The Olive Garden narrowly flew over Nazareth Neverland as the former brought home the glittering title of bronze in the inter-division battle for 3rd place at the 19th Ichtus Intramurals Exhibition Games last November 11.
After a riveting game with Olive winning 47-44, New Lifers were abuzz after witnessing an unbalanced power dynamic take place between the two teams despite the close final score.
The audience, alive and jiving to the tune of Backstreet Boys as it blasted through the muffled speakers, excitedly waited for the first boys basketball game of the day between the Intrams first-timers Grade 7 and the experienced Grade 11 to commence.
The seniors’ evident skill and obvious taller stature allowed them to plow through Nazareth’s defense, gaining them 26-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Despite the efforts of Neverland’s strongest players Kyle Gan and Ezekiel Hwang to score three-pointers, they were constantly blocked by Olive’s gargantuan size in comparison. The second quarter ended with Olive clutching a 13-point lead.
Through constant back-and-forths between Nazareth, and the relaxed dynamic among Olive, the score evened out to 30-37 mid-way into the third quarter. Olive seemed to loosen their hook on Neverland, enabling the 7th-graders to find their way back home.
As Olive eased into the fourth quarter, Nazareth was determined to plunder some points for a close match. Hwang scored a 3-pointer for Neverland, pressuring Olive to stay rooted as the point-gap narrowed to 41-43.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Olive’s Nathan Lo wasted no time and maintained a 4-point lead. Riley Hui then shot another two points for Neverland, resulting in a nail-biting play as the gap tightened to 43-45.
Hui scored one free throw, pressuring the seniors like a croc as the clock went tick-tock. The bleachers roared in suspense, in doubt about who would come out on top.
Lo scored a 3-pointer for the breadstick lovers, launching the newbies into disarray as they attempted to rebound while the clock ran below 20 seconds.
As the final blare of the clock rang through the gymnasium, the seniors embraced each other, chanting “Olive Garden!” Proving that sometimes bigger is indeed better, the first boys basketball match of the Exhibition Games came to a close, as the Goliathan team of Olive emerged victorious against Nazareth.
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