The youngsters from Dr Kenneth Kaunda (North West South) brought star-studded Gauteng North up short on Wednesday when they beat the tournament favourites 56-45 at the SPAR National Championships at the Bellville Velodrome.
(Scroll down for Days 1, 2 and 3 Results at the 2014 SPAR National Championships, or click here to read the Day 2 tournament wrap)
The North West side is now the only unbeaten team in the A division.
Dr Kenneth Kaunda took the lead from the start and never relinquished it. Chante Steyn had an outstanding game as goal-shooter, and was the rock around which the team built its success, while at the other end, Kifiloe “Fifi” Tsotetsi gave her Protea teammates, Melissa Myburgh and Lenize Potgieter a hard time.
At halftime, Dr Kenneth Kaunda were 27-22 ahead, but in the third quarter, they stretched the lead to as much as 11 goals.
Gauteng North, boasting six current and former Proteas in their line-up, fought hard to come back, reducing the deficit to four goals at one stage, but the young players kept their composure, and in the final quarter they raced ahead of the more experienced team.
“It was all about the team and the team effort,” said Kenneth Kaunda coach Dorette Badenhorst. “Our shooting was excellent and we were able to control possession. We knew Gauteng North were an excellent team, but we put them under pressure and we capitalised on their errors.
“Having Chante under the posts gave our goal attack, Elsunet du Plessis, the confidence to shoot knowing that Chante was there for the rebound.
“My team are there for each other, and to make each other look good on court,” said Badenhorst.
Gauteng North coach Jenny van Dyk was philosophical about the defeat. “It was a good wake-up call for us,” she said. “Rather lose now than in the final.”
“They wanted it more and we lacked energy and intensity. If we had played the way we played this morning, when we played Boland, we would have beaten them.”
In their earlier match, Gauteng North beat Boland, who on Tuesday upset defending champions Mangaung Metro (Free State) 62-39, while Kenneth Kaunda beat Gauteng West 72-28.
Mangaung beat Western Province 47-38, and Nelson Mandela Bay 51-38, but looked far from the all-conquering side they were a year ago. Nelson Mandela Bay also lost to their neighbours, Buffalo City, who beat them 38-36. They have yet to win a match.
Umgungundlovu beat Frances Baard (Griqualand West) 51-59, and Gauteng West, also winless so far, 50-43. In the last two matches of the day, Boland beat Frances Baard 57-43, while Western Province beat Buffalo City 34-28.
Results from Day Three of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Wednesday, 13 August 2014: A Section: Dr Kenneth Kauda 72 Gauteng West 28 Nelson Mandela Bay 36 Baffalo City 38 Mangaung Metro 47 Western Province A 38 Frances Baard 51 Umgungundlovu 59 Gauteng North A 62 Boland A 39 Mangaung Metro 51 Nelson Mandela Bay 38 Gauteng North A 45 Dr Kenneth Kauda 56 Gauteng West 43 Umgungundlovu 50 Boland A vs Frances Baard Western Province A vs Buffalo City B Section: Eden 60 Central Boland 52 Ehlanzeni 44 Sisonke 39 West Coast B 17 SANDF 39 Nkangala 44 Royal Bafokeng 32 Gauteng North B 56 Western Province B 50 Vhembe 31 Zululand 48 Gert Sibande 48 Capricorn 19 Bojanala 43 Ilembe 39 Boland B 55 Eden 31 Western Province B 62 Vhembe 33 C Section: Amajuba 39 NM Molema 39 Waterberg 44 OR Tambo 38 Western Province C 34 Siyanda 39 Uthungulu 46 SAPS 45 SANDF 46 Amajuba 29 Alfred Nzo 42 NM Molema 38 Ehlanzeni 44 Western Province C 27 Results from Day Two of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Tuesday, 12 August 2014: A Section: Mangaung Metro 65 Gauteng West 44 Dr Kenneth Kauda 56 Umgungundlovu 35 Gauteng North A 71 Nelson Mandela Bay 31 Western Province A 53 Frances Baard 27 Boland A 54 Buffalo City 41 Gauteng North A 89 vs Gauteng West 16 Dr Kenneth Kauda 43 vs Nelson Mandela Bay 28 Western Province A 36 vs Umgungundlovu 30 Mangaung Metro 37 Boland A 41. B Section: Western Province B 61 Ilembe 26 Bojanala 39 Vhembe 37 West Coast A 32 Zululand 45 Eden 38 Gert Sibande 40 Capricorn 29 Royal Bafokeng 51 Boland B 50 vs Nkangala 33 Zululand 52 vs Ilembe 20 Gauteng North B 69 vs West Coast A 35 Gert Sibande 34 vs Royal bafokeng 37 Western Province B 61 vs Bojanala 39 Capricorn 30 vs Central Boland 52 C Section: Ehlanzeni 59 UGU 15 Western Province 31 OR Tambo 31 Waterberg 58 Siyanda 32 Ethekwini 50 Sisonke 28 Uthungulu 48 Amajuba 47 SANDF 31 NM Molema 30 West Coast B 16 vs SAPS 51 Sisonke 31 vs OR Tambo 29 Siyada 66 vs UGU 23 Western Province C 28 vs Waterburg 54 Ehlanzeni 37 vs Ethekwini 68 Alfred Nzo 22 vs SAPS 65 West Coast B 18 vs Uthungulu 49 Results from Day One of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Monday, 11 August 2014: A Section: Frances Baard 48 Buffalo City 48 Nelson Mandela Bay 41 Gauteng West 21 Mangaung Metro 61 Frances Baard 32 Gauteng North A 48 Western Province 31 Dr Kenneth Kaunda 54 Boland A 44 Umgungundlovu 46 Buffalo City 35 B Section: West Coast A 41 Vhembe 24 Nkangala 35 Gert Sibande 39 Boland B 38 Royal Bafokeng 32 Gauteng North B 73 Ilembe 14 Eden 70 Capricorn 26 Western Province B 41 Zululand 30 Nkangala 55 Central Boland 45 West Coast A 50 Bojanala 27 C Section: NM Molema 27 SAPS 50 OR Tambo 51 UGU 14 Ethekwini 56 Waterberg 32 Ehlanzeni 38 OR Tambo 34 Ethekwini 49 Siyanda 20 Amajuba 26 SAPS 48 Boland 27 Gert Sibande 23 Waterberg 74 UGU 20 Uthungulu 40 NM Molema 21 SANDF 47 Alfred Nzo 23
Photo 1 caption: Nelson Mandela Bay are yet to record a win in the 2014 SPAR National Netball Championship, losing 51-38 to Mangaung Metro (pictured) in their second fixture on Wednesday at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town, on August 13, 2014. Photo: Reg Caldecott
Photo 2 caption: Ruzel Vorster in action for Dr Kenneth Kaunda, the tournament’s only unbeaten team in the 2014 edition of the national inter-provincial tournament, in action against Gauteng West on Wednesday. The North West beat the Highveld team 72-28. Photo: Reg Caldecott
Photo 3 caption: Lentsa Motau of Dr Kenneth Kaunda (right) and Bibalwa Sizani of Gauteng West compete for the ball during day 3 of the Spar National Netball Championships at Bellville Velodrome on August 13, 2014 in Cape Town.
(With editing by gsport)
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