Written by: Choa Zhao Xiang and Leung Lok Heng Edited by: Choa Zhao Xiang and Leung Lok Heng Photos by: EusoffWorks
It’s IBG Day 4 and we are captain’s balls and dodgeballs deep into IBG today! We are extremely happy to see everyone turn up despite consecutive days of games and we’re sure most people did not regret coming for Day 4 as it was truly an unforgettable and adrenaline-filled evening!
Captain’s Ball
Captain’s Ball was featured first for the evening and we kicked off the first game at Court 1 with C block up against D block. Right from the get go, C block freshie Nicole caught the eye of many. Nicole was the heart and soul of the C block attack, orchestrating the play with smooth and silky passes and almost seem to evade all forms of blocking from D block. Combined with freshie Jia Jie’s accurate passes to the captain, C block was unstoppable, and they took out D block 8-3.
The next match was D block once again up against A block. Unfortunately, D block were unfavored in this match up once again. A block were tremendous in performance, due in part to their stacked line-up. Sonia, a netballer, was one of the centrepieces to their success. Together with attackers York Tat and Dylan, they worked cohesively as a team, as we heard chants of 1, 2, 3 from them, to remind each other of the number of passes they had made. They made shots from all over the court to their captain Alan, who was remarkably efficient and accommodating of all types of passes. Without a doubt, the stormed the match 9-3.
A block were up against B block next at the other court. Despite of the fatigue they felt from back to back matches, they still played with robustness and ferocity. However, they stood no chance against B block’s team. Jamie, a towering freshie, immediately drew the attention from the spectators. At first sight, she looked like a gentle and graceful participant in the game. However, she took the game by storm, as she threw shots from beyond the halfway with ease, all the way to Bryan, the captain. She was a cut above the rest in terms of points scored, and boy could she score from anywhere. She was not the only scoring threat though. Christoph and Yi Chen were remarkable as well, and their teamwork led to a comfortable 8-3 win over the very athletic A block.
Meanwhile, the other match showcased a face-off between D block and E block. E block have been enthusiastic all night, and after losing to C block 2-7, they were pumped to redeem themselves. Blythe and Ivan, two of E block’s freshies, were the standout players. They tore apart D block’s defenses with ruthless speed. Their goals mostly came from midrange attacks from the middle, where credit had to be given to their tactical movement, which was a masterpiece. They won that match 8-3.
While it looked like D block had been losing all night, their last match against B block was not to be the same. Ronald, the all rounded, tall, freshie, once again took charge of D block, as he did for most other sports. This time he was joined by Emma and Rachel Kwan, and something clicked between the three of them. Using Ronald’s height to great advantage, they took lead in the game early, and they maintained it. Eventually, they powered through the defense of B block, defeating them 8-3.
The all-star match was to come and the teams were a combined mix of both males and females:
Freshies All-Stars
Clara & Dylan (A Block) Jamie & Cedric (B Block) Jodie & Jia Jie (C Block) Rachel Kwan & Ronald (D Block) Blythe & Divakar (E Block)
Seniors All-Stars
Bryna & Jason (A Block) Jane & Hao Hsuan (B Block) Angie & Jowell (C Block) Hasya & Pei Jie (D Block) Bryan & Zheng Xuan (E Block)
The seniors drew first blood in this battle of the titans, with experienced Netballers Jane and Angie executing swift passes to help their team gain an early 3-0 lead. However, freshie Jodie was determined to close the gap and quickly gained the freshies’ first point with a strong throw from the sideline. She was backed up by fellow star freshie Dylan, who used his lumbering height to intercept a pass between the seniors and turned it into another point for his team. The two teams went toe-to-toe for the remainder of the match, trading points again and again as their cohesive movement and accurate shots left the crowd awed. The game ended with a bang when senior Jason demonstrated why he’s the current basketball captain. Surrounded by a couple of freshies who were attempting to block his shot, he managed to fake them out with a clever behind-the-back hook shot that caught everyone completely off guard. With his final point, he had sealed the senior’s victory with an 11-5 score!
And with that, the Captain’s Ball segment of our night came to an end, with the final standings being:
1st – C Block
2nd – E Block
3rd – A Block
4th (tied) – B and D Blocks
Dodgeball
After 10 games of throwing balls to their own teammates, it was now time for the blocks to throw balls at their opponents. That’s right, it was time for dodgeball! Though it is not an official IHG sport, it is nonetheless an event that Eusoffians always look forward to because, like above, you get to throw balls at your friends (with respect and consent, of course)!
The first dodgeball duel of the night featured D and E blocks. D block, eager to avenge their loss to E block in Captain’s Ball, were clearly playing with an agenda. They sent out a strong lineup including freshies Lay Chun and Emma who drew first blood as their relentless throws struck their opponents, sending out of the game temporarily. Not to be outdone, E Blocker Zachary went toe-to-toe with his fellow freshies and viciously sent balls flying back into D Block’s court, taking his opponents out as well. It was as intense as the crowd had expected it to be! D Block freshie Si Rong proved to be an expert dodger, contorting in all directions to avoid the opponent’s shots. The two teams were so even that they each took a set, sending the match to sudden death. The tension was high and the crowd was in nervous anticipation. The whistle blew to commence the round and the players rushed to the centre tryline as if there were free NUSSU Freshman T-Shirts there. However, E Block’s offense proved too much for D Block as they won the sudden death round and with it, the first match of the next.
Swan prepares to launch a vicious shot
A and B Blocks then took to the court. The two teams traded shots early on, with B Block’s freshie Bryan leading the charge for his team. It seemed like it was his night as he was dominant in Captain’s Ball and now, in dodgeball again. His powerful throws were backed up by fellow freshie Hui Lin whose shots managed to hit a few of her opponents with striking authority. A Block had their own weapons as well, with handball captain Kenson showing how it;s done with zooming shots of his own. Eventually, A Block had only 1 player left on the court, Freshie Clara, while B Block still had 4 players. She employed quite an unusual tactic of running around her zone while screaming, despite all the dodgeballs being on her side of the court and not her opponent. But hey, whatever works right? However, in an ironic twist of fate, she ended up eliminating herself as she stepped outside the court boundary, sending her supporters howling in laughter. In the next period, our very own Vice President Wesley stepped up the plate for A Block. His appearance prompted A Block supporters to chant “Wesley don’t dare one!” to taunt him (all in good fun!), but he immediately responded with a devastating throw which sent one of his opponents out. Perhaps the playful banter by A Block had unleashed his Super Saiyan? In any case, B Block eventually outlasted A Block and took the win for themselves.
It seemed like nothing could match the competitive play displayed after that match, but that changed when C and E Blocks played next. C Block was laden with handball and softball superstars like Senior Taka and National Softballer Freshie Tian Chun who quickly put on a masterclass for the audience. Taka the Tank used a variety of shots, including his trademark fastball throw which no other players had used until then. And boy, was it fast! This unorthodox underhand throw bamboozled the E Blockers who were taken out of the game before they knew what literally hit them. What a sight to behold! E Block responded well, with Freshie Divakar coming through with mad clutch plays, either striking players with his throws or catching balls thrown at him. It all came down to a 1-on-1 bout between C Block freshie Arvina and Divakar. They were stuck in a stalemate as both were not going down without a fight. However, after many thrown and dodged balls, Arvina was unable to catch a fierce throw from Divakar and was sent off the court, giving E Block the win!
The remaining games proved to be spectacular in their own right, with brilliant plays being executed each and every match. Another notable player was B Block’s freshie Madelene, who led not just one, but TWO insane comebacks for her team! One of these came in their match against C Block, where Madelene was the lone woman standing against two C Blockers. Her opponents had majority of the dodgeballs on their side and tt seemed like the odds were in C Blocks favour. However, when one of the C Blockers attempted to end the game with a fast throw towards Madelene, she easily caught the ball and rocketed it right back at the other C Blocker, effectively eliminating both the C Blockers in a matter of seconds and winning the period for her block. It was absolutely mental and the crowd was on their feet, roaring with cheers! B Block very aptly titled her “MVP” from then on. The crowd continued to feast on such dodgeball delights from our very own Eusoffians as the night ensued, bringing excitement and entertainment to all.
After the blocks had given it their all for the games, we arrived at the final standings for the night:
1st – C Block
2nd (tied) – B and E Blocks
3rd (tied) – A and D Blocks
As we cross the halfway mark for IBG, competition remains stiff as the title of overall Champions is still up for grabs by anyone. Stay tuned for more coverage of each day’s events as we find out who takes the cake this year!
Comments