A new champion is expected in the 4th season of the Southorn Basketball League as no teams can defend a championship so far in this still-young league.

The season ended for the men in yellow and purple when they saw Shawn Man’s last attempted in the game failed to go in and watched players and friends from Dream Team with their hands in the air and screaming.

Idle since May 4 when they edged GRIZZ for the 5th victories in the season, H.F.C. — the defending champion — simply let an 7-point half-time lead, and was briefly up by eight to start the second half, slip away. Dream team comeback in the final 10 minutes, sustained and extend the lead to as many as six points before they yellow missed their final field goal at the buzzer.

H.F.C. remained ahead by after thirty minutes, but Dream quickly tie it at 28-all to start the final period and Chung Hong Tsoi capped a 9-0 run by a floating jumper and turned the three-point deficit to a six-point lead.

After Shawn Man hit a basket and cut the lead to 32-34, Tse Chung Ngai and Chung Hong Tsoi each scored to re-gain the six-point cushion at 38-32. Shawn Man hit a three-pointer to bring H.F.C. within three points again but fast guard Seung Lung Chin made another field goal, Man Chun Chow added a foul shot and maintain the lead with about three minutes on the clock.

Played a quiet season despite solid performance was still everywhere for his team, Tabo Chak, the leading scorer in 2007, was the man again when the game is on the line. The H.F.C. star moves the ball to the front court on a fast-break, stopped at beyond the three-point line and fake, a shot did not goes in the basketball but he calmly put all the three foul shot into the net. Dream scored two points in the next possession but Tabo Chak hit from deep to bring his team back within two points.

Shawn Man shot 6-on-9 from the floor with 2-on-3 from deep and was second to lead all scorers in the game by 14 points. Colin Wong has four assists, but missed six of seven free throws and scored only three points.

Nikko Kwok, the second leading scorer of H.F.C., was not at Sheung Wan for the game. Tabo Chak was currently second with 16.4 points per game behind Yuen Ki Chiu (23.1), but lead the league with an outstanding 3.8 assists recorded and ranked fifth in rebounds by having 8.2 each contest.

Man Chun Chow lead all Dream Team scorers by 11 points, Chun Hong Tsoi added nine and Seung Lung Chin had seven. Centre Tse Chun Ngai had eight points and rebounds apiece with three thefts.

SOUTHORN Tigers was 5th in the season following it’s championship. Trojans, the ensuing winner, was defeated in the first game in playoffs by the then 1st runner-up GRIZZ.

H.F.C. was unbeaten last season as they marched to win it all. Photons will become only the other unbeaten team in a single season should they win their next two games and the champion this year.