Asia Pacific Cup 2022 Round-up
Article by Verlyn Tan
Asia Pacific Cup 2022 is back after a two-year hiatus!
The 9th Asia Pacific Cup was held from Thursday, 27 October 2022 to Sunday, 30 October 2022. A total of 74 teams from 9 countries have participated in this year’s edition.
The final results for Asia Pacific Cup 2022 is as follows:
Age Group | Championship Teams
3X3
U13G - No One, Bangkok, Thailand
U13B - Merpati, Bali, Indonesia
U15G - Yimpact, Guam
U15B - SG Select, Singapore
U18G - Fastbreak, Singapore
U18B - SG Lions A, Singapore
5V5
U13G - Warriors Basketball, Jakarta, Indonesia
U13B - Hope Academy, Jakarta/Medan, Indonesia
U15G - Roar, Jakarta, Indonesia
U15B - Elite Philippines, Manila, Philippines
U18G - EDSCI Green Knights, Manila, Philippines
U18B - Malaysian Blazers, Malaysia
However, Asia Pacific Cup 2022 was more than just about the results, it was about each and every single participant, and how they have contributed to this tournament’s story.
Basketball as a Common Language
U18B Ipswich Force (in Yellow) and EPSCI Green Kinights (in Green) pose for the cameras after their match.
The game between U18B Ipswich Force (Australia) and EDSCI Green Knights (Philippines) kicked off the first match of APC2022. It was really a tough fight, before the Green Knights managed to pull away and win the match with a 22-pt difference. You could see the effort from each player, as they dove for every loose ball, jumping and blocking shots with a fury and sprinting at a break-neck pace whenever there was a fast break opportunity. But what made the game truly enjoyable to watch, was the fact that the players themselves were enjoying the game despite the test to their physical and mental endurance. The smiles on their faces despite the sweat pouring down was what made the pictures captured on our cameras (Link) all the more captivating. What’s admirable that there were no hard feelings between the players, as both teams hugged each other after the match and Ipswich Force’s players even sat in to support the Green Knight's game against the SAS Eagles the next day.
Green Knights’ player attempts to block Ipswich Force’s No. 8 from scoring the basket.
Ipswich Force spectating the match between Green Knights and SAS Eagles.
Sportsmanship
Supporters and the crowd went wild when the final whistle blew in U15B SG Lions C vs Elite Philippines, Elite Philippines enjoyed a landslide victory with 147 - 30 points. What a way to kick off their APC2022 campaign! The win also struck fear in their following opponents, and Elite Philippines showed them no mercy by thrashing all their opponents by a minimum of 50 points in their following matches. Despite their wins, they never underestimated any of their opponents and treated each team with respect by giving their best for each game. This can be seen by their textbook-worthy full-court press defense, which was carried out for the full duration of their game. Their opponents also taught us the meaning of having tenacity when facing adversity, as they fought to break through Elite Philippines’s tight defense and play their own game.
Elite Philippines defends and prevents BKK Rookies from scoring.
Trip Down Memory Lane: Revisiting Your Athlete Journey
Watching the U13 matches also brought parents and spectators down memory lane, especially if they played basketball before. The match between U13G ActiveSG vs Warriors gave off nostalgic vibes, which reminded me how Basketball could be so simple. You just need to have a ball, a court, your coaches, teammates and opponents to enjoy the game. There is no need to worry about anything else, just follow what your coach tells you to do and play your very best. That’s all that matters.
Players from U13G ActiveSG and Warriors fighting for the possession of the ball.
Heart for the Game
Their quiet dedication to the team, and to the sports was what made U18B Academy 13 players shine. On the third day of the tournament, U18B Academy 13 players played a total of 2 qualifying matches and one semi-finals. All 3 matches were against strong opponents such as Francis Ravens, UWC Phoenix and Titans. By the end of the second game against UWC Phoenix, the majority of their team players had visited the medic booth at least once (I know since the Media booth is located next to the medic’s). One had both shins aching, the majority had muscle cramps and it won’t be exaggerating to say that they finished the medic’s whole bottle of muscle spray and half a box of ice in less than a day. But all of them did not give up on any of the games. The scores were tight for their first two matches, with them emerging victorious with less than a 5-pt difference. But what gave their victory extra value was their team spirit and never-say-die attitude. You could see them gritting their teeth to persevere and hang on for their team. Despite their loss to Titans in the semi-finals, they fought like warriors and it was really heartwarming to see the passion they have for basketball and the camaraderie between their teammates.
U18B Academy 13 during a timeout.
All these stories are what made Asia Pacific Cup 2022 what it is, and it could not have been done without the support of all the participating teams’ players,coaches, parents, spectators, volunteers and staff. We hope that everyone has enjoyed their time at the games. This is not an “end”, but an “and”.
See you guys again for Asia Pacific Cup 2023!