Triumph and Redemption
Coming off a disappointing loss, how would you react? ACJC basketball player Darius Low recalls an unforgettable redemption story to become the best basketball junior college in Singapore, winning when no one else thought they would.
Story by Dylan Low
Photos courtesy of James Chia
Triumph and Glory
The loud horn blares as the crowd stands and cheers. The atmosphere at OCBC arena turns lively, with amicable claps heard across the court. With the score of 72-55, Anglo Chinese Junior College (ACJC) had just beaten Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) to capture the A Division Basketball championship, their first ever in school history.
17-year-old ACJC basketball player Darius Low celebrates with his teammates and coach, as they all rush to the centre of the court hugging and cheering with one another. Yet, Darius stands speechless, taking in the moment of achieving such a monumental feat with his team.
Draped in ACJC’s iconic blue and yellow colours, it dawned on him that it was his first year in the school, and his first time competing in the A Division tournament. The dream of becoming champions seemed unbelievable, as ACJC had never made it further than the quarter-finals in their school history. All he could think of at that moment was, “Finally, we did it”.
The ACJC players jumping and cheering together as they celebrate after winning the finals
The meaning of victory
This win meant a lot to Darius for many reasons. Having started playing basketball at a young age of 8, he has competed in many school competitions and tournaments, winning a few championships and runners-up medals. However, to him, he notes that this A Division trophy was his most significant accomplishment.
Coming off second place in his last secondary school competition in 2022, Darius badly wanted to start his Junior College (JC) basketball journey by winning the gold medal this year. He wanted to prove to himself that he could play at a high level alongside his teammates and show that they are the best team in JC basketball.
When asked about his team, Darius only had nice things to say, “I love my teammates.” Looking back at the strenuous practice sessions, it was “the best time of his life” to him, having the opportunity to train alongside them as he pushed and motivated himself knowing this was the team he was doing it for. Every member had the same mindset to play hard for one another, as they all pushed to improve their skills together as a team. Having spent the time training with one another resulting in them becoming champions, it was undoubtedly his most memorable winning experience.
Perseverance alongside hard work
However, it was not an easy road that they managed to achieve victory in the finals. Through the whole competition, ACJC showed grit, determination and spirit, which Darius realized was their strength that other teams did not have - the desire to win and prove the doubters wrong.
““Don’t be discouraged in the face of adversity.””
There were many tough schools in the competition, as they battled against top four teams such as National Junior College (NJC), Eunoia Junior College (EJC) and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) – the team that defeated them in the group stages.
Darius recalls when ACJC suffered their disappointing loss against HCI, the players were low on morale, finding themselves behind against EJC in the quarter-finals after a slow start. Yet, even when the situation looked bleak, they remembered a quote from their coach, Shawn Lim, to ‘‘make history or continue history”, which resonated in them to play better. They did not want to simply finish in the top eight, the same position as last year. They were reminded to keep persevering, as the determination of the players led to a comeback victory.
He highlights hard work and preparation leading up to the competition to be what makes a winning basketball team. Their confidence and belief did not come overnight, but cultivated through intense training sessions of up to five per week in preparation for the finals. That translated to their perseverance to keep going despite the odds, a key reason why they achieved comeback victories against top schools in EJC and NJC.
When it came down to the finals, the players knew that it was the perfect opportunity to avenge their prior loss to HCI. Dedicated, hungry and motivated to win, the team started strong getting off to an early lead of up to 15 points, and never looked back as they ended up achieving the first championship for the school.
More expectations to come
After winning the title, Darius is looking ahead to future competitions. He will be participating in this year’s upcoming ASEAN school games, with the mindset to become a better player and contribute to the team, representing the national flag. He is also targeting to win next year’s A Division competition, with the goal to become champions again.
He said, “We can’t afford to be complacent and ride high on this year’s win, as other teams will be stronger and determined to win. We must play at a higher level to win once again.”
Next year, it will be yet another hurdle for this ACJC team to face, with the second-year seniors graduating and passing the reins on to the current Year Ones. It will be a new challenge for them to win the competition again, with the other Year One players and a new batch of juniors. Nevertheless, Darius sees obstacles like this as a chance to improve and grow from.
When asked about what drives his passion, he says, “If you truly love something, put in the work and be confident in your preparation - don’t get discouraged in the face of adversity.”
