Unfortunately, with Suo Kuen in Bangkok now, we had no one to video the game and I therefore could not do the usual game stat. Instead, after the game (whilst my memory was still fresh), I decided to do a "brief" game recap. But as I put pen-to-paper (or more accurately, finger-to-keyboard), I ended up typing up a way more detailed recap than I intended!!! Haha. If you are interested to read the recap, click on the "Read More" link below.
Cheers,
Coach
Game Recap : 3 Jan 2011 Ex-UM v eGlobex
We started the game with Poh Guan, Phang, myself, Ming Lip and Ching. We started badly, with poor ball movement and players missing / not seeing wide open team mates. After 5 minutes or so, we made 1 or 2 subs. As the 1st quarter got to the end, the unit on the floor lost focus especially defensively and allowed the opponent to hit 4 consecutive (mostly open and uncontested) 3 point shots (plus 2 FT’s in between) for a 14-2 period ending run. We went from being tied to suddenly down 13-25 after one quarter.
As the 1st unit were not playing well, we pulled all starters and started the 2nd unit in the 2nd quarter, led by Pin, together with Hung, Zen, Jiun Haur and Leong. The 2nd unit played slightly better, taking shots when they should and playing better defense. But our shooting percentage was too low and the opponent was still scoring more than we were and after 5 minutes or so, we were trailing 19-40 (our biggest deficit)! We pulled the 2nd unit and went back to the 1st unit of Poh Guan, Phang, Ming Lip, Ching and with the addition of Bik Yih, whom I felt played well during the 1st quarter.
We finally started playing better, especially defensively which allowed us to get out and run the fast break, with Bik Yih leading the way on fast breaks! We went on an 8-0 run to draw within 27-40, prompting the opponent to call time-out with 2:30 left in the 2nd quarter. By then Bik Yih and Ming Lip were gassed from their effort so Pin and I went back in. Our focus was to go to our zone press and to close out the quarter strong and bring the deficit down to single digits.
Our zone press was a big success. On the very first possession, we caused a turnover. We inbounded quickly and Phang found me at the 3 point line and I hit a 3 to draw us to 30-40. We press some more and cause more turnovers. Phang and Ching score off their turnovers but the opponent also managed to break our press once and scored. In the last 2:30 of the 2nd quarter, we had gone on another 7-2 run and brought the deficit down to single digits as targeted : 34-42.
3rd quarter we started with the same unit of Poh Guan, Phang, myself, Pin and Ching, with Ming Lip and Pin taking turns and Zhu Hua, Poh Guan and myself taking turns, in a tight rotation, to continue our press. Our press continued to have great success and the opponent continued to turn the ball over, often throwing the ball out of bounds on their own panic / miscommunication. On offense, we started setting hard pin-screens and throwing cross court passes. As a result we started the 3rd quarter with 3 consecutive 3-pointers, first by Ching, then another by me and a 3rd by Ming Lip (Ming Lip’s off 2 consecutive pin-screen / cross court passes)! We had closed to 43-44 and their No. 10 (who had hit 4 3-pointers in the 1st quarter alone) promptly hit his 5th 3-pointer to push their lead back up to 43-47. Also, the opponent started to figure out our zone press and we were no longer having much success with our zone press.
We therefore went to our “zero” defense, switching from man to zone to man to zone etc. It totally confused the opponent who started playing tentatively and without much flow. We stayed patient and continued to plug away at the deficit. Phang drew fouls and hit a couple of FT’s, Ching hit another 3 (tying the score at 50-50), we trade a few baskets and I hit my 3rd 3-pointer to stake us out to a 4 point lead (57-53) but the opponent’s No. 4 (small guard) promptly answers with a 3 to draw back to 57-56. Poh Guan and Ming Lip score again on transition with the opponent hitting 1 FT after the 2 scores (61-57). I called a time out and reminded our players we now have to focus and close out the 3rd quarter and preserve our small lead. We re-entered the game and the opponent promptly went on a 4-0 run with 2 fast break baskets to draw even at 61-61 with only 10 seconds left to the quarter. Instead of hanging our heads, we inbounded quickly and Phang dribbled the length of the court, dribble penetrated into the painted area and kicked out to me at the 3 point line. I hit my 4th 3 pointer as the 3rd quarter buzzer sounded to restore somewhat our slim lead. After 3 quarters, we led 64-61.
Final quarter, we started Poh Guan, Phang, Zhu Hua, Ming Lip and Ching. We traded a few baskets and again, we lost focus momentarily and the opponent went on a mini run to regain a 6 point lead : 72-66. However, after only 2 or 3 minutes, the opponent had fouled too much and were already in the red flag. I re-entered the game and the opponent promptly went to a 4-and-1, with 1 player face guarding me. But the remaining 4 players played a poor zone. I started pulling the 1 defender off position and the other 4 failed to adjust, allowing Phang to repeatedly dribble penetrate and draw even more fouls, earning numerous trips to the FT line. Unfortunately, our FT percentage was not good and we only managed to score 3 points from the FT line whilst missing as many as 6 or 7 FT’s. Meantime, the opponent hits a few critical baskets, a wide open 3 pointer (due to Ming Lip mis-reading the zero defense and failing to go to a man defense when the other 4 were already in a man) and another 3 (by their No. 6) with the shot clock winding down, 2 steps behind the 3 point line and with my hand in his shot pocket! Only 2 minutes left and we were still down 75-80.
Poh Guan, who had been “cold” from the 3 point line all night, finally hit one and drew us to 78-80. We continued our zero defense patiently and caused a shot clock violation. Phang drew another foul and hit 1 of 2 FT to draw us to 79-80. More zero defense and this time they turn the ball over and Ming Lip gets out on transition and scores. With a minute left, we led 81-80!
We played good defense again and the opponent failed to score. We went on offense with 45+ seconds left. We had a shot opportunity and a shot was taken (I forget by who). It’s a miss and the opponent gets the rebound. In their hurry to fast break, they turn the ball over and Phang steals it! I call for us to slow down and use time. The opponent pressure Phang and Phang dribbles baseline and passes to Ming Lip at the opposite corner. (I’m still calling to “slow down”!) Ming Lip dribbles baseline again (!), runs into a crowd, gets pushed (no foul called) and throws a wild pass towards mid-court. The pass is so over-thrown, it goes out of bounds under our basket‼ Turnover with the score 81-80 and 34 seconds left‼ The opponent in bounds and their PF attacks the basket. He gets right to the rim but Ching makes a big block and secures the rebound. He outlets to me. The opponent run 2 players at me to try to trap me. Pin very alertly runs away from me towards the front court. I dribble further into the back court, away from the trap and lob a pass to the front court to Pin.
There was still 7 seconds differential between the shot clock and the game clock. However, in their panic, the opponent tried to foul. We played keep away with Phang and I passing the ball back and forth. But with 10 seconds left on the shot clock (17 on the game clock), we were running out of time to try to get a shot off and both Phang and I were already too far away from the basket (near half line). Phang’s final pass to me was a risky one and one of the opponent’s players rushed forward to intercept. Fortunately I got there first and he bumps into and fouls me. FTs! I make my first … 82-80. I miss my second‼ Ching comes to the rescue and snags the big offensive rebound. We play keep away again, passing the ball from Ching to me, to Phang, to Ching and back to me before the opponent manage to foul me again. FT’s again! 1.9 seconds left. I miss my first‼ But make my second … 83-80. Opposing team calls time out. After the time out, we defend well and they only managed an off-balance, heavily crowded / contested (by Poh Guan) shot that miss badly.
Victory ‼! Final score : 83-80.
As we did not have anyone to video the game for us (Suo Kuen, we all miss you already‼), I only have stats from the official score sheet as follows:
Ching with 19 points (and most certainly double digit rebounds as well);
Phang with 14 points (5 2-pointers and 4 FT’s) (and most probably double digit Assists!)
Ming Lip with 14 points (5 2-pointers, 1 3-pointer and 1 FT)
Myself with 14 points (4 3-pointers and 2 FT’s)
Poh Guan with 11 points (3 2-pointers, 1 3-pointer and 2 FT’s)
Bik Yih with 7 points (mostly from fastbreaks)
Zhu Hua with 2 points
Leong with 2 points
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