Flagship basketball tournament takes centre stage

All roads led to the 2019 Wits Ashraf Lodewyk Memorial Basketball Tournament (Ashies) which took centre stage at Wits from April 29 to May 5.

In its 15th edition, the inter-university spectacle attracted throngs of teams, sponsors and spectators from across provincial borders.

The event positioned itself as a flagship university basketball festival in the country.

The Edenvale Lions Basketball Academy (ELBA) competed as part of the 21 men’s teams in the men’s pools.

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Other men’s teams vying for glory were the UJ Orange Wave, Junior Classic All Stars, Diepkloof Ball Addicts, Braamfontein Blues, MSA Kings, Phenomenal Phenoms, Michael Mount Waldorf School and Tip-Off Sports Vikings, among others.

The women’s section, comprising two pools of six teams each, saw MSA Queens, Phoenix Flames, University of Pretoria, UJ Galaxy and Wits Alumnae, among others.

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Basketball sports officer at Wits Sport, Ntshembo Vukeya, said the institution looked forward to yet another successful instalment as hosts of the event.

“We are definitely keeping the one trophy won last year at home. I believe that all four competing Wits teams will do great in the tournament,” said Vukeya.

He said the memory Ashraf Lodewyk, in honour of whom the annual tournament was held, has been preserved through the success of every event since its inception in 2005.

Lodewyk was a psychology student, fringe basketball player and administrator at Wits. He was tragically killed in a car accident in 2004.

“The tournament has lived up to its objective of keeping the memory of Ashraf alive.

“A lot of people now know who he was and what he did for Wits basketball and basketball as a whole.

“All teams taking part in the tournament brought their A game as this is [arguably] the most competitive tournament in South Africa,” said Vukeya.