DHS – looking back on 10 years with Myles…

As I sit here in my office and reflect on the last six months I have been thinking, back over the last ten years of my involvement in DHS basketball, and have felt the need to communicate with all those who have helped shape me and the basketball of this province and country. Some of you I have not met and others I count as friends and mentors.

When I look back; the highlights that stand out for me are: the building of the DHS basketball program to the powerhouse that it is today. The USA tour in 2005 made possible thought much generosity. Watching my first NBA and NCAA game (my thanks to Mr Steve Kerr for helping make this become a reality). Going to Malaysia with 6 DHS players in the SA U18 team, what an awesome experience.The tour to the USA has changed the face of basketball at school level in this province, I have had the privilege to view the profound impact of the way DHS’s play change when we came back from the US and now may of the teams have adopted pressure defense as opposed to just being sticks sitting in a zone. It was a privilege working with Craig Gilchrist and Don Fletcher, theses two people have really helped shape the DHS program, it was great giving them the raw material, for them to work with and seeing how teams were molded and shaped. It was great for me to play against them this season knowing that which ever team won on the day basketball is going to be the winner in the future as we will all be shaping great basketball teams and some intense rivalry’s will develop. I know I look forward to doing battle against my friends Craig Daniels from WP and James Mthetwa from Gauteng, James I haven’t forgotten the humiliation of the 30 point drubbing you gave me at the DHS tournament, making me the only DHS coach never to win the tournament, I will have to develop Kearsney and win the tournament that way.

The Peace Players International (formally Playing for Peace) has also changed the face of basketball in this province, I remember Sean the founder of PPI sitting in my office and asking me for advice and me saying that I would throw my weight behind the program but that It needed to survive for five years to be effective, but it’s survived and now players at all schools in Durban have come through the program. It was a privilege for me to see Mthebeni Dube be the first PPI player to matriculate from the DHS program, having been on two tours one to the USA and one to Senegal, who would have believed that this young man from Umlazi would have done so much through basketball.

I also remember meeting Myke Scholl for the first time at the Engen U18challenge when KZN beat Gauteng for the first time in that competition, and beating WP by 1 when we were down by 7 points with about 10 seconds to go in the game, I think Craig Daniels worst night mares must have come true in that tournament against KZN and Mapumalana, although he did have his revenge at the next tournament beating us in the finals. Myke’s input and help with the DHS program has been invaluable and I know I have missed him this year but hope he is doing well with LMU; in fact all the guys at Miles and Assoc. have been invaluable with the AND1 sponsorship and help arranging the USA tour. I hope that your involvement with us here in KZN will continue.

I get a great deal of pleasure going to the various websites of the DHS boys playing in the USA at high schools and various colleges. I want to thank all of you have helped get these guys there; I know that they are the future of SA basketball as their Knowledge and experience gained overseas will benefit us greatly. Just for the record Luvuyo Mandela (St Ann’s Bellfield and Hamilton College), Andrew Goba (Stony Brook University), Michael Acutt (Randolph Macon), Quincy September (St Ann’s Bellfield), Given Kalpinde (signed with LMU) and Yao Sithole (Episcopal High School) Yao’s brother is staring at DHS next year watch out for his name he is a rising star. Basketball runs in that family’s blood. Lebo Maepa (University of Delaware) blew his knee and is now in JHB and helping with basketball up there, I had a chance to catch up with him earlier in the year and am proud of the man he has become, he was our first foot in the door in the US for the new era of players from DHS to go to the states.

There are many players at University in SA, Nhlanala Dlamini and Philani Biyela graduate from Vaal Tec this year, Nkuleko Mtelane from DUT, Bhule Mzolo Tukkies, Lugs Zwane, Philane Mzimela and the Sibisi brothers are at WITs, while Zola Gidigidi and Doc Khumalo are hooping at UCT. Cellumusa Khumalo and Nkuleko Gumede are at UJ. So the influence of DHS basketball is spreading, we even have Wesley Joseph in Australia playing in the leagues there and Jonathan Berg in NZ refereeing and Steve Dymond the last we heard was refereeing in Europe.

I have to just pause here and marvel at how much has been packed into 10 years, I remember my first year at DHS and going to the APN U18 practices sitting on the side and watching Joquim putting Manny and the boys through their paces, going back to school and using his drills  and phrases. He might not know just how profound and influence he has had on the DHS program. I was delighted when his son started and at DHS three years ago, it was like a legend coming to join us, he definitely has in the three years impacted on the Junior coaching this can be seen by the 100 points a game that under 16A’s are scoring. I know I have left DHS in good hands, I know that you guys will work through the administrative issues. Leta, Joseph and Charles are good men.

Kearsney has been good for me, I have to work like a first year teacher, and the Engineering Graphics & Design department is new so we are doing everything for the first time, but as you know I enjoy a challenge. The basketball has been fun but tiring; coaching six days a week refereeing and having to utilize every ounce of basketball knowledge is very tiring. Our first team had a good season finishing 5 – 3, we did not play DHS as it rained so we most probably would have ended 5- 4. The kids here will be playing smart basketball and in a few years many of you wont like playing us as its going to be tough to do any thing on offense. And we will have evolved from just scoring via lay ups. There are some good people here Bongi Ndaba has keep the flame of basketball alive here, Nkosi Buthelezi from the PPI program in Molweni has come across to help and Coach Bob Graham has also committed to helping us improve, he has already been a big help to me. The main thing so far this year is that I have been able to spend more time with my family, my two sons are growing quickly and with another on the way, due in April 2009 my hands will be full. My wife has been amazing during the last 10 years, and put up with a lot. 

Article by Myles Delport

Tags: AND1, australia, Basketball, DHS, Durban High School, Durban University of Technology, DUT, Episcopal High School, LMU, Malaysia, NBA, NCAA, Peace Players International, PPI, Randolph Macon, South Africa, St Ann’s Bellfield and Hamilton College, Steve Kerr, Stony Brooks University, UCT, University of Cape Town, University of South Africa, USA, Vaal University of Technology, VUT