SINGAPORE, 2025, JUNE 29 – Kyoto Seika Gakuen Senior High School (Japan) and Yongsan High School (South Korea) delivered commanding performances to clinch the girls’ and boys’ titles respectively at the inaugural NBA Rising Stars Invitational, held at the Kallang Tennis Hub on Sunday (29 June).
Final Scores:
• Girls’ Final: Kyoto Seika Gakuen (JPN) 109–40 Onyang Girls’ High School (KOR)
• Boys’ Final: Yongsan High School (KOR) 97–48 Tsinghua University High School (CHN)
In the girls’ final, Kyoto Seika Gakuen showcased a dominant all-round performance to secure a resounding 109–40 win over Onyang Girls’ High School. The game started with both sides trading early baskets, but the Japanese side quickly stamped their authority, pulling ahead 27–11 by the end of the first quarter and never looking back.
Relentless on both ends of the court, Kyoto Seika’s airtight defence forced the South Koreans into rushed shots and poor decision-making, limiting them to just a 20.3% field goal conversion rate. In contrast, Kyoto Seika were clinical in attack, converting 50% of their field goals and capitalising at the free-throw line with 11 made from 18 attempts. Hikari Yoshida, named the girls’ Most Valuable Player (MVP), was instrumental in leading the charge.
The boys’ final followed a similar script, with Yongsan High School overpowering Tsinghua University High School in a 97–48 blowout. Sparked by boys’ MVP Kim Min-gi, captain Daniel Edi, and forward Kim Tae-in, who combined for 60 points, the Koreans dominated proceedings with slick ball movement, accurate shooting, and tenacious defence.
Tsinghua struggled to keep pace, undone by unforced errors and miscommunication, which Yongsan eagerly punished in front of a 1,100-strong crowd.
The tournament finale also drew NBA and WNBA stars, including NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis, WNBA legend Lauren Jackson, current NBA rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, and B.LEAGUE sharpshooter Keisei Tominaga, all of whom were present to witness the next generation of talent.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, Sabonis said: “For young athletes, it’s about taking the game to the next level. You see athletes taking their skill way beyond what it was back then, doing things that we haven’t seen. I’m always excited to see what these new kids can do. I was watching the games yesterday, and these kids are doing stuff that we didn’t even dream of, so it’s really cool to see how the game is evolving.”
The NBA Rising Stars Invitational ran from 25–29 June and marked the league’s first regional high-school tournament. Organised by NBA Singapore, the inaugural edition featured boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 Asia-Pacific countries, and is part of the league’s multi-year collaboration with Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
