Basketball (F) Finals vs TH

Written by: Darren Chia

Edited by: Jared Rajiv

Photos by: EusoffWorks

In the much anticipated match of the season, our Basketball (F) team faced off against Temasek Hall in the finals.

Natasha getting to the line to shoot two free throws early

The girls were hungry to win and it showed. The tip off was won by Temasek but immediately stolen through aggressive defending. Arshia drew first blood, converting a three point shot. Good defense and aggressive offense saw Eusoff take an early 9-2 lead, but Temasek clawed their way back and took a 12-16 lead. Natasha made a big three to end the first quarter, bringing the deficit to just a single point. The second quarter saw the two teams go back and forth, make after make. Halftime score: 29-29.

Ethel launching a shot from beyond the arc in the face of a TH defender

Temasek came out roaring in the third quarter, going on a 10-0 run to lead 39-29. Our Eusoff girls were down, but not out. They maintained their composure and got a bunch of stops and makes, going on a 6-0 run to end the third quarter. Temasek were the first to make a shot in the fourth quarter but Charmaine immediately fired back with a three to cut the lead in half. After a long stretch of scoreless play, it was Denise who stepped up to make the biggest three in the game, tying the score at 41-41. Ethel, Mabel and Charmaine combined some good defense to force a turnover, after which Han Xi found Ethel on the weak side for an easy layup. With just over three minutes to go, the Eusoff girls dug deep and held on to finish the game 43-41.

This was undoubtedly the game of the season - the two strongest teams battling it out. It was like watching two heavyweights box, trading blow after blow. In an extremely physical contest, the girls gave everything they had and ultimately emerged victorious.

Special mentions:

• Our sharpshooting center, Arshia, was back at it today, scoring 8 of the first 12 points, two of the shots from behind the arc. Unfortunately, she took a bad fall and had to sit out the rest of the night. Temasek must have been relieved to catch a break from her hot hand.

• Charmaine was fantastic on both ends of the court today. Layups, shots, rebounds, steals, diving on loose balls, she did it all. She played with so much heart and hustle, ending the game with 3 steals, and 3 very crucial rebounds.

• Cometh the hour cometh the (wo)man. Down 10 with a little over a quarter to go, Mabel is the player you want on your team. She was instrumental in the comeback, her insane defending leading to turnovers and misses by Temasek. In a particularly notable play, she missed a shot, grabbed her own rebound, was fouled and finished the second chance for an and1 play. Our captain stepped up when her team needed her the most and led her team to an IHG title.

All smiles as our Eusoff Girls basketball team brought back the Title

With that, the season comes to an end on the sweetest of notes. Kudos to Temasek for a really great fight. A big thank you to all Eusoffians for the unwavering support through the season. Tune in next year to watch our girls defend their title.