The stakes rose significantly on Day Three of the NBA Rising Stars Invitational as the final group-stage games determined the semi-finalists across both the girls’ and boys’ divisions.

With knockout places on the line, the competition at the OCBC Arena reached a new level of intensity. Several contests went down to the wire, while others showcased the quality of teams that have emerged as genuine title contenders. By the end of the day, the semi-final brackets were set, paving the way for an exciting finish to the tournament.

The girls’ competition delivered some of the most compelling basketball of the tournament so far. In Pool B, Australia’s Rowville Secondary College edged out the University of Santo Tomas Junior Growling Tigresses in one of the closest games of the week, escaping with an 81-78 victory to secure their place in the semi-finals.

“It’s amazing,” said Rowville’s Tiedore Puoch. “Not many people get the opportunity to play on this court, so we’re super grateful.”

Despite falling just short, UST head coach Arsenio Dysangco viewed the tournament as a valuable opportunity for growth. “It’s a big opportunity and a big help to our upcoming UAAP season preparation,” he said. “The players have seen how international play is really like and I think that would help mature their game psychologically and emotionally.”

The victory sets up a semi-final clash between Rowville and Japan’s Seika Girls’ High School, who continued their impressive tournament run with a convincing 91-39 victory over Hong Kong’s Heep Yunn School.

For Seika’s Honoka Goto, the tournament has offered lessons that extend beyond the court. “The playing styles of international players are completely different from Japanese players,” she said. “Being able to experience the vibe of these international teams has been highly stimulating. There are a lot of things we can take away and apply to our own game.”

Heep Yunn’s Valerie Lau reflected on the value of competing against top international opposition despite the defeat. “Back in Hong Kong, we have won the championships 10 times consecutively,” she said. “After coming here to play against other international teams, we are made aware of what we can and need to improve on when we go back.”

Meanwhile, the final semi-final berth in Pool C was decided when Yang Ming Girls High School defeated Gwangju Speer Girls’ High School 81-53. The victory secured Yang Ming’s place in the last four and set up a showdown against tournament favourites Yali High School.

“We are really looking forward to the semi-finals,” said a Yang Ming representative after the game. “Winning this match today gives us a lot of confidence, and it really boosts our morale.”

If the girls’ division provided quality, the boys’ division delivered plenty of drama. Perhaps the most exciting contest of the day came in Pool B, where Australia’s Berwick College survived a late challenge from Tongtex Secondary High School to claim a narrow 77-75 victory.

The two-point result secured Berwick’s place in the semi-finals and highlighted the increasingly fine margins separating teams as the tournament progresses. Tongtex’s Ting Tzu-Chuan Kao identified rebounding as the decisive factor. “Towards the end of the game, we lost out on rebounds, especially second-chance rebounds,” he said. “My biggest takeaway would be that we definitely need to continue to improve our physical strength.”

Berwick’s reward is a semi-final meeting with South Korea’s Kyungbock High School, who maintained their perfect record with a dominant 131-46 victory over Velammal International School.

Despite the commanding result, Kyungbock’s Jiwon Yoon stressed the importance of remaining focused. “We shouldn’t get complacent just because we won all our games in the qualifiers,” he said. “We need to stay focused and prepare for the next match.”

In Pool C, Tsinghua University High School booked their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 70-60 victory over Thailand’s Assumption College Thonburi. “I think we are all very happy that we advanced,” said Junzheng Wang. “In the end, we won this match by relying on our defense. We will keep working hard in the upcoming matches and defend even better.”

Assumption’s Phurich Benjaariyakul praised the tournament experience despite the loss. “I got to meet foreign players, and they are very skilled. I will take this experience back with me to develop myself further.”

The final boys’ semi-final berth was secured by Japan’s Tottori Johoku, who defeated the FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws 81-75 in another tightly contested game. With a meeting against Tsinghua awaiting, Tottori’s Genji Fukumoto already has his focus on the next challenge.

“Our next opponents are very tall and they are tough. We have to box out and be ready to play physical tomorrow.”

As the group stage concluded, one theme continued to emerge from players, coaches and teams across every nation represented at the event: the value of international competition.

Whether it was championship contenders preparing for the knockout rounds or teams learning from difficult defeats, participants repeatedly pointed to the opportunity to experience different playing styles, cultures and levels of competition as one of the most rewarding aspects of the tournament.

That atmosphere extended beyond the court, with fans continuing to enjoy activities at the Fan Zone in Kallang Wave Mall. The festivities will continue on semi-final day, with NBA champion and Olympic gold medallist Mitch Richmond scheduled to meet fans and share his experiences from the highest levels of basketball.

With the group stage complete, attention now turns to the semi-finals. In the girls’ division, Seika Girls’ High School will face Rowville Secondary College, while Yang Ming Girls High School takes on unbeaten Yali High School.

The boys’ bracket will see Kyungbock High School meet Berwick College before Tsinghua University High School and Tottori Johoku High School battle for the final place in the championship game.

After three days of increasingly competitive basketball, the margins are narrowing and the pressure is rising. The NBA Rising Stars Invitational now enters its decisive phase, with just four wins separating the remaining teams from a tournament title.

Photo Credit: NBA Rising Stars Invitational

The NBA Rising Stars Invitational takes place from 23rd to 28th June 2026 at OCBC Arena, The Kallang. Tickets available here