Dr KK send a warning as they edge out title holders Tshwane

Holding on to edge defending champions Tshwane in their first-round match, the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district team snatched the ‘favourites’ tag from their opponents yesterday, earning a major confidence boost ahead of the playoffs at the Spar National Netball Championships.

In a top-flight clash between last year’s finalists, Dr KK dominated a low-scoring encounter against the title holders.

After getting off to a cracking start, at one point in the second quarter Dr KK held a seven-point lead at 15-8.

Though Tshwane fought back and moved ahead in the final stanza, Dr KK held their nerve and regained the advantage, ultimately securing a 38-34 victory.

“Against a champion team like this, any slight lead is in your favour if you can hang on,” said Dr KK coach Elsje Jordaan.

“So I was very pleased that we were able to not only hang on, but also pull away again in the final quarter.”

With her team aiming for their third straight A-division title, Tshwane coach Jenny van Dyk said they could take some positives from the match, despite being handed a rare defeat.

The top side in the country for the last few years, Van Dyk felt it was important for Tshwane’s players to learn to fight back when they found themselves trailing in a match.

“I think we should have started better, but being behind was a good situation to be in. We stayed in it and didn’t allow the gap to grow too big,” Van Dyk said.

“You can’t practice or simulate being behind in a match, so when it happens we need to use it and learn how to handle it. It was a good learning curve for us today.”

After today’s last matches of the opening round, the semifinals will be held tomorrow, with the final scheduled for Saturday.

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