High School ball weekend review….
Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) vs. The Glen High School (TGHS) at under 16 boys’ level
What a show!!! PBHS came into the game unbeaten and on a roll but TGHS playing on their home court were eager to exact some punishment on the visitors. PBHS looked to be more balanced in terms of their team, with good guards and posts. With the crowd building up, PBHS were warming up with dunks hoping to intimidate their opponents while TGHS made a late entrance on the court to make the visitors a tad anxious. After a 1st half dominated by bad refereeing decision, PBHS were up by 2 points. TGHS were relying on their number 14 guard, Ronald Moroleni who was having a blinder. Ronald was also the star player for TGHS at Durban earlier in the year. TGHS coach Isaiah Monyamane had a good plan against the height advantage of PBHS and he spread the floor on offense while his defense was to frustrate the big guys by double teaming them every time. They were cutting all over the place and getting easy looks to the basket and using their fast break opportunities. PBHS were shell shocked in the 1st half but began to dominate in the second by going down low to their post players. By employing an inside out approach they began to stretch their lead over their hosts over some hot shooting from Lebo and Thabo, some good guard play from their number 22. The PBHS coaches Chris Kaniki and Dumani Yenana are doing a great job in moulding a team for the future. PBHS remain unbeaten in the league this year and should make the finals but watch out for TGHS boys who surprised many including me with their aggressive and direct approach.
St Albans College vs. Pretoria Technical High School (PTHS) at under 19 boys’ level
This was an abysmal display from PTHS… Their coach has no clue on what basketball is. They have new courts at the school but this particular coach hasn’t discovered them yet. St Albans were playing at home and with a crowd behind them, it became an exhibition game for the College boys. There were dunks galore, alley-hoops and some hot 3 point shooting all on the St Albans side. In the 1st half Quincy Waweru dunked after being thrown an alley hoop from Khaya on a fast break play. Then it started raining 3 pointers from everywhere. Even when the St Albans bench was introduced by Coach Victor Fouda, the intensity was maintained. On the PTHS side, they were walking with the ball, missing open lay-ups, shooting over the backboard and making basic mistakes that can only be forgiven at U14 level. And they had eager and enthusiastic boys with the right physical attributes to succeed in the game but their coach obviously goes there to collect his pay check only because from the looks of it coaching is not his strength. Take nothing away from the St Albans boys who after winning the tournament in Durban remain favorites to be crowned champions of Pretoria in 2008.
The Glen High School (TGHS) vs St Mary’s DSG at under 14 Girls’ level
Imagine a girl in grade 8, measuring 2 meters in height, athletic, co-ordinated and learning how to play basketball. That is the phenomenon that they have discovered at DSG and if nurtured properly she can go very far in the sport. Back to the game, TGHS looked like midgets when faced with this giant unearthed by DSG, but what they lack in height they make it up in heart and fight. They have some good guards with advanced skills for their tender age and they outran DSG on their home court. When DSG managed to get back on defence, TGHS struggled to score baskets because of the giant guarding the hoop. But DSG were not smart enough to use the height advantage on the offensive end and lost to their visitors. But the future looks bright for both schools and TGHS coach Tebogo Ramagoshi is doing a great job with her girls. This age group is too close to call and it will depend on who wants it more on the day of the finals.
Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) vs. The Glen High School (TGHS) at under 14 boys’ level
Every year, PBHS seem to unearth some tall, athletic and talented youngsters at this age group. And if they are not poached by rugby, they usually end up playing basketball until they reach matric. They faced a Glen High School team that were much smaller in size and beat them all over the floor. PBHS outrebounded, outran and outmuscled TGHS to win this game away from home. PBHS were better in every category and looked well coached by Sibusiso Ntombeni and Thabiso Bosch. They had the advantage of starting their basketball program that much earlier than TGHS and it showed. Despite playing on a very unfriendly hoop, they controlled the boards and made the most of their scoring opportunities while TGHS were feeding off scraps. Look out for this group of boys from PBHS; they should make the finals in this age group.
Finals take place at DSG on June 7th 2008…
can someone please post up the schools fixtures so that we know where are the games and when so that we can go support. i personally enjoy watching youth basketball. the finals at DSG, are they for all divisions or only under 14.
Hey Baller,
The finals are for all age groups and the league is almost finished so putting up fixtures at this point in time would be pointless.
I didn’t get any well in advance otherwise I would have posted them.
The games start at 09h00 and usually finish by 15h00 so go out there and support the future.
ciao,V
props to all the schools being given love here. quick question,who watches their matches and writes about them?