Don’t miss the 2016 Human Rights Basketball Tournament this Saturday

Moyahabo Mabeba

LIMPOPO – The one-day tourney to be held at at Boetse Secondary School in rural Moletjie area has a massive potential to draw a bigger crowd, especially against the backdrop of the school recess.

Furthermore, the ancestral countryside of chief Moloto is rapidly embracing the traditions of the celebrated American hoop and dunk game, and this weekend’s event promises to reignite the game’s traditional flame.

The playing facilities at Boetse have just undergone a facelift with the erection of a standard court to meet the required benchmark prescribed by the Federation of International Basketball.

Ahead of this junior tournament, one would have expected some self-assurance from the home side, but the brief interview with stand-in coach, Pheladi Lekoloane, over the weekend reflected largely on a team with a plethora of punctured holes.

Certainly, Lekoloane was never reminded of the old African idiom: “Tears never run in the house of a coward”.

With the exception of the danger posed by teams from Mopani, Vhembe, Waterberg and Sekhukhune, Lekoloane already has three potential threats from within Capricorn.

She has identified Seshego Sonics, Solomondale Pacers and Lebowakgomo Rusplaas as their major challengers in this tournament.

“For the umpteenth time, Sonics, Pacers and Rusplaas have played some exhilarating basketball. In their respective games, they play as a combative unit and complement each other very well. Their combinations are just superb and are capable of destroying any opposition. They seem to be under proper guidance, which is something that augurs well for their sporting careers,” Lekoloane stressed.

However, Lekoloane seems to have an ace up her sleeve.

“It is a positive thing that we know the kind of opponents we will be pitted against. We will bring the best arsenals we have at our disposal to the court. I can assure our supporters that we will rise to the occasion and neutralise whatever technique they might use against us. There is no way we are going to allow them to rain on our party,” she said.