Source: My UM

Graduation is just around the corner. Some students are finishing up their graduation theses. Some are busy looking for jobs and internship opportunities. Some, like Eddie Chan, are working hard to score—in basketball.

In mid-March, Eddie and his teammates won the championship at an inter-varsity basketball competition for the third consecutive year, bringing a perfect ending to his four-year athletic career on the university team. “In the beginning of the final, we didn’t do as well as we had hoped, but we didn’t let it hold us back,” Eddie says. “We picked ourselves up, and finally we came back from behind and turned the tables.” The game ended with the rival team trailing by nearly 30 points, and the UM team took home the championship for the third straight year, something coach Ian Heng Ip had always wanted to achieve before his retirement from the team.

Sometimes Rivals, Always Friends

Like many of his teammates, Eddie concurrently serves on an external team. He is a key member of the Macau FuKien Basketball Team, which he joined last year. “New talent kept springing up at UM, and I was in my third year, and I knew it was just a matter of time before new members replaced us oldies,” says Eddie. “Also, the FuKien team was the champion at the senior level, and I wanted to challenge myself, so I joined the team to better my skills.” Serving different teams didn’t affect the friendships among the team members. “You have to give your best to help your team win. That’s only to be expected and we all understand that. Sometimes sparks really fly but we never take it personally, and when the game’s over, we are back to being good friends. We would go eat together, talking and laughing, and totally forget that just a minute ago we were archrivals, fighting hard for the prize,” says Eddie with a laugh.

Coach Leaving but Love Stays

Because of the close bond and rapport, among the teammates and with coach Ian Heng Ip, the team has made great progress over the past few years, bringing home one prize after another. Now, after 12 years of coaching the team, Ian is about to leave. “I wouldn’t use the word ‘leave’ because I will always consider myself a member of the university and I will always care about the team,” Ian says. “I will continue to follow their events, and I may even come back to help them practice from time to time.” Ian hopes his leaving could bring a better coach for the team, but for Eddie and his teammates, Ian is a hard act to follow. “He is loved and respected by every one of us,” says Eddie. “He is not just a great coach who has taught us so much on the court. He is more like a big brother to us. He takes care of us, gives us advice, and always helps us in every way he can.”