South Africa achieved a historic double victory at the 2024 Africa Netball Cup played in Swakopmund, Namibia,, with both the Spar Proteas and the men’s team crowned champions on Saturday at the at the MTC Dome.
The Spar Proteas showcased their dominance in the women’s final, defeating Uganda 65-50 in what was a tense game.
The South African ladies displayed exceptional court coverage, intercepting key passes and forcing turnovers throughout the match against a Ugandan team that fought gallantly.
The Spar Proteas’ accurate shooting and fluid movement through the court, particularly in the midcourt where they consistently gained advantage, proved too much for Uganda to handle.
They established an early lead, winning the first quarter 16-12. SA extended their advantage in the second quarter to go into the halftime break ahead by 30-24 goals.
The SPAR Proteas continued to pull away in the third [50-33], ultimately securing a convincing 65-50 victory.
SPAR PROTEAS COACH VAN DYK: “PLAYERS MADE US PROUD TODAY”
Spar Proteas coach Jenny Van Dyk expressed immense pride in her team’s performance following their triumphant victory at the Africa Netball Cup. Van Dyk highlighted the team’s dominant third quarter as a key factor in their success.
“I’m a very happy coach. The players made us proud today,” she admitted. “What the players accomplished today was one of our goals to be African champions.
“A massive third quarter for us, 20 for us and 9 for them, was crucial in securing the victory. It was a really quite a hot week, very physical and hard.”
MDODANA: “WE HAD A MONKEY ON OUR BACK”
Assistant Coach Zanele Mdodana expressed immense relief and pride in the team’s performance.
“We knew there was a lot of pressure on us after the disappointing World Cup result against Uganda. We had to overcome that hurdle,” she said. We wanted to get rid of that monkey on our back and prove ourselves.
“It was a really tough week. No match was easy and we had to adapt to each opponent’s unique style of play. “I’m extremely proud of the way the troops handled the weeks.”
SA MEN DEFEND AFRICA NETBALL CUP TITLE
Meanwhile the SA men’s team also delivered a commanding performance, defeating Eswatini 60-39 to defend their Africa Netball Cup title.
The South African men displayed a powerful and aggressive style of play, dominating the centre court and feeding their shooters with pinpoint accuracy. Eswatini struggled to contain the South African attack, with their defence unable to withstand the relentless pressure.
SA men dominated throughout the match, winning each quarter convincingly: 17-12, 32-23, 46-29 and 60-39.
COACH VILANE: “OUR BOYS PLAYED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL”
SA men’s coach, Jabulani Vilane, credits teamwork and strategic planning for their victorious Africa Netball Cup campaign.
We are the Champions of Africa Netball Cup,” he said. “Our boys played very well and were on top of their game. We gave them time to relax and think, as well as recap about the mistakes that their opponents are doing and we managed to stick to all our game plans. I’m very happy with what the boys did and with the management that I’m working with.”
The men’s team captain, Sicelo Gamede, expressed his elation following their successful title defence.
“It wasn’t easy, but we managed to pull through. What worked for us is that we watched all the teams before we played them, studied how they play, their strengths and weakness,” said Gamede. “We are happy to have defended their title and it was a nice tournament – we enjoyed and we are glad that we won.”
NETBALL SA PRESIDENT HAILS PROGRESS MADE BY SPAR PROTEAS AND MEN’S TEAM
“The fact that both our men’s and women’s teams have been crowned African Netball Cup champions is testament to the significant progress we’ve made. This success story presents a valuable opportunity for potential sponsorship partners to align themselves with a rapidly growing and successful sport,” said Cecilia Molokwane, Netball South Africa president.
Molokwane added that, “This achievement not only brings pride to our country, but also inspires a new generation of netball players. Well done to both teams and thank you for flying the South African flag high!”
The Spar Proteas will be taking a break and are set to return to action in January 2025. They will compete in a three-match test series against Jamaica, with matches scheduled for January 18, 22, and 25 in Jamaica. – netball-sa.org.za
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