University Practice SHS sailed through Contest 2 of NSMQ Day 3 (Oct 22, 2025) at the CNC Auditorium, finishing with 57 points to beat Ahantaman Girls’ (26) and Mim SHS (13). Read the in-depth round-by-round analysis, performance takeaways, historical context and prospects for the one-eighth stage.
CNC Auditorium — Contest 2 (Day 3, October 22, 2025)
Final result (End of contest)
- University Practice SHS: 57 pts — Winners
- Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 26 pts
- Mim SHS: 13 pts
Sponsors & highlights: GOIL PLC sponsored Round 5 (Riddle Bonanza). Round 2 was sponsored by @trustur.ai. Problem of the Day scores were recorded as: University Practice SHS 2/10, Ahantaman Girls’ SHS 2/10, Mim SHS 0/10. Quiz mistress on duty at CNC maintained a calm and professional handling of proceedings.
Round-by-Round Breakdown (accurate figures)
End of Round 1
- University Practice SHS: 19 pts
- Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 14 pts
- Mim SHS: 8 pts
University Practice began strongly, picking up several starter bonuses and a couple of neat buzzer wins. Ahantaman kept it close with confident answering in general knowledge and biology, while Mim showed early fight in computation questions but missed a few bonuses that would have closed the gap.
End of Round 2 — @TrusturAI Speed Race
- University Practice SHS: 36 pts
- Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 20 pts
- Mim SHS: 8 pts
The speed race amplified U-Practice’s advantage. Their buzzer timing and crisp, low-risk answers in rapid-fire maths and physics propelled them to a comfortable lead. Ahantaman picked up a few targeted points but faltered on a handful of fast-paced arithmetic tossups. Mim held steady but could not convert momentum into the big scores.
Problem of the Day (Round 3) — recorded scores
- University Practice SHS: 2/10
- Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 2/10
- Mim SHS: 0/10
None of the teams achieved the perfect score needed to claim the Prudential NSMQ Star. University Practice’s answer earned partial credit — showing understanding but not total completeness. Ahantaman matched them with two, and Mim missed out.
End of Round 4
- University Practice SHS: 50 pts
- Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 23 pts
- Mim SHS: 13 pts
U-Practice converted their speed race momentum into sustained accuracy in Round 4. They answered multiple bonus chains cleanly and managed the risk verses reward choices well. Ahantaman recovered some ground with tidy short-answer sequences but struggled on longer, multi-step science problems. Mim added a few tidy points but remained outpaced.
End of Contest — Round 5 / GOIL Riddle Bonanza
- Final: University Practice SHS: 57 pts | Ahantaman Girls’ SHS: 26 pts | Mim SHS: 13 pts
In the GOIL Riddle Bonanza, University Practice sealed the win — finding the right mix of lateral reasoning and quick recall to add +7 on top of 50 and finish strongly. Ahantaman and Mim were unable to match that late riddle surge.
Performance quality — what stood out
University Practice SHS (Winners, 57):
- Strengths: Buzzer control, accuracy under pressure, team coordination during multi-part bonuses, strong speed-round execution.
- Weaknesses: Problem-of-the-Day partial credit (2/10) indicates depth was solid but explanations lacked full completeness on that written challenge.
- Coaching / temperament: Calm, strategic pacing; minimized guesses and capitalized on opponent errors.
Ahantaman Girls’ SHS (26):
- Strengths: Strong conceptual responses in biology and general knowledge; good early contest composure.
- Weaknesses: Speed round hesitancy and missed multi-step problems cost key points. Problem-of-the-Day 2/10 shows potential but inconsistency in full solutions.
- Outlook: With sharper buzzer practice and more practice on multi-step mathematical/chemistry problems, they can turn close losses into wins.
Mim SHS (13):
- Strengths: Flashes of tactical answering in arithmetic and short buzz wins.
- Weaknesses: Inability to consistently convert bonuses; scoreline suggests depth and endurance issues in later rounds. Problem-of-the-Day 0/10 highlights areas for written problem training.
- Outlook: Needs focused drills on buzz timing and multi-step bonus practice to be competitive at the next stage.
Historical context — University Practice SHS in NSMQ
University Practice SHS has a respectable NSMQ pedigree from the Central Region prelims: historically a consistent qualifier who periodically pushes into the later national rounds. Their 57-point prelim performance on Oct 22, 2025, is in line with previous years’ strong showings and serves notice that the school’s quiz culture — supported by steady coaching and internal contests — remains robust.
Tactical analysis & prospects for the one-eighth stage
Why U-Practice will be dangerous next round:
- Balanced skill set: They combine speed and accuracy — a key trait for knockout rounds.
- Riddle performance: Closing the contest with effective riddle solving shows versatility beyond straight STEM recall.
- Composure: Minimal panic during the speed rounds and strong team coordination.
Areas to tighten before the one-eighth:
- Convert Problem of the Day partials into full marks — practice long-form explanations and show-work discipline.
- Drill higher-difficulty multi-step chemistry and math bonuses.
- Maintain buzzer strategy while increasing risk tolerance in tight, high-value situations.
If University Practice can clean up those areas, they are well-placed to challenge for a quarter-final seat — especially against teams that rely on quick recall but lack U-Practice’s accuracy.
Coaches’ & spectators’ takeaways
Coaches praised U-Practice’s consistency; spectators noted their methodical style and low error rate. Ahantaman supporters lauded the team’s heart and suggested their next focus should be buzzer speed work. Mim’s fans remained optimistic about the flashes of clever answering and called for increased practice intensity.
Final verdict
University Practice SHS’s 57–26–13 victory in CNC Auditorium was emphatic and well-earned. It showcased a team ready to move beyond prelims provided they shore up depth in long-form problem solving. For casual fans and analysts alike, U-Practice is a team to watch as NSMQ 2025 progresses to the one-eighth stage.
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