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GBL Season launch – 08/03/2009

By on March 11, 2009 in League

Wits University was the place to be this past weekend, Sunday the 8th of March, where the official GBL launch was held. The event was a great success and as for the turn out, well that’s questionable; granted the hall was relatively full (of dance supporters and a few ball lovers here and there) but by in the initial phases of the launch, it seemed like it was a dance competition event more than a basketball one.

Channel O, ESPN, AND1 etc…, were working together with GBL and Pro Sport Consulting for the event, but boy was the lime light on Channel O and their dancers for the Urban Dance Competition. The deco actually spoke for itself… When I first arrived at hall 29 there was only ONE Gauteng Basketball banner; “Only one people!” unlike those for ESPN and Channel O. At one stage I actually forgot that it was a basketball event because the dancing out shined the basketball.

After all the dancing eventually finished; THE MAIN EVENT got underway. Soweto Raptors and Mamelodi Bees played their first league game against each other. After having a little baby, Lebo Mashawu was back on court for Bees and her presence was felt by Raptors as the leading shot blocker for that game, Raptors depended on Lali to help them get back into the game. Though both teams looked very clumsy and unfit, the 24 second clock was no issue for them.  Raptors must be missing their little point guard Gabsile, who has found a comfortable spot with Galaxy (The University of Johannesburg).

The most interesting game for the day was between Quinton Denyssen, Joseph Mazibuko and the rest of Wits Alumni, “Oops!” I mean the most interesting game for day was between Egoli Magic and Wits Alumni. Both teams were sloppy in the first period of the game making hideous mistakes and too many turnovers but Egoli was the first team to get back into the game. Q had to make a statement after leaving Wits Alumni and that he did with his aggressive play throughout the game. After the game he said: “It was nice playing against my old team mates, they came at me hard and I liked it cause it made me play harder” (with a big smile on his face) Q made a total of 29 points and 12 rebounds vs. Josephs 33 points; this makes Joseph the leading scorer in the league thus far. WOW!

Alumni only found their feet in the second half of the game where Mboshi and Tsakane stepped up a little. Highlight of the game was Tsakane’s tip-toe dunk on Patrick from Egoli that got the crowd roaring. Egoli made 26 turnovers and had 50 rebounds, showing their aggression on the boards as Alumni had 14 turnovers and 24 rebounds. “It was the first time the guys got together as a full team and with new players in the team, it will take us a month to get back up” said Wits Alumni coach, Lebo Maepa.

Mzansi basketball made a HUGE name for itself through our senior ladies team qualifying for the 21st Women African Champs that’ll be held in Madagascar later this year. Big up to the ladies and good luck to the senior men who will be leaving for Mozambique at the end of the month, make us proud guys.

Article by Nthabiseng Mushi and edited by Victor Shakineza

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  1. Joe says:

    Judas only did what he was created to do, so do I.

    I am disappointed by the coverage of the ladies, thier game gets only one paragraph while the gents gets two. I am even more disappointed that the glory of the National team is added as a by the way. Very sloppy!

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