Saturday, May 30, 2009

UM 08/09 Team Farewell for Zhu Hua

We will miss our "China" player, Zhu Hua a.k.a. "Paul Pierce".
Although he's only been with our team for a few months, he's become an
integral part of the heart and soul of our team.

But as we tell all players who has ever been a part of our team, we
only have one type of team membership ie Lifetime membership - once a
UM team member, ALWAYS a UM team member.

UM 08/09 Team Farewell for Zhu Hua

Team farewell for our player from Beijing University, Zhu Hua, who
will be flying back to Beijing, China tonight ... at Red Box Karaoke,
the Curve.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

UM v UPM (girls) Finals

Our girls played a great game. Great effort, fantastic 3-point
shooting (especially Chai Leng and Ying Shin) and excellent defense
(especially Soo Kuen).

In the end, UPM's continued full court zone press created too many
turnovers. Together with UPM's own good shooting proved too much for
our girls.

Final score : UPM wins 73-50.

Well done to our girls and to our girls' coaching staff, Ben and Bik
Yih, for the great job they have done.

UM! Spirit!!

UM v UPM (girls) Finals

UPM on a 14-0 run. Current score 42-22. Continued problems dealing
with their zone press. Lots of turnovers.

Our girls are trying hard. Come on UM girls!!

Regards,
Loke Yew, Khor

Sent from my iPhone

UM v UPM (girls) Finals

Our girls fighting hard! On an 11-3 run now. Current score 28-22. Go
UM girls!!

UM v UPM (girls) Finals

UM girls won their Semi Finals game yesterday against UUM.

Now playing finals against UPM. UPM playing a lot of full court zone
press and our girls having a lot of problems with it.

After 1 quarter score is 25-11 UPM leading.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

UM v UUM (girls) - Semi Finals

A hard fought 3rd quarter. UUM closed within 8 points several times
but our girls were able to pull away again getting critical 3 pointers
from Pei Wen, Mai-Mai and Ying Shin and several crucial 2 point shots
from various players. .

Start of 4th quarter, UM leading 48-34

UM v UUM (girls) - Semi Finals

UM girls started well, leading 16-8 after the 1st quarter. UUM started
the 2nd quarter with a flurry if 3 pointers to close within 18-16.

Since then our girls' defense (led by Soo Kuen's numerous steals) has
resulted in a 17-2 run.

Current score : 33-18 UM leading.

UM v UPM (boys)

Defeat! UM played a great game, matching UPM's players, play for play,
defensive stop for defensive stop, hustle play for hustle play, for tv
1st two quarters and much of the 3rd.

In the end however, we were not able to match their incredible outside
shooting.

Final score : 79-60.

The coaches are very proud of our players, every single one of them.

We will work hard next season and make sure our UM team continue to
improve.

The biggest area we need to address is to develop a systematic method
to coach, teach and improve our players shooting. That is the Coach's
off season assignment. In the meantime, any comments / suggestions are
welcomed.

Thanks for following our blog and supporting us throughout the
competition. Your support and words of encouragement (many through SMS-
es) are truly appreciated and gretly motivate all of us.

On behalf of the UM boys' basketball coaching staff and players, thank
you.

Monday, May 25, 2009

UM v UPM (boys)

UM boys team are now at the games venue waiting for our 11pm game
against UPM.

Both players who had come down with fever (Amirul [starting PG] and
Ming Chian [starting PF]) are feeling much better and both want to try
to play. Coaches will evaluate them carefully and they will be a game
time decision as to whether we will allow them to play. Players health
and safety must come first and foremost.

UPM should present us our biggest challenge. We believe we are ready
and we are confident of our chances.

As I have no Internet access at UUM and can only post to our blog when
at the games venue (Tunjang) or in nearby Changlun (where we normally
have meals), and due to the lateness of tonight's game, I will post
the results after the game tonight but will likely only be able to
post a write up by tomorrow afternoon.

Wish us luck and support us in spirit and heart!!

Regards,
Loke Yew, Khor

Sent from my iPhone

UM v UKM (girls)

UM won easily 54-18. However Coach Ben reports that our girls played a
good first quarter (scoring 24 points) but played poorly in the 2nd
(scoring only 4 points). Fortunately UKM being a poor team did score
many points either.

Our girls got many open shots off the set plays but missed almost all
of them in that 2nd quarter.

Our girls will have to play better in their next game (semi) against
UUM. UUM will present our girls their first real challenge tomorrow at
4pm.

Go UM girls!!

Regards,
Loke Yew, Khor

Sent from my iPhone

Challenges

We are now at games venue scouting UPM's round of 16 match against
UTHM. UTHM is out matched and have no chance.

As expected though, UPM's star center No. 14 has arrived and is
playing. His presence make a big difference for UPM as their bench
players are poor (much poorer than the year before) and No. 14's
presence allows them to field a complete 5 man unit.

Nonetheless, our team has been preparing all along on the basis that
No. 14 will be present, so we are fully prepared. Coaches have always
been fully confident of our chances against UPM. Having seen UPM and
their No. 14, our players are also confident they can meet and
overcome the challenge.

We will send our players back to college for a good rest, shortly. Our
game against UPM will tip off at 11pm tonight. Stay tuned!!

Critical Keys to Success

During our afternoon nap time today, our "Critical Keys to Success"
poster fell off the notice board where it was pinned up.

When we went to wake the team captain (Poh Guan) for lunch, we found
him fast asleep but tenderly hugging our poster that's fallen down!!

Now that is dedication and determination to our principles of success!!

Critical Keys to Success

Below is our "Critical Keys to Success". It's pinned up in the
captain's room and the players all know it by heart. Many "salute" the
poster (referred to by the players as "hormat") before each game.

More adversity!!

A 2nd player has come down with fever ... Amirul (starting PG). He's
been brought to the clinic and has seen the doctor, who has put him on
medication. He (along with Ming Chian) is resting as much as possible
today.

We will continue to remain focused and will overcome all adversities.

Regards,
Loke Yew, Khor

Sent from my iPhone

MASUM - Adversity!

Our first major adversity. One of our twins, Ming Chian has come down
with a fever.

Thankfully it's not terribly bad but he is weak and feeling cold.

Some players began complaining about "bad luck" but we told them that
every team that wants to win a championship, must expect and overcome
adversity. We reminded them that even our 2007 Champions team had to
overcome their share of adversity - injuries to starting PG (Kenny
Tham), starting SG (Gan Wei Jian) and to backup PG (Fong Kean Chang) -
with each missing different games.

We will face and overcome all adversities. First priority is health
and safety of our players. Coach Pin has already brought Ming Chian to
see the standby night doctor last night and will bring him to the
Clinic this morning.

Other players have been briefed on the changes in our rotation and
they are all ready to step up and cover for our team mate who is ill.

Our goal and focus, both short and long term, remain the same - defeat
UPM tonight (11pm) and go on to win the Championship!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

MASUM off day

After video session we went to watch UIAM v UTeM game. It was a very
close game throughout. Final score 68-61 UIAM won.

It shows UTeM is not as poor a team as their score against UM
suggests. Just that they were not prepared to face UM's man-to-man
half court defense.

After the game we hung around for awhile waiting for dinner time. As
can be seen from picture, some players are still very tired!!

MASUM day off

In the afternoon we had our video session. Players have worked really
hard with practices, scouting, games, video sessions ... no wonder
some (like team captain below - Poh Guan) are falling asleep!!

Of course, when Coach Pin quietly said "Oh, got KFC", he immediately
woke up and said groggily "where" ... Hahaha!

MASUM day off

And the other end borders a construction site!

But we made do with what is available and had a good session. Now we
are even better prepared.

MASUM day off

Training facilities were not ideal, to say the least ...

MASUM day off

No games today for UM.

UM girls' next game tmw 4:30pm v UKM (group match).

UM boys' next game tmw 11pm (late night!) v UPM (quarter finals). We
are meeting UPM early even though we are group champions because UPM
(who's center No. 14 is not here yet) lost to USM.

It is our firm principle that we will always play to win and therefore
intentionally "losing" one of our group matches to "avoid" UPM is not
something we would consider. UM boys' target is MASUM champion and as
such we will need to take on all competition, no matter who they are,
anyway.

UPM (without or with their center No. 14) is definitely beat-able. In
fct, we firmly believe that we are the team that has the highest
chance of beating UPM when they are at full strength.

We are ready for the challenge.

In any event, we have a few days to make a few extra preparations,
making defensive and offensive adjustments specifically for UPM.

Below our boys warming up this morning for our practice session in UUM
campus.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

UM v UTeM (boys)

Victory! Final score 102-26.

UTeM is not as poor a team as the score suggests. They are form
Malacca, a predominantly chinese team and played reasonable standard
basketball.

However, UM boys played an excellent game. From the tip off, we scored
immediately and took off on a 10-0 run.

Our defensive intensity and focus was great throughout for 40 minutes,
both first and second units.

Despite the blowout, our team maintained the same defensive intensity.
I expressly told our boys that 100 points is NOT our goal butvwe ate
to maintain our focus throughout.

Coincidentally and by chance, we ultimately did cross the 100 point
threshold.

UM is now in the quarter finals. As group champions, we get a "by" of
the round of 16 (knock out round).

Our likely opponent in the quarters will be UPM. UM boys will continue
to maintain the same focus, focusing on what WE need to do defensively
and offensively, to be successful, regardless of the opponent.

I am proud of our boys performance AND how they have been conducting
themselves, on and off the court.

The little boy in the picture is "Samy" and our biggest supporter. He
studies in SRJKC Hwa Min where the competitions are held and Amirul
has become is hero / idol. Every game, his little voice can be heard
shouting "A-M-I-R-U-L, zhia yew!"

Well done UM boys!! Keep up the UM spirit!

UM v UTeM

Half time - 48-19 UM leading.

UM v UMT (girls)

The victorious team ... UM girls win 81-9! Well done UM girls!

Jolene is fine. Just tripped up. All played very well.

Keep up the fighting spirit!!

UM v UTEM (boys)

Our boys warming up and getting ready.

UM v UMT (girls)

The game is so out of reach the score table officials have gone to
sleep!!

Current score 69-9. 5+ minutes to go in 4th quarter.

UM v UMT (girls)

Start of 4th quarter. Score is 63-7 UM ahead. Very safe lead.

UM v UMT (girls)

Does not look serious. Jolene able to walk off the court on her own.

UM v UMT (girls)

Start of 2nd half. Score is 45-4.

Yen Shin as usual playing fantastic ... always aggressive and
effective. Another steal and fast break layup.

Jolene on the ground in the background. Tripped up and fell. May have
injured her knee / ankle.

Fwd: UM v UMT (girls)

> Mid 2nd quarter. Score is 35-4 UM ahead.
>
> Suo Kuen is having a good game. She scored the last basket of the
> 1st quarter (a straightaway, medium distance shot from the free
> throw) but more impressively, from unofficial stat count, she
> already has 6 steals in just 5 minutes of play!!
>

UM v UMT

Mid-1st quarter. Ah-Thong shooting free throws. 4 minutes left in 1st
quarter. Score is 20-4 UM ahead.

UM v UMT (girls)

UM girls warming up ...

Friday, May 22, 2009

UM v UIAM (boys)

Game was a tough game. We trailed 11-17 after the 1st quarter. UIAM
had very active hands and played very physically.

We settled down after that and won the 2nd quarter 23-15 for a 34-33
half time lead.

However UIAM continued to play physical and made a few lucky 3 point
shots (many off board) and we trailed by as much as 12 points. We
again settled down and close the gap but still lost the 3rd quarter
9-13.

Going into the final quarter we were down 42-45. We continued to
execute our offense and play our defense and surely and steadily UIAM
started to lose their focus and poise.

In the last 5 minutes we were finally able to break the game open.
Final score 70-57.

Several UM players played extremely well and all played steadily with
great poise despite adversity.

Well done UM boys!

Coach
Loke Yew, Khor

Sent from my iPhone

UM v UIAM (boys)

Victory! A tough and hard fought victory.


UIAM played well ... physically strong, aggressive

UM v UIAM

Game tip off!!

Will not have to update. Need to focus on coaching!

UM v UPM (girls)

In the end UPM national player proved too strong. Final score 63-47.

Good effort by our girls.

UM v UIAM (boys)

Boys are warming up, getting ready for their 1st game against UIAM,
after girls' game finish.

Girls game, UPM starting to pull away a bit. Score 38-25 with 5
minutes left in 3rd quarter.

Chai Leng injury not serious. However as this is just a group match,
Coach Ben & Coach Bik Yih are doing the right thing and holding her
out of the rest of this game.

UM v UPM (girls)

Half time. UPM closed the half on a 4-0 run. Half time score 32-21.

Coach Ben and Coach Bik Yih are coaching hard! Go UM girls!!

UM v UPM (girls)

Bad news - Chai Leng injured - twisted ankle - hope it's not serious.

Current score 28-21 UPM leading.

UM v UPM (girls)

UM girls are stating close. With 3 minutes left in 2nd quarter, score
is 25-19 UPM leading.

UM v UPM (girls)

End of 1st quarter. Our girls are playing hard. Score 17-12 UPM leading.

UM girls' game 1

UM v UPM

UM girls now playing game 1 against a strong UPM team. Our girls are
doing their best and holding their own. Current score is 12-7 UPM
leading.

Go UM girls!!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

MASUM 2009

The team checked into UUM yesterday and today. Checked out Ganes
venue. Had dinner at Changlun (pic below).