NWU makes a clean sweep

Ettienne van Rensburg
SASOLBURG. – Epic basketball finals of this nature cannot be scripted.
The North-West University Vanderbijlpark made history on Sunday evening in Zamdela when their girls and boys basketball teams were crowned as the 2019 champions of the Sasol-NWU Junior Basketball Tournament.
The finals took place at the Harry Gwala Multi Purpose Sports Centre in Zamdela and did not fail to meet expectations.
The vociferous crowd had plenty to shout about, stamping their feet and putting their vocal cords through it’s paces.
The finals produced sterling performances, but at the end the gods smiled upon NWU Vaal.
In the girls final NWU Vaal showed character and big match temperament to beat Ekurhuleni 47-46 in a thrilling encounter.
The students clawed their way back into the match after trailing by 34-27.
The comeback of the century belonged to NWU’s boys team who trailed for three quarters but managed to wipe out a 10 point deficit to claim victory by 71-65 against the Jozi Nuggets.
The Nuggets started with a bang and managed to create a huge 10 point buffer early on in the first quarter.
The men in purple played catch up basketball, but stuck to their guns. With better defence and great tactical moves in the second half they gradually clawed their way back to victory.
“The annual SASOL/NWU junior basketball tournament was established with two main objectives.”
“Firstly to provide a platform for the NWU, specifically sport to build on strategic partners within our community and secondly to provide a platform for future talent to showcase their ability within the Vaal Triangle region. The 2019 tournament delivered on these two objectives.”
“We are also excited about the future of basketball at the NWU, especially after the performances of our two junior teams at the 2019 tournament,” says Sean Mccallaghan, senior manager: sport, at NWU.
NWU Vaal’s Padzuwa Thandiwe and Bokang Boikanyo fittingly walked off with the male and female Most Valuable Players of the Tournament awards.
The players who made the girls All Star team are: Monika Cupedo (UJ), Keatlegile Ramorwesi (Ekurhuleni), Thando Mbuthuma (Ekurhuleni) and Rorisang Lesenyego (NWU).
The players who were chosen for the boys All Star team are: Brian Ditsheko (Nitro Elite), Amos Masoji (Jozi Nuggets), Andla Senda (NWU) and Junior Makhubela (NWU).