Hwa Chong Institution’s girls’ basketball team began their NBA Rising Stars Invitational campaign with a nail-biting 69-63 win against Malaysia’s Hin Hua High School. The inaugural tournament, held at the Kallang Tennis Hub, saw all three Singaporean schools participating on the opening day, 25 June.
The event’s Opening Ceremony was graced by NBA legend Yao Ming, who presented the Building Ball trophy. Other notable attendees included WNBA legend Lauren Jackson, NBA players Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, and B.LEAGUE’s Keisei Tominaga.
The tournament’s first day featured several intense matches. Tsinghua University High School from China overcame Thailand’s Watnoinoppakhun School with a 74-60 victory, showcasing their resilience after trailing in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Singapore’s United World College South East Asia Dover boys’ team faced a tough 95-61 defeat against Australia’s Berwick College. Anglo-Chinese Junior College also struggled, losing 82-41 to Japan’s Fukuoka University Ohori Senior High School.
In the day’s final match, Hwa Chong Institution’s girls’ team, led by Chrystal Joe, Kong Qian Ya, and captain Madelin Lock, combined for 43 points to secure their win. The match was a back-and-forth battle, with Hwa Chong initially leading by 10 points before Hin Hua closed the gap to two points by half-time.
The NBA Rising Stars Invitational continues until Sunday, with matches streamed live on the tournament’s YouTube channel. Fans can follow updates on Instagram and the official website.
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