Friends attempting to block an Isotimber player. Isotimber prevailed 66-62 to lift the Sibu Open title. — Photo by Helen Tang.
SIBU: Isotimber caught fire to beat tournament favourite Friends 66-62 in a nail-biting finish to last weekend’s Sibu Open Basketball Championship.
Both contenders had assembled an array of national and state youth players who played to a capacity crowd in an electrifying atmosphere at Sg Batu Basketball Court.
Isotimber, powered by the Sung brothers William and Michael, surged into an early lead at 15-10. But it was Friends, anchored by Wong Sing Tee and sharpshooter Ling Kok Wei, who led 23-18 at the end of the first quarter.
Buoyed by the boisterous crowd, Isotimber dug deep and levelled the score at 26-26 before edging ahead by a mere point at half-time.
After the breather, both teams switched to tight, defensive press in the fast and furious game.
Isotimber players somehow coped better with the tight marking to surge ahead 53-41 by the end of the third period.
But both teams did pay a price as Friends’ Wong Ke Jing and Isotimber’s Andrew Ting had to sit out the last quarter after committing five personal fouls.
Friends staged a fight-back and reduced the deficit to 57-60 at one stage.
However, Isotimber had enough composure to weather the dying minutes to wrap up the game 66-62.
Isotimber’s top scorers were Kiu Jie Chong (15 points), Andrew (12) and William (10).
Friends had four players with double digit scores – Ting Huong Ling (17), Kok Wei (15), Sing Tee (12) and Ke Jin (10).
In the earlier match, Kong Kok Hou scored a game-high 21 points to help Goodwill to third place with a 81-74 win over Grand Heights.
Yu Chi Wei topscored with 13 points for Grand Heights.