Annie Goh - “Queen of Basketball”

Sport: Basketball
Year Inducted: 2004

Coming from a family where everyone played basketball, Annie’s early obsession with the game was understandable. So too was the support and encouragement she received from her parents, whom she credits her achievements to.

Her talent and interest in the game was such that she was already playing for Seremban in the Negeri Sembilan State Championships at the age of 12. Just a year later, in 1958, she shot to stardom with an outstanding debut performance in the National Competition for the State King’s Cup. Annie helped her home state win the coveted trophy with her prolific shooting, and then helped the state retain the trophy for 10 years running. She later joined the Armed Forces and led her team to win the King’s Cup from 1974-76.

As a teenager, Annie toured and competed in Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore with the Negeri Sembilan Chin Woo Association, the Federation Malay States Basketball team and the Malaysian Schools team. Annie ended up top scorer in many of these matches and competitions and was instrumental in helping her team win most of these encounters.

Annie was part of the team that won a gold medal at the SEAP Games (now SEA Games) in Kuala Lumpur (1965) and Myanmar (1969). She also featured in two other SEA Games which won her team silver medals – Bangkok (1967) and Singapore (1973).

At the inaugural Asian Women’s Basketball Championships in Seoul 1965, Annie was ranked 4th best scorer in the Championship. At the 2nd Asian Women’s Championships she won both the Top Scorer and Most Valuable Player awards. Annie was made skipper to the team in the next championship in Kuala Lumpur, 1970. She led Malaysia to a 4th place finish and won the Most Valuable Player award for the second time. She is also the only Malaysian basketball player to be included in an Asian all-star line-up.

Annie Goh Koon Gee was known as the “Queen of Basketball” in her heyday, and it isn’t a mystery as to why. Many decades later, her name still conjures up the familiar image of the lanky lass and her superior reign on the courts.



“Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done to you.”


Achievements...


1958 - Represented N.S. in the King’s Cup Competition
Champion for 10 years running

1961 – Women’s International Basketball Championships
Representing N.S. Chin Woo Association
- Singapore Tong Fong Lian Cup Tournament
Champion and Top Scorer award

1965 – 1st Asian Women’s Basketball Championships, Seoul
4th best scorer of the Championships
- 3rd SEAP Games, Kuala Lumpur
Champions

1968 – Sportswoman of the Year award
- 2nd Asian Women’s Basketball Championship,Taipei
Top Scorer and Most Valuable Player

1969 – 5th SEAP Games, Rangoon
Champions

1970 - 3rd Asian Women’s Basketball Championships,
Kuala Lumpur.
Skipper and Most Valuable Player

1973 – 7th SEA Games, Singapore
Silver medal

1976 – 6th Asian Women’s Basketball Championship, H.K. 4th Placing