Picture: NBA Rising Stars Invitational Tournament Picture: NBA Rising Stars Invitational Tournament NBA Rising Stars Invitational Tournament TimesofIndia.com In Singapore: The OCBC Arena was almost full when the men’s final got under way on Sunday night.Spectators in the stands cheered for every shot, while NBA champions Jeremy Lin and Mitch Richmond, along with WNBA legend Lauren Jackson, watched from the sidelines as two of Asia’s best school teams battled for the title. Six days ago, Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura spoke at the opening ceremony about inspiring more Asian players to realize their dreams of entering the NBA.By the end of the week, the next generation has taken center stage.The second NBA Rising Stars Invitational Tournament concluded on Sunday, with Japan’s Seika Girls’ High School and South Korea’s Kyungbock High School claiming the title in a competition involving 24 boys and girls teams from the Asia-Pacific region.
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Seika recovered from a slow start to beat Chinese Taipei Yangming High School 106-56 in the girls final, while Kyungbock once again performed well, defeating Japan’s Tottori Johoku High School 82-72 to claim the boys title after overcoming an early deficit.Medals may have gone to Japan and South Korea, but the tournament’s biggest individual honors reflected the breadth of talent on display across the region.Seika’s Buba Aisha Ezzine capped off a memorable week by being named the Women’s Finals MVP after winning the tournament’s Defensive Player award, while Kyungbock defender Yoon Jiwon earned Men’s Finals MVP honors.All tournament teams also emphasized the diversity of the tournament.Members of the men’s first team include Australia’s Boris Rosner (Berwick College), Japan’s Philemon Talmon (Tottori Johoku High School), China’s Wang Junzheng (Tsinghua University High School) and South Korea’s Yoon Ji-hoon and Yoon Ji-won (Gyeongbuk High School).The girls’ inductees include Ezzine and teammate Goto Honoka, as well as Hsu Yu-Shan (Yangming High School), Tiedore Puoch (Lowville Middle School) and Yuan Zixi (Yali High School).The game provided a rare glimpse into the current state, and perhaps future, of basketball in Asia.From the physicality of Australia and the discipline of Japan, to the relentless pressure game of South Korea and the structured team play of China, each game became a lesson in the different basketball cultures emerging in the region.It was a week without victories for India’s only representative, Veeramar International School, but with something arguably more valuable: views.Former NBA Academy India player Kushal Singh perhaps embodies this best. “We know other countries are better at basketball, so we have better competition,” he told TimesofIndia.com earlier in the tournament.That willingness to learn seemed to define the week as much as the game itself.Jeremy Lin, one of the most talked-about people on finals day, believes these moments are more important than photos or autographs.“I think a lot of it is inspiration,” Lin told TimesofIndia.com.“Growing up, I didn’t have an Asian player that I really looked up to until Yao Ming came along. But Yao Ming was very different from me; he was a center and I was usually the shortest guy on the court.
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“So I hope I can inspire them, show them I’m here, appreciate what they can do, watch them play and give back to the game of basketball. As they get older, hopefully they can continue to do the same for the next generation.”In addition to the tournament, there are coaching sessions, referee development programs, community basketball events and the Her Game Time initiative, where Lauren Jackson spends her time encouraging more girls to stay involved in the sport after graduation.Earlier this week, Jackson addressed one of the biggest challenges facing women’s sports: not getting girls to start competing, but ensuring they continue long enough to become athletes, coaches and future leaders.However, the success of the tournament was concentrated not only in the stands but also on the hardwood, with attendances steadily increasing throughout the week, culminating in a sold-out final.
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A spokesman for Sports Singapore said after the game: “It is particularly encouraging to see a full house for the final, which reflects the strong and growing interest in basketball.”“We hope the performance throughout the competition will inspire the next generation of athletes to pursue the sport and realize their potential.”Lin considers this enthusiasm to be the region’s greatest strength.“When you think about basketball in the Asia-Pacific region, what makes you most optimistic?” he was asked.“For me, it’s always passion,” he replied.“When I see the incredible enthusiasm, I believe people will find a way to bring in the best coaches. They will find a way to build youth basketball from the grassroots up. I believe players, parents and governments will continue to invest in the game.
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“When there’s passion, I think everything else will follow. That’s definitely how I feel here,” Lin added.
