout the entire season. At first, we would panic at the sight of full court pressure and afraid to attack the basket. Now, we are much better in those areas. Chemistry also improved significantly in the team, with balls being passed through the court more often. Alas, it was a real pity as these improvements were only seen later in the season, with players peaking only at Round 2. As the team, blood was bled, tears were dropped and sweat was shed. We really enjoyed these fantastic games as a team, and the joy seeing one another improving.

               We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our teachers-in-charge, all those who came down to support us during the games and most of all, our coaches. We would not have even made through the first round if not for you. It really meant a lot when our teachers-in-charge or old boys talked to us before and after the games. We were better prepared and learnt about our mistakes, as well as how to improve them. Our coaches did a phenomenal job, ensuring the team’s discipline, plays on the court and the will to achieve our dream. Even though our goal was not met, we still learnt many valuable lessons from this year’s season. This would definitely allow us to have a better game next year, no matter if we are B Div or C Div.  It was wonderful to be able to play by your side, thank you all for the fantastic season given! 

Points by Quarter

                                     1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                                 10               4               5               4

CHS:                            10             10               6             11

C Division South Zone Round 2 Game 4: Raffles Institution vs Pei Cai Secondary School (39-25)

Raffles Institution vs Pei Cai Secondary School (39-25)

               The game began with both teams not being able to pull away. Struggles were seen on the court as our players forced offences and failed to defend Pei Cai properly. They were left many open spaces and they took the opportunity to close the gap. After the end of the first quarter, we were only 1 point ahead. The 2^nd quarter did not work out too well either. Not a single basket was made for the first 5 minutes or so. Only 6 points were managed to be scored by us while Pei Cai just nailed a single three pointer. Seeing our attempts to increase the lead were not working, we knew the next quarter was going to be crucial.

               With a steadfast resolve, we moved on to the 3^rd quarter, where things were getting only better and better. Our point guard, Bryan clicked well with our left handed forward Jia Wei. Pei Cai’s offence was getting lazier and we grasped this chance, intercepting many passes. These passes were then outleted to our PG, who then made many wonderful passes to Jia Wei, allowing him to go on a 12 point scoring spree, stretching the gap further. By the end of the 3^rd quarter, we were already leading by an assuring 13 points.

               In the final quarter, things were taken slowly as we slowed our pace down. Shots were pouring in from both side, but we still maintained the lead and we eventually took this lead to the final whistle. The game concluded with us winning by 14 points.

               Even though this game was not really welled played, we could see chemistry building up in the team, especially from the PG. What could have been an easy game we instead faced difficulties and struggled to take a steady lead. We hope to see a better performance next game which would be against Catholic High School. The match between Fairfield and CHS concluded with CHS emerging as victors, a score line of 39-36. It would definitely be a tough game on Wednesday and we would put in all of our effort, no matter we advance into Top 4 or not. 

Points by Quarter

                                           1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                                         9                6            15               9

PCSS:                                  8                3              6               8

C Division South Zone Round 2 Game 3: Raffles Institution vs Henderson Secondary School (56-32)

Raffles Institution vs Henderson Secondary School (56-32)

               The game started off pretty well for our side. Despite them putting on quite a pressure on us, we were able to advance the ball rather easily. Our shots were also falling in with a high percentage from the inner area. However, Henderson’s key players, #6 & #7 did not give up. #6 is a skillful right hander while #7 is an adept at left hand. #6 stepped up to the challenge, managing to drive into our defense and knocked down all 9 points Henderson scored in the first quarter. Our box-out was not working out too, allowing Henderson to get many offensive rebounds, going for another try at offence. At one point of the 2^nd quarter, we were only leading by a mere 4 points. The first half then ended with us taking a steady 11 point lead.

               Coming into the second half, we came back strong and adjusted our defense, closing down the lane for #6 or #7 to drive. This forced them to take 3 point shots instead which did not fall in as successfully as their drives. Even though our defense began to click, we did not overlook our offence. We were able to break their defense with ease and also went for many fast breaks. More rebounds, both offensive and defensive, were seen in our hands and this helped us to stretch the lead to even more. In the 3^rd quarter, we only allowed Henderson to score 4 point while we increased the lead by a further 11 points.

               But in the final quarter, our offence started to fell apart. Everyone was rushing the ball for offence, resulting in low shot percentage and many unnecessary turnovers. Henderson grasped these chances well; making quite a number of lay ups and even an and-one. The game then ended with us emerging as victors, taking a closer step to Top 4 while Henderson is unfortunately eliminated.

               Although we beat Henderson with a high lead, players are reminded not to get complacent. We have to consider the factor that Henderson was already eliminated before playing with this, this could cause their players to have a low morale, not giving all they got. But on the bright side, we also did wonderful as compared to previous games. Even more improvements were seen as players started to show more confidence in offence. The next game would be against Pei Cai. They are not to be belittled as they defeated us last year and emerged as South Zone 2^nd. This victory has drawn us closer to a spot in Top 4. Fairfield will be playing Catholic High next Monday, before our match, this will be crucial as it would decide our chances in advance. We would definitely not give up and continue to fight hard for our common dream.

Points by Quarter

                                1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                            14             15            15             12

HSS:                          9                9              4            10

C Division South Zone Round 2 Game 2: Raffles Institution vs Holy Innocents' High School (50-37)

Raffles Institution vs Holy Innocents' High School (50-37)

               The game began to our disadvantage as HIHS nailed in two baskets, leading the game at 4-0. At first, we were facing difficulties in advancing the ball due to their half court pressure. However, we fought back hard and soon caught up with them. Our offence then went at a steady pace and we ended the 1^st quarter with a 7-7 tie.

               As the 2^nd quarter began, energy filled our players and we soon picked up our rhythm. We were successful in breaking their defence and the shots started pouring in. But HIHS did not give up. The 2^nd quarter ended with neither team being able to pull away. But in the 3^rd quarter, we were able to attack with ease and our offence ran off like a well-oiled engine. Soon the gap was stretching further and further as we outscored them a total of 12 points.

               In the last quarter, both teams began to slacken and the foul trouble came in. With 4 team fouls on both teams, we were both granted with many easy free throws. As compared to previous games, our shot percentage rose and we earned most the point scored by free throws. The game concluded with us as victors and we currently stand with a 1-1 win loss record.

               Overall, some improvements were seen, mainly with the offence. More players were seen attacking the basket and our offence ran off at a steady pace, unlike last time when we tend to rush the ball under pressure. The next game would be against Henderson. It would be important as we have to win that so that we would not we knocked out of Round 2. It would definitely be a challenge to us but we would keep the fighting spirit and work towards our dream of being in the Top 4.

Points by Quarter

                               1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                             7             17             14            12

HIHS:                       7             13               6             11

C Division South Zone Round 2 Game 1: Raffles Institution vs Fairfield Methodists School (27-66)

Raffles Institution vs Fairfield Methodists School (27-66)

               The game started off badly for us as Fairfield got hot on their hands. Their full court pressure killed off any attempt by us trying to advance the ball. Our weak defence plus messy passes allowed Fairfield to take a huge lead, going on a 14-0 run. We were unable to make any successful offences and only managed to score 2 points in the 1^st quarter, whereas Fairfield scored 17.

               The onslaught continued on in the 2^nd quarter, where the same situation happened: errant passes, lazy defence, and weak offence. Fairfield increased their lead further by knocking down three 3-pointers in a row. As the 2^nd quarter ended, Fairfield was already leading us by a total of 28 points. The situation did not get any better in the second half, where the players on court were all out of breath, due to their weak stamina. This resulted in slackly movement and passes of the ball, granting Fairfield loads of scoring chances, and they 

grasped them well, scoring a total of 21 points in the 3^rd quarter. In the last quarter, the situation got a little bit better. Fairfield was slower in their full court pressure and this allowed us to make a few baskets. Our players then picked up momentum and shots started pouring in, mainly from fast breaks. The game soon concluded with Fairfield emerging as victors with a 39 point win.

               Overall, our defence was rather weak in the match, allowing Fairfield to pick up many easy baskets, both from the 3 point line and inside. Fairfield knocked down a total of 9 three pointers, which added up to more than one-third of their total score. As usual, we also made loads of turnovers under the pressure of the opponent’s full court defence. However, some improvements were seen in this game as players started to attack the basket more daringly unlike the last few games, where little people were actually going for the shot. The next game with Holy Innocents’ will be crucial as it will decide whether we stay, or go home. The next few games would also be challenging, but we would not give up easily and fight our best for a spot in the Top 4. 

Points by Quarter

                                     1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                                   2                4              6             15

FMS:                            17              17            21             11

C Division South Zone Round 1 Game 3: Raffles Institution vs Guanyang Secondary School (23-40)

Raffles Institution vs Guanyang Secondary School (23-40)

 

Points by Quarter

 

                            1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:                           0              5            13              5 

GSS:                       3            16              8             13

 



The game started off with neither teams being able to attack well. Both teams did not manage to get their engine running as the point remained 0-0. Guanyang then grasped their chance well, scoring a three pointer after a minor mistake in our defence. The first quarter then ended with only a score line of 3-0.

Second quarter was where the onslaught began. Guanyang’s full court pressure was working out extremely well and many bad passes were made by our team. With each inbound we tried to make, Guanyang went up hard against us, forcing us to make many weak passes. The opponent then made lots of easy lay ups from these turnovers. We were managed to score a mere 5 points in the second quarter, compared to Guanyang’s 16 points. The problem continued on in the third quarter. But however, towards the end of the third quarter, energy started getting back to us as we picked up momentum, getting a 6-0 scoring streak, dragging the point difference to 9 points.

Unfortunately, the problem that we encountered previously came back haunting us in the fourth quarter. Most of the time, we were unable to bring the ball up to half court and when we did, all it took was an errant pass to get the ball on Guanyang’s possession. From these mistakes, Guanyang went on a 9-0 run, completely killing off our momentum from the previous quarter. Eventually, Guanyang emerged victors with a final score of 40-23.

Today’s game was very poorly played, this resulted us as 2^nd in our group. Guanyang was able to shut down our attempt to advance the ball with their full court pressure. This made our players panicked and not dare to offend, thus resulting in many weak passes and turnovers. Our offence was also extremely weak, with no one daring to go for the basket. Also we have lost this match; we would still be advancing into Round 2 as 2^nd in the group. Here’s our match ups for Round 2:

Fairfield Methodist School

Holy Innocents' High

Peicai Secondary School

Henderson Secondary School

Catholic High School

The challenging opponents we would be facing would be Fairfield and Catholic High. We understand that this would be hard for us, but we would not give up and cotinue to fight on. We already have nothing to lose and would fight hard for a spot for Top 4.

C Division South Zone Round 1 Game 2: Raffles Institution vs NJC (31-25)

Raffles Institution vs NJC (31-25) OT

The game started off with NJC winning the tip-off and making the first basket. The two teams started trading baskets with neither sides being able to pull away. Neither our defense nor offence was working out very well. This resulted in many turnovers being made by us while attacking. Once again, the same problem occurred in Game 1 happened with this game too: our 2-2-1 full court press. The opponent easily dribbled and passed past our defense and made several easy baskets, while our offence still did not work out. By the end of the 1^st half, we were only leading by a mere 5 points.

As the 2^nd half began, both teams were not making any baskets and the 3^rd quarter ended with us scoring only 1 point and NJC reducing the gap to only 3 points. This was caused by our poorly executed offence. We were not playing according to the plays. We were also not able to make many easy baskets. Overall, the whole offence was played in a very rush manner. Both teams made a lot of team fouls and we were awarded with a lot of free-throws. However, we were not able to grasp these chances and had low percentage foul shots.

As the fourth quarter began, NJC made a fierce retaliation, diving for every loose ball. The bad defense by us and a few easy drives by NJC were the only thing needed for them to tie us. With around 30 seconds ticking on the clock, and the scores tying at 23-23, we tried to make one last offence. However, this was proved futile as the last drive of the quarter made by us got rejected by the NJC post. Now with just around 2 seconds on the clock, NJC made a shot and the shot merely missed by inches, bouncing off the metal.  As the whistle marked the end of the 4^th quarter and the beginning of overtime, we knew it was either win or go home.

In the OT, we stopped our full court press and instead retreated back to playing 2-3 zone. We slowed down our offence pace and not long after, a basket was made by us and we were back in the lead. A few more interceptions and fast breaks increased our lead and we finished OT winning 8-2. The game concluded with the final score of 31-25.

This game was played rather poorly and a lot of improvements could be done. Our 2-2-1 full court pressure and defense needs a lot of adjustment. Another weak point of our team was our foul shots. We were granted a lot of free-throws in the game and our shot percentage was only around 50%. The next game against Guanyang will be at 11.10am, 8^th July at CCAB. It would definitely be a challenge to us but it is a must win game as the victory would give us a better chance of emerging into Top 4 from Round 2. 

Points by Quarter

                     1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th ------- OT

RI:                   9               9               1             4              8

NJC:                8                5                3              7               2

C Division South Zone Round 1 Game 1: Raffles Institution vs Outram Secondary School (67-27)

Raffles Institution vs Outram Secondary School (67-27)

The game started off well with us driving in and attacking the basketball with ease. Our offense was working out smoothly with high percentage scores from the drives. However, our full court 2-2-1 pressure was not working as well as it was the first time that we were using it. Even though we made a few interceptions and steals, we had also allowed the opponent to break our defense and score quite a number of easy fast breaks. Also, a lot of fouls were made during the full court pressure and due to the high number of team fouls, the opponent team were awarded with several easy free-throws. Despite that, we had a steady lead of 14 points by the end of the 3^rd quarter.

It was the last quarter that some improvements were seen in our full court pressure. We made many excellent interceptions and efficient fast breaks, bringing up our lead to even more. Still, we still made several mistakes and allowed easy fast breaks by the opponent teams. The game concluded in us emerging as victors, winning by 40 points.

Overall, the main problem faced in this game was the full court pressure and the rebounds. We were very unfamiliar with the 2-2-1 pressure and made many unnecessary fouls in the process. Many of us also lacked the stamina to play 2-2-1 for 4 quarters, resulting in us not able to chase for every fast break. For the rebounds, we had neither a great number of defensive rebounds nor offensive rebounds. In order for improvements to be made, more effort must be put into the training, with us paying extra attention to the 2-2-1, stamina and the boxing out.

Though we had won this season opener game with a significant lead, we must not be complacent and must play well in the next two matches. It is a must for us to win the next two matches as emerging the top in Round 1 would make Round 2 easier for us, thus granting us a greater chance of advancing to Top 4. 

Points by Quarter

                 1st ------- 2nd ------- 3rd ------- 4th

RI:             17             10            10            30

OSS:          7               9               7              4

B Division Nationals Round 2 Game 3: Raffles Institution vs ACS (Barker Road) (54-75)

Raffles Institution vs ACS (Barker Road) (54-75)


In a rematch of the South Zone finals, we faced ACS once again for the 3rd time this season. When the game started however, we were a mess offensively as we committed silly mistakes and turnovers that lead almost always to fast break opportunities for the opponents. This prevented us from scoring on one hand while allowing ACS to streak ahead to a blazing 20-3 lead at one point in the first quarter.

The second quarter began and we finally started hitting some of our outside shots and drives to the hoop. But ACS stepped up to the challenge and poured in points as well to match our scoring output, allowing them to nurse a 16 point lead still entering the halftime break.

However, our efforts were valiant as we were unable to close the gap effectively as it seemed like every time we got on a little of a run, ACS would respond with some timely baskets and stop the run. This allowed them to maintain a 15+ point lead throughout most of the game and eventually the game ended as we fell to ACS by a final margin of 21 points.

Although our season has ended, we still had a crazy run and had many valuable experiences together as a team. Throughout this season, bonds within the team has undoubtedly grown stronger and we have learnt to lean on one another in the good times and the bad. We worked hard throughout the journey, shedding blood sweat and tears on the court together and enjoyed the fruits of our labour. We would like to sincerely thank all the old boys that came down to support us and cheer us on, giving us their valuable guidance and advice. It really meant a lot to the whole team and we learnt a lot every time you guys talked to us before, after and during the game. We would not have achieved what we had achieved without the phenomenal job that our teachers in charge have done as well as the work that our coach, Coach Lim, had put in to making sure that the team had discipline and worked hard towards our goal. Alas, we conclude this incredible season with a South Zone gold medal and a top 8 placing in the Nationals...

B Division Nationals Round 2 game 2: Raffles Institution vs North Vista Secondary (42-64)

Raffles Institution vs North Vista Secondary (42-64)


Points by Quarter:

             1st-------2nd-------3rd-------4th
RI-------14--------8----------7--------13
NVS----18-------10---------12--------24


The game started off with both teams driving in and attacking the basket with much ease as we both ran our offense well, getting high percentage shots. We made use of our half court offense to get drives to the paint and one on one opportunities whereas North Vista had most of their points come off fastbreaks. It was more of the same in the 2nd quarter as we both continued to pour in points at a steady rate, neither side being able to pull away. After the first 20 mins, we were only down by 6 points.

However, it was the 3rd quarter once again which was our downfall as we started being extremely careless with the ball, turning it over at our own side of the court and giving them easy baskets as our defense could not run back in time. They also forced some of our turnovers by aggressively double teaming our players and covering passing lanes very well. This allowed them to outscore us by 5 points in the quarter and stretched their lead all the way to 11 points.

The onslaught continued as they also started crashing the offensive boards and getting many putbacks. These easy baskets allowed inside eventually blew the game wide open. While we did a good job protecting the 3 point line, making sure we limited the number of 3 point shots they made, we could not contain their drives as they were able to kick it out for 3 point shots immediately when their drives got covered. We had to pick our poison with their offense running like a well-oiled machine. Eventually their offense was too much for us to handle and they emerged victorious.

This loss has eliminated us from the Nationals for this year. However, we have not finished playing our games yet and will have a rematch once again against a familiar foe in ACS (Barker Road). Game will be played on thursday at 4pm as both us and ACS (Barker Road) have been eliminated from the Nationals with North Vista Secondary and Dunman Secondary proceeding on to the semi finals.

B Division Nationals Round 2 Game 1: Raffles Institution vs Dunman Secondary (46-64)

Raffles Institution vs Dunman Secondary (46-64)

Points by Quarter

          1st       2nd       3rd       4th
RI-----10-----17------10-----10
DSS---15------9------20-----20


The game started off with both teams trading baskets. We were able to control their halfcourt offense but had problems stopping their fastbreaks especially when we had committed a turnover or missed a shot. We also got strongly outrebounded by the opponents, who were very aggressive in crashing the offensive boards and this allowed them to get many many extra possessions. Despite this, we still held our ground and trailed only by 5 entering the 2nd.

The second quarter was when we got things going and found our rhythm as we boxed out the post players more effectively, while leaking out for fastbreaks and layups. The 3 point shot started falling for us as well and we caught up by the 4 minute mark of the 2nd quarter, eventually taking a 3 point lead into halftime as we lead 27-24.

However in the 2nd half, what caused us troubles in the 1st quarter came back to haunt us as we constantly gave up easy layups and failed to stop them from converting on their fastbreak attempts as they attacked the basket with much aggression. Their aggressiveness gave them many layups, drew fouls for them, and sometimes even got and ones. We were able to keep the gap and only trailed by 7 entering the 4th quarter, cutting it down to 4 at one point. However, we were unable to stop their fastbreak drives and missed some assignments in our rotations which left them open for layups. The game finally ended with us losing by 18, but it was definitely closer than the score shows.

With this loss, the next game against North Vista will be a must win in order to keep our hopes of entering the national semi finals alive. North Vista had just played their first game against ACS (Barker Road) today and came up victorious.

B Division Nationals Round 1 Game 3: Raffles Institution vs Anglican High (57-64)

Raffles Institution vs Anglican High (57-64)


Points by Quarter:

           1st       2nd       3rd       4th
RI-----22------14------11-----10
AHS---23------9-------14-----18


The game started off with both teams having no trouble finding the basket at all as each team got off to a blazing start. Defense may have been an issue as while we were getting to the basket often, we also allowed many 3-point shots to go in. Anglican High scored 4 three pointers in the quarter and this kept them in the game as we were unable to bother the shooter enough for him to miss. The talent of their star player #6 was also on full display as he scored 9 points in the first quarter alone and was a big reason for their scoring output. Despite that, we kept the gap close and after the first only were down by a point.

In the 2nd quarter, we turned decided to shut down #6 by putting our forwards Shiva and Ivan on him. They took turns to stick to him and harassed him for the rest of the game as he got frustrated and could not receive the ball on many occasions, much less score. This change in strategy contained him for the rest of the game as after scoring 9 points in the first quarter, he scored only two field goals for the rest of the game. This allowed us to take a 4 point lead by the end of the half.

In the 3rd quarter, Anglican High decided to turn to other scoring options with much success as their point guard #5 successfully created opportunities for his teammates and also carried some of the scoring load. The other portion of scoring was handled by #11 who drained 3 three pointers in the game and ended up scoring a total of 17 points. We did not do a good job defending him properly and preventing him from getting points in this game. This allowed them to chip into the lead, but we still lead by one entering into the 4th quarter.

The 4th was when the wheels fell off for us as we got to the rim on countless occasions but just barely missed the layups that we had inside. This caused a lot of wasted possessions in which we could have scored on and gave the opponents more confidence in themselves as they eventually took the lead with about 4 minutes left in the game. With Anglican up by 5, we fought back hard, giving them all we could and cut the lead to 2 at one point. The lead from then on fluctuated between 2 and 3 for several minutes. However, we were unable to score in the waning moments of the 4th when they were up by 5 and had to resort to playing the foul game. To their credit, they were able to make their free throws and hence sealed the game by a final score of 64-57.

Although we lost this game, we would be moving on to the second round of the nationals as both us and Anglican High have emerged top 2 in the group. The following schools were in our second round draw:

Dunman Secondary
North Vista Secondary
ACS (Barker Road)

Although the matchups may be tough, we understand that nothing will come easy in the second round of the nationals no matter who we would have drawn as we will be going up against the other 7 of the top 8 schools in the whole of Singapore, fighting for a top 4 spot. We will not give up and fight hard in every game that we play and this surely will be a great experience for all of us. Now, we have once again found ourselves as underdogs and have nothing to lose...