"Original UMBT" Dinner

This post is about 1 week overdue. Sorry everyone. Been busy.

Last week (Saturday 23/8/2008), we had a great get-together dinner for the older UMBT members at my house. Many who attended were from the "original" UMBT team that started all our UM and Ex-UM tradition that, in the blink of any eye, is now 16 years strong!

Those from the "original" UMBT team who were present included : Lam, Kit & Peng Peng, Gai & Sing Nee, Yong, myself of course, Foong Hing, Lee Teng, Gan, Renee, Aik Huey, Kok Loong. Other "early" members who were present included Tung, Jayson, Choo.

Many came with family and kids.

We called a "luk-luk" (steam boat) van to my house and we all had steamboat for dinner, which turned out quite unique/different and nice.

Ah Kit and Peng Peng managed to find a video tape (which they transferred to DVD) of our friendly match in Taiping back in 1992 ... 16 years ago!! We all had a blast watching ourselves and laughing at how we all looked 16 years ago!

The sports shorts we used to wear were so short that my son, Brian, asked : "How come you all wear under-wear to play basketball ah?" .. hahaha

I was so happy and busy chatting and catching up with everyone there, I forgot to take any pictures. If anyone has pictures of our dinner that night, please email to me and I will upload here.

At the end of the dinner and maybe motivated by the DVD of how well we (used to be able to) play basketball, we started talking about playing together again. Yong suggested we get together for a few hoops the next day and next thing we know, it was agreed and I was handing out location maps to the venue. So the next day (Sunday 24/8/2008) Kit, Gai, Yong, myself and Tung met up again at USJ for a few games.

We were odd numbers so another player at the court joined us for some 3-on-3. Although Ah Kit keeps saying he no longer can play, he obviously still can. Gai is still has sharp a shooter as he used to be and before long we were all huffing and puffing and sweating and playing hard!

Then the local regular (veteran) guys there asked us for a 5-on-5 full court game. We agreed and initially were just "playing for fun". Of course, the competitive nature in all of us meant that we still played as best we could. Initially, it was agreed it was going to be a game of 15 points (with baskets counted as 2s or 3s). We were first to 15 (15-8) so the veteran team requested we carry on till 21.

We said ok. Before long we were leading 20-10. Of interest is that when we scored the 20th points (on a 2 point basket), there was no complaint. Then the veteran team ran off several baskets in a row and closed to 20-18 before (Gai, I think) scored what we thought was our "winning basket". Suddenly the veteran team was objecting saying we can't win that way and must get exactly 21 points to win!

So I pointed out that we were already at 20 and asked how is it possible for us to get 21 when we were not playing with free throws? They then said we shouldn't have scored the 20th points on 2 point basket. But they had no answer when I asked why they didn't say so when we scored the 20th point so that we could "cancel" that basket and continue from 18-10 (which was the score then).

In the end, to avoid further dispute, we told them "fine, lets continue from 18-18" and they agreed. So now, to win, both teams MUST score a 3 pointer. So I turned to our guys (we were playing man defense and they were playing zone) and told our guys to make sure we only defend the 3 point line later (we had possession at that point). Suddenly, the veteran team realised we would be able to totally take away any 3 point attempts whereas they (playing zone) would not be able to deny our 3 point attempts.

Suddenly there was a "new rule". Now apparently, the winning basket cannot be a 3 pointer!! So I looked at them and asked : if the score is 18-18 and we must get exactly 21 to win and we don't have free throws AND we can't score a 3 pointer ... how the HECK are we going to get to 21!?!? Of course, they were stumped and couldn't answer.

Finally one of them suggested that whichever team scores the next 2 baskets (regardless of points) wins. FINE! Now we were all really playing for real. My goodness, after all the cheap rule changes, we weren't going to let them win the game!! On that first possession after all the argument, Gai calmly stepped out and hit nothing but the bottom of the net with a 3 point shot. Basket #1.

The veteran team came back and scored a basket themselves. We missed our next shot but we all hitched up our (long) shorts, dug down and played REAL defense. When Yong's man fumbled the ball a bit, Tung took his chances well and jumped out and double teamed him. I stayed close to my man, waited for the pass to come and shot into the passing lane. Steal! Breakaway lay up. Basket #2. Game.

It was incredible how the rules of the game kept changing to make it more and more difficult for us to win so it was with great satisfaction that we won nonetheless.

So although we originally intended to just "play for fun", circumstances were such that we just HAD to play for real and play to win. But we enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was REALLY great playing with the old UMBT team again. Myself, especially, as the Point Guard on our team, really enjoyed having sharp shooters like Kit and Gai and "power players" like Yong, for me to pass to again. I really miss our old 1992/1993 UMBT team (which won the TIG games back then together with Ma Wee Lee) ... that was a really special team.

Well, Yong, Tung and I are all in KL/PJ now and still active playing basketball. Kit, Gai or any other UMBT member are always encouraged to come join us for games whenever you guys are in town. Just give any of us a call.

Also, we must get together every so often so that we can stay in touch with each other.

Hope to see you all again real soon!

As I said above, if anyone has pictures of our dinner last Saturday, please email to me and I will upload here.

Cheers!

UM Practice

UM is now in their mid-1st Semester, break. No practices this week. Next practice will be 27th August 2008 Wednesday, 7:30pm - 10:30pm (tentatively) at 5th College.

Next Practice

Next practice is tonight, Wednesday night 7:30-10:30p @5th college.

I am presently overseas and am not able to send my usual sms reminders. Players who see this post, please remind other players of today's practice.

Tonight's practice session will be run by Coach Pin.

Regards,
Coach Loke Yew