THE Limpopo women’s basketball team has successfully defended their national basketball open championships title when they beat Gauteng 57-49 during the final match of the National Basketball Open Championships, which was played at the Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg on Sunday.
Having thumped Mpumalanga Women 81-35 in the semi-final, the pressure was on Limpopo to defend the title and Gauteng was tipped to spoil the party.
However, the defending champions showed character in the last quarter of the game when their substitutes ensured their victory.
Head coach of the Limpopo team, Willy Matlakala, said the victory was for the players and all credit must go to them. He said Gauteng boasted experienced players who played at the highest level of the game and to beat them at their home ground was remarkable.
“We will allow our players time to enjoy the victory, but the road to defending out title next year begins now. We won the competition twice in a row and we want to make it three out of three next year,” Matlakala said.
The chairperson of Limpopo Basketball Association, Gazani Khoza, said Limpopo was delighted to have reigned supreme in the country once again.
“We give our women a standing ovation because they are true ambassadors.
“They have outdone themselves and have been consistent. Coach Willy has been working so hard with our team and, as management, we will continue to support them,” said Khoza.
Asked what the future held for the team, Khoza said: “we need to continue the development of young talent and that will take a lot of work. We must have see talent come through to me be mentored and showed the ropes by the senior players”.
The Limpopo women’s basketball team has won the National Basketball Open Championships three times in four years. In seven years the team collected three silver medals and three gold medals.
Captain Emmarentia Ledwaba has captained the national team for quite some time and she, together with Requelh Molema, Modiegi Mokoka, Kelello Tswai and Sophie Ngobeni have been selected to the national women basketball team.
Ngobeni was voted most valuable player of the tournament.
The Limpopo men’s basketball team lost 57-76 to Mpumalanga and could only manage a fourth position overall in the championships.
Despite failing to reach the finals, the Limpopo men shone at the awards with Tshepo Phokoane voted best rebounder of the tournament.
Dr Fumani Marhanele was also selected for the national team and Limpopo coach Joel Mphahlele has been appointed as an assistant coach for the national men’s basketball team.
