RyAn
8:01 AM

Hello juniors,

I don't know what to say so I'm just typing as I'm thinking and vice versa. Well, guys, you'll have come very far. No, its not the National Finals YET, but you'll have come so far, from what I see. The sec 1s, you all are fantastic (since the day I first saw you all), the best batch of sec 1 in the country no doubt. The sec 2s, all of you have improved - the difference between the finals today and last year shows how much you'll have grown, every single on of you, on the court, on the bench.

I saw all of you really fight, great job. We as supporters fought very hard too. Its a joy to see all of you run on the court, and when I think back and reflect, I just am amazed that you'll are in the SZ finals. I mean, we are Raffles, 'only good in studies', 'cannot play ball', utmost underdogs right? Yeah but I'm proud of the way you'll handled Catholic High. You all went in as underdogs, and you almost turned the tide and overcome the odds. It was definitely in your capacity. The fight is already there, every hustle, every sprint, every rebound, you all can do it. One thing I can say is, play more smartly, read the game better as you all progress in the Nationals. Trust me, you all can do it. No stupid turnovers, no cheap fouls, just solid overwhelming play.

Well I shouldn't say too much. Don't dwell in your misery. We cheered our hearts out, not for our juniors to lose and drown in despair. We want you all to know that we are with you all the way, like I said today.

We are going to beat Catholic High the next time. We are going to overcome Jurong. We are going to avenge the loss against Presbyterian High. We are going to the National Finals. Zone finals, so what NOW? REMEMBER: DREAM TEAM FIGHT WIN. REMEMBER: NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. (I'll only write for those who played okay, cause its the first time I've seen you'll play a real game)

WEIXUAN You are good, I don't care if you fouled out, just don't do it again, because you are so good that we need you for 40 mins. Knock them all down !

RYAN: You are really good too, play with exceptional special intelligence beyond others cause your fight and your toughness is already here. Your match focus must increase and intensity must be more focused and chanelled to the right aspects.

BRANDON YAP: You know how well you can play and you play, so do not be mentally limited by the amount of time on the bench. Dominate.

RAVINS: You are awesome, thats why, we need you to be fit and stay on the court. You are going to be the best PG for RI ever. Dare to be that? Singapore #1 for your age.

LAWRENCE: You are exceptional. Height doesn't matter, because you're Lawrence. Keep up the hustling !

JORDAAN: You're an offensive powerhouse. Play smart, and keep up the work ethic. Many years to come, success is imminent, but this is the year to win the championship.

CHANDER: You're really good at rebounding. So make it your forte, and grab every rebound. Challenge your play time and give 100%.

JUSTIN: You're a natural at the playmaking position. Remember what coach said, and transit to the secondary school game, you can split defenses and all, work hard.

JIANHAN: You've improved alot, stay focused, and fight hard. You're an underdog, so continue working hard to become a starter. Give your all for it.

THE REST OF YOU: Must cheer and fight on the bench too ! Small little things like filling water, giving towels and stuff all count. Fight hard in the best of your abilities. Coach didn't choose you to be benched, there's a reason for everything, you are in this team, you're in for the Championship, show it more ! Good job today guys.

Keep the heads up knights, Raffles Dream goes on. You all are like my own team, as though I'm in it. So I'm aiming for the National Championship.. WHO'S WITH ME?

RyAn
7:24 AM

finally after 9 matches, we find ourselves at our first check point, the south zone finals.

only the match that is 3 days away from now counts, all those that we had won before are just records and results. what we are going for now is the gold medal, just between cat high and us, only one of us will walk out of the match with that precious gold to keep in our cabinet of trophies. once, is enough, we will not lose to any team for the second time and that applies to jurong as well but we will slowly make our way there. i believe you all would want the ones to be walking out of the match with a shitty feeling to be cat high. we are, definitely going for the win, no excuses, no matter what we are definitely going for the gold.

are you, going to cross this check point with a 10-0 score or a 9-1 score, the choice is yours. i would definitey go for the 10-0, lets make this one hell of a match for cat high and this season, a beautiful one for us.

the choice is yours, which one will you go for?

RaVinS
3:36 AM

Okay the game against peirce was tough, but these will be the kind of teams we will face in nationals 1st round. So we have to be prepared.

BUT WE'RE IN SZ FINAL '07. FIRST CHECKPOINT, HALFWAY THERE.
Nobody's gonna give us a chance against cat high. We cant expect any favours from them. Nobody thinks we can win, but we have to believe in ourselves. Lost one final already, let's make this second one a victory.
It isn't so easy by just saying we can win, we have to win. It's OUR final. Everyone has to be cheering each other on. The toughest game of our season as of date definitely, nobody likes losing a final, but if we dont talk on court, if we dont rebound with all our might, who knows what may happen.
It's time to give our all. No sitting back. No rushed shots. Helping on the tall posts. Covering the high post. We have to get ready for the game of our lives. Remember when we lost to them by 20 back in june? Remember that sucky feeling after the game? I bet nobody wants that to happen again. Out there everyone thinks it will be a clear victory for cathigh, so let's prove them WRONG. We will have to fight like never before. Our seniors will be watching and cheering us on, we have to reciprocate and fight HARDER on court. No matter what, we have to stay together during the game.

Come on guys, let's make it happen. Everyone doing his part, nobody can stand in our way.

SZ FINAL '07. Will we rewrite history?

RyAn
1:09 AM

Outram got ramout-ed, against queensway we were the kings.

Monday, tomorrow. Last game of second round. The outcome of the game's inconsequential anyway, so no matter what, let's go out there, do our thing, enjoy ourselves. Leave the court with a great great feeling.

Yuying up next baby.

7 games down. 2 games to SZ final. Let's stay focused.

SAMBALLZ!

RyAn
4:46 AM

Let's see. The time now's 2.34 am, i'm talking to chander online and he finished the match report for our Fairfield game only just, and i'm finally free, so time for a post here.

Guangyang game. Ravins and I would like to apologise to you guys for playing like you've never seen before, terribly. As captains we're supposed to lead by example, do the right things on court, but he didn't come ready to play, while i slept late late late the night before. Which is highly unacceptable, so yeah we apologised during debrief and it won't happen again.

Our communication was highly INevident throughout all 4 period of the game, and as you all saw in today's game against fairfield, communication really helps. Like i said as well, the spirit and morale after guangyang game was a rock bottom low, nobody wanted to say anything, it was quite an awful feeling, bet you guys all agree.

But today against Fairfield, everything changed. Even though we didn't completely wipe them out, absolute thrashing like our first two games, the feeling after the game sure was sweet. First time we've really overcome the odds together.
I just would like to cmmend everyone for keeping our cool, not getting frustrated, instead grabbing offensive rebounds, hitting shots, drawing fouls and fighting on even though the *ahem* weren't really doing a good job and especially in the first half, where the game was really very violent, from what i feel. From ravins getting butted in midair which is really very dangerous, to them pulling chander down, smacking weixuan all over, making jordaan so frustrated he almost did something naughty, making brandon SCREAM in pain and agony, from weihan getting fouled on his last basket but he got it in anyway, i think everyone did our part. The guys on the bench were cheering your hearts out, the guys on court delivered, never lost temper, pressed on even though each of us got whacked pretty badly, and yes, we overcame the *ahem*, the violence, the hot shooting of fairfield today.

I realise that after games during debrief it's more of a reflection of our bad points, so i think this place is an excellent area for praise and the positives of our games. Always room for the not-so-goods here, but after today's game i don't think anyone felt awful or anything.

SO, WE'RE INTO THE SECOND ROUND. FULL SQUAD.
RAFFLES IS 4-0 FOR THE SEASON SO FAR.
4/18 games played, let's never allow the championship game out of sight and focus.

3 GAMES TO SEMIS.
4 GAMES TO FINAL.

It's gonna be do or die EVERY GAME honeys.

photos up by coach on www.gryphonsbasketball.blogspot.com

IF YOU WANT THE PHOTOS,
and since jordaan and ravins asked me how to save them
FIRST CLICK ON THE SLIDESHOW
CLICK VIEW ALL IMAGES
ANOTHER SLIDESHOW WILL APPEAR
CLICK ON THE PHOTO YOU WANNA SAVE
ANOTHER WINDOW WILL POP UP
RIGHT CLICK THE PICTURE
CLICK SAVE TARGET/PICTURE AS
NAME YOUR PICTURE
USE AS MSN DISPLAY PICTURE

DONE =)

Okay, that's about it. Remember, first checkpoint SZ final.
Let's improve the next 3 games, not take anything for granted, and gun for the best possible.

Rtyj

RyAn
11:34 AM