Fourways teen shines at Basketball SA U18 IPT
From the courts of Fourways to the national stage, Yanda Peter is taking the basketball world by storm.
Yanda Peter (17), a talented basketball player from Fourways, made his mark on the court recently when he represented Gauteng at the Basketball SA U18 inter-provincial tournament (IPT) held in Johannesburg.
The tournament took place at the Kliprivier Recreation Centre in Kibler Park, with the final stages relocated to the Mandeville Sports Centre in Bez Valley.
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Gauteng’s team went undefeated throughout the tournament, finishing with a thrilling final against KwaZulu-Natal, which they won after a closely contested match.
Yanda was one of the standout athletes for the Gauteng boys team, and was selected to the tournament’s All-Star team, comprising the top six players from across all provinces.
Yanda talked about his experience at the IPT and what it meant to him, “my highlight of the tournament was being selected for the All-Star team; there were lots of good players in the tournament so being an All-Star was a surprise. Both games we played against Natal were tough, but we won both of them.”
Yanda also spoke about his experience playing with his teammates. “Spending time and playing with my teammates in the Gauteng team was great. I normally play against some of them, as we go to different schools, so it was nice playing with them. I also learned a lot from the coaches.”
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Yanda’s passion for basketball began at the age of 11, and he has since garnered numerous achievements. In 2022, he was part of the South Africa U16 boys’ basketball team, which represented the country at the African Union Regional Youth Games in Malawi.
He was named to the All-Star team at the Youth Day Classic Basketball Tournament held in Cape Town on June 15-16, where he played for the Sandton Bulls Basketball Club, a team based in Bryanston, which he has been a part of since he was 12 years old.
Yanda’s long-term goal is to use his basketball skills to further his studies in the United States, or Europe, and travel the world. With his impressive performances on the court, it’s clear that this talented teenager is well on his way to achieving his dreams.
Yanda advises young basketball players, “you have to practice a lot to improve your game. I make sure to practice regularly and work on my weaknesses.”
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