All systems go for women’s basketball action
Women's basketball shone at the recently concluded Wits Lady Bucks Basketball Tournament held in Braamfontein.
Wits University in Braamfontein was the setting and its basketball courts the scene for frenzied basketball action in honour of Women’s Month from August 8 to 11.
The annual tournament this year attracted 18 participating teams, including a team each from neighbours Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
Several competing high schools were also in the mix, while the usual basketball favourites in Wits, the University of Johannesburg, Vaal University of Technology and NWU-Vaal headlined proceedings.
Professional clubs and district provincial teams showed up too and put up inspired performances.
The chairperson of Wits Basketball and Lady Bucks (Wits 1st team) player, Rudo Kaseke, praised the tournament and labelled it a success.
“It’s not easy planning such a huge tournament as it requires a lot of coordination. It proved to be explosive and set the precedent in terms of teamwork and an elite work ethic.
“The Buck Ladies (Wits 2nd team) had several new players who shone and are set to advance to the first team soon.”
Kaseke said the tournament has secured itself as a headline women’s basketball event in South Africa – representing the fundamental beauty of women, while also providing them with a chance to contribute to the sport.
“This tournament is something so dear to my heart as it symbolises the presence of women in SA basketball.
“It is a display of the passion, the intense competition and the beauty of women in the sport. It presents an opportunity to showcase that women can bring the heat too, in a country that seemingly forgets to uplift women’s basketball,” she said.
“There is no national league for women, yet there’s so much talent. It’s an opportunity for varsity teams to scout and for national teams also, to build up their chemistry, all in view of preparing for national duty.”
