It was good to see some of the familiar faces make their way from different parts of the country to take part in this event and reminisce about basketball, where it was and where it needs to go.

MEN 30+

Group A

Classification:

1. CROTCH ROCKERS

2. B C I

3. WP OLD BOYS

4. JAIGER BOMBS Group B

Classification:

1. WHITE EAGLES

2. FALCONS COSMOS

3. GRUPO TDM

4. KNOB JOCKEYS

Semi Final 1: CROTCH ROCKERS 62 – FALCONS COSMOS 35

Semi Final 2: WHITE EAGLES 51 – BCI 63

Final: CROTCH ROCKERS 44 – B C I 41

MEN 40+

Classification:

1. WHITE EAGLES

2. KOTAS

3. ESCOLA INTERNATIONAL DE MAPUTO

4. LAGARTOS VOADORES

5. FALCONS GREEN

6. BORDER

FINAL GAME: WHITE EAGLES 40 – KOTAS 39

MEN 50+

Classification:

1. DINOSSAUROS

2. GAUTENG OUTOPPIES

3. FALCON GREY

4. PACHYDERMS

5. BORDER

6. SINNERS

FINAL GAME: DINOSSAUROS 42 – GAUTENG OUTOPPIES 39

LADIES 30+

Classification:

1. GIRASOL RNA

2. PANDAS

3. BCI

4. ROADRUNNERS

5. GRUPO TDM

FINAL GAME : GIRASOL RNA 44 – PANDAS 40

LADIES 40+

Classification:

1. WEIWITCHIE

2. NUTCRACKERS

3. WESTERN PROVINCE

4. ASAS DE MOZAMBIQUE

5. NGARAMBAS

6. BORDER

FINAL GAME: WEIWITCHIE 29 – NUTCRACKERS 25

Information provided by Zoran Slavkovic and edited by Victor Shakineza

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Here is the information and newsletter that I received regarding the tournament from Quentin Robinson:

There are less than 13 weeks left to our 25^th tournament. More importantly, you have only have 11 weeks (the last day is 11^th September) to register your team. Remember registration is not complete until your payment is received. Please note that due to the number of entries expected, no late team entries will be accepted.

The tournament will be played in the Sports Hall at the University of Cape Town (UCT). There are three courts, so there is going to be a busy programme. We are expecting to have over 35 teams with more than 70 games being played.

Dates for the 25^th ANNUAL SAMBA TOURNAMENT

Please put these dates into your diary, your computer calendar, your cell phone and on your calendar behind the door of your favourite throne. Hey, even tell your mother-in-law if that will help you remember them.

The tournament will start on Thursday 24^th September and will finish on Saturday 26th September. There will be a full schedule of games for all three days. The tournament will finish with an awards evening on the Saturday evening.

Last year we had 30 teams participating and are expecting more than that this year, particularly in the Men 30 to 39 league.  We would like to remind teams that we guarantee the teams entering the ladies leagues and the men 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 leagues a minimum of four games and a maximum of six games. The men over 50 we guarantee a minimum of three games and a maximum of five games.

As a reminder, the leagues are made up as follows:

Registration Forms

The registration forms are available on www.samastersbasketball.co.za/… I will try and publish them on www.mybasketball.co.za as soon as I get them.

Registration Fees

The minimum payment for registration of each team is R3,850. This covers up to a maximum of seven participants. If you have only five or six participants, then your team registration will still be R3,850 to register your team. A participant is a player, coach or manager.

If you have more than 7 participants in your team, then you will have to pay R550 more for each additional participant unless they are participants who are already registered with a team in another league, i.e. a player who is playing for you as a second team. In this case the registration for this additional player can play R250.

Travelling companions will need to pay a registration fee of R300 each.

The charges above include the payment for the meals and entertainment on the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday nights.

The rest is used to pay for the officials’ fees, accommodation, meals and travelling costs, plus the rental of the courts, backboards, equipment and stationery.

Payments will need to be made to the tournament account and must reach this account before the official closing date: The banking details are:

Account Name:  SAMBA TOURNAMENT

Bank & Branch: STANDARD BANK, SANDTON

Branch Code: 019 205

Account Number: 421013117

Please Fax (or scan and e-mail) us copies of your deposits. Please reference your payment with the name of your team.

E-mail to:              Monty Reynolds at mreynolds@iafrica.com

Fax to:                    Monty Reynolds at 0866-198-308

Also, team organisers, please please collect your players’ entry fees and send them in a lump sum. If you find it hard to do the administration of your team fees, please do not pass that duty onto SAMBA – it is even more difficult for us. We will be dealing with fees from nearly 35 teams (over 300 individuals) and do not want to make mistakes with individual registrations.

Registration Dates

The final date for TEAM registrations, i.e. the payment of fees AND receipt of team and individual registration forms, will be 11^th September. No late team registrations will be entertained.

If you want to add players to your team after this date, the final date for player / official / companion registrations will be 18^th September. Any registrations after this date can not be guaranteed proper registration. Please try and finalise your teams by the 18^th September as the local organising committee have to advise caterers of final figures.

If all registrations are received on time, the fixtures list will be produced on 21^st September.

Want to play but don’t have a team? Please send us an e-mail and we will find a team for you.

Proof of payment, the completed team registration form, the 7 completed individual registration forms, the copies of the players ID / Passport documents for players that have not registered before, must be scanned and e-mailed to  mreynolds@iafrica.com or faxed +27 866 198 308 before the final registration dates given above.

Tournament Agenda

Wednesday 23^rd September:

19:00 to Late      There will be a Welcoming Function at avenue to be advised.

Thursday 25^th September:

08:00 to 20:00     Games at UCT

20:00 to Late        There will be a meal and entertainment at a venue to be advised.

Friday 26^th September:

08:00 to 20:00      

20:00 to ???           SAMBA AGM at a venue to be advised

Will be a “free” evening for teams to explore the night life in Cape Town.

Saturday 27^th September

08:00 to 19:00        Games at UCT

20:00 to Late          SAMBA Awards Function at a venue to be advised

SAMBA tournament rules 2009

SAMBA possible accomodation

Information supplied by Quentin Robinson and edited by Victor Shakineza

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The first of the annual Masters’ Tourney in Johannesburg!

Dates are 10-12 JULY 2009

From Friday Evening 18H30 @Mandeville (2 games)

Saturday from 09H00 till 20h00

Sunday from 09H00 till the FINAL

MEN:ROUND ROBIN

FEMALE: OPEN

VENUES

MANDEVILLE SPORTS COMPLEX (FRIDAY AND SATURDAY)

WITS HALL 29 (SUNDAY)

Information provided by Andile Hlope

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VUT alumni master player

VUT alumni masters

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The game between “Mandeville Ou Toppie Giants” and “Falcons Seniors” in the 50 years and more category was a demonstration of fundamental basketball. Both team showed great patience to move the ball and find an open shot. At half time Mandeville were up by 7 points on the back of some amazing shooting from the perimeter. Mandeville were more mobile than the Falcons seniors and used their opportunities to score better. Falcons missed easy layups and during the 1st two quarters their shots were not falling. Watching these senior gentlemen play gave you inspiration to keep going. Vaios Kokkoris who had a great game and was running up and down the floor for the whole game, started playing in 1963 when he was still 15 years old and he could still mix it with the young bucks. Final score: Mandeville Ou Toppie Giants 48 – 34 Falcons Seniors

The final of the Men 40-49 years old between the defending champions “Kotas (Moz)” and “Falcons Green (RSA)” was a battle in every sense of the word. Players from both teams were questioning every call made by the officials, there was no control or discipline from the players and it ended up affecting Falcons Green more than their opponents. There were more technical fouls against both teams during this game than there were during the rest of the day. Falcons Green conceded 9 points from technical fouls against them and they had a player ejected for kicking an opponent. In the end Kotas defeated Falcons by 3 points. Final score: Kotas 34 – 31 Falcons Green

The final of the serious ladies between “TUKS University (RSA)” and “Pandas (Moz)” was fierce but fair. Tuks opened proceedings with a 3 pointer from Sibongile Maswanganye and running the break at every opportunity. Despite setting the early pace in the first half, TUKS were careless down the stretch and the number of chances they wasted came back to haunt them. Pandas played smart basketball throughout and after putting a halt to TUKS fast break they took their opportunities on the offensive end. They controlled the 2nd half and took high percentage shots. TUKS turned the ball over too many times to give themselves a chance to lift the trophy but it was a good game to watch. Knowing the likes of Nicki de Villiers and Sibongile, this unusual defeat will spur them on to set things right for next years’ tournament. Final score: TUKS 35 – 42 Pandas

The last game of the day felt like an interprovincial final of yesteryear. The contest between the defending champions “KZN Team Walrus (RSA)” and “VUT Alumni (RSA)” was intense from the first whistle. For VUT you had amongst others Flosh Ngwenya, Vusi Dlamini, Toka Motaung and Thabo Touch Mabulelong doing the business on the floor, while KZN had Darren Holcomb, Craig Gilchrist and Kurt Hold trying to maintain their unbeaten run in the competition. Toka was a willing runner throughout the game and he was doing the most damage to the KZN defence with his array of offensive moves. But this wasn’t a one way street, KZN were giving as good as they got, especially in the post position where Kurt Hold and Vusi Dlamini were having their own little duel. At half time KZN had a 3 point lead but this quickly evaporated as the 3rd quarter began. With Darren and Craig showing a full range of shots, KZN were always in this game. The quarter ended with the score even at 35 all.

The 4th quarter was a scrappy affair with both teams in foul trouble and VUT struggling to control the game without their normal PG Thabo who was in foul trouble. Kurt got a technical for man handling Vusi in the low post and Toka Motaung had to sit some of the game out with 4 fouls. With 10 seconds to go in the fourth, VUT were up by 4 points; KZN called a time out and came out of it with a play that saw Craig Gilchrist hit a 3 pointer to reduce the deficit to 1. With 6.7seconds left, Flosh got fouled and made his 2 pressure free throws. KZN called another time out and the crowd was silent in anticipation of a dramatic ending as a 3 pointer would tie the game. The KZN shooting guard made the 3 pointer but unfortunately he had stepped out of bounds so VUT got the ball back and closed the game out. What a game!!! Final score: KZN Team Walrus 43 – 46 VUT Alumni

Congratulations to all the teams that made this event the wonderful show that it was. KZN Team Walrus didn’t go home empty handed as they received the spirit of the games trophy for their on and off the court displays. Next year, the Masters will be in Cape Town so if you are over 30 years old start getting your team ready.

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What started out as a couple of former players wanting to meet and rekindle some old rivalries on the basketball court has turned into a basketball tournament that has been running for 24 consecutive years. With ex-provincial and national players taking part in this tournament, the wealth of experience on display is mind blowing and if you take some time to chat to some of the players you soon realise that their knowledge of the local games goes back a few decades. You have a blend of nationalities, races, gender, professions and height but everyone is there for one thing: BASKETBALL and the love of the game. The tournament is open to anyone and at this year’s tournament there were teams from Mozambique and Angola that added a bit of spice to the competition. I had a chuckle when I heard some of the VUT Alumni boys say that they are the “New Members” but their place in history is as secure as most of the participants at the SAMBA tournament.

Despite the bumps and bruises suffered on the court by the teams, the players look forward to the next game with the same hunger they had in their youth and you can only get inspired to keep on playing when you see a 50 year old men diving for a loose ball. The oldest player taking part is Jurgens Stadter who is 69 years old; while Butch Mackenzie, who has been attending the event since its inception, is 62 this year. What is the secret to some of these players longevity? Vaios Kokkoris, who is 60 years old and plays for “Mandeville Ou Toppie Giants”, says that you must never stop playing, you should stretch everyday and you need to diversify by doing other sports.

The tournament is attended in good spirits and gives a chance to some of the participants to reminisce on days gone by while doing something they all love. For some it’s been years since they last saw each other but when you listen to them chatting it feels like time has stood still. Basketball in South Africa has a wealth of playing and administrative experience at its disposal and you just have to attend the Masters to realise that you could learn so much from the former players. Let’s hope that we take time out to celebrate our former player and those that have contributed so much to the game that we all love.

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