SINGAPORE — Defying expectations and height disadvantages, South Korea’s Yongsan High School dominated China’s Tsinghua University High School 97-48 to capture the boys’ title at the NBA Rising Stars Invitational on June 29 at the Kallang Tennis Hub.

Despite Tsinghua’s players towering over Yongsan’s squad, the South Korean team implemented a clever strategy that capitalized on their agility and sharp shooting, thrilling the crowd of 1,100 spectators.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Kim Min-gi, a 1.94m power forward, shared through an interpreter, “I’m incredibly happy. This will be an unforgettable memory for the rest of my life. We studied the Chinese team’s height and built a game plan to tackle them. Most importantly, we fought hard because we had nothing to lose.”

Yongsan’s path to the final was impressive, with decisive victories over Thailand’s Assumption College Thonburi (84-28) and the Philippines’ National University Nazareth School (84-79), followed by a semifinal win against Japan’s Fukuoka University Ohori Senior High School (75-65).

In the final, Yongsan started strong, finishing the first quarter 30-14. Their accuracy was evident with 12 three-pointers made from 21 attempts by halftime. The taller Chinese team struggled to keep pace, particularly on rebounds, resulting in turnovers that Yongsan efficiently converted into points.

Though Yongsan’s scoring slowed in the third (16-9) and fourth (19-15) quarters, their lead was unassailable. Kim, who led all scorers with 25 points, reflected, “This means a lot to me personally. Winning MVP at an NBA-related tournament in Asia is something I never expected, and it sets a strong foundation for my future career.”

Yongsan coach Lee Sae-bum emphasized the tournament’s importance as a platform for growth. “It’s a great chance for the kids to challenge themselves, aim for victory, and learn,” he said.

In the girls’ final, Japan’s Kyoto Seika Gakuen Senior High School overwhelmed South Korea’s Onyang Girls’ High School 109-40. Congolese centre Ngalula Liya Mukuna dominated with 30 points and 27 rebounds.

“Early in the game, we were nervous but stayed strong,” Mukuna said. “We gained confidence as we focused on rebounding and hustling loose balls. I want to improve my drives and free throws by working harder.”

Kyoto Seika coach Tsunayoshi Yamamoto shared, “This was our first time competing outside Japan. Facing tall and physical teams like Korea, China, and Australia was intimidating, but we built confidence one game at a time.”

The NBA Rising Stars Invitational is the league’s inaugural regional high school tournament featuring 12 under-18 boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 Asia-Pacific countries. Singapore’s representatives—Anglo-Chinese Junior College and United World College Dover (boys), and Hwa Chong Institution (girls)—all fell short of advancing past the group stages.