Defense
ST Albans senior team was made fight tooth and nail for their victory against visitors St John’s at the weekend in the Johannesburg School’s League game which had NBA vice president for development in Africa Amadou Gallo Fall in attendance. Continue reading »
After a poor start to their basketball season St Alban’s ended their two game losing streak when they beat the visiting King Edward VII School in the Johannesburg schools league at the weekend.
St Alban’s won the match 38-32. Continue reading »
After another successful league season, we congratulate the winners. Here are all the results
ST ALBAN’S first team recorded their second victory on the trot and third win of the season when they slugged it out against St Benedict’s in the Johannesburg League match at the weekend.
After trailing most of the game in the first three quarters St Alban’s rallied back in a strong fourth quarter finish to win what was a closely contested encounter 41-37.
In the first quarter St Alban’s looked more like the visiting team as St Benedicts imposed themselves on the host schools court. It was no surprise at the end of the quarter that the visitors finished the strongest with an 11-4 lead. Continue reading »
Pretoria High Schools Finals
Under 14
The u14 girl’s final was a well fought battle between the girls of Willow Ridge and Mamelodi Bees. The young Bees team showed the better fundamentals converting lay ups off of Willlow’s turnovers. Willow Ridges on the other hand was playing solid defence with their 2-3 zone and later on the press, it was just unfortunate that they unable to convert their steals into baskets. As most games at this level go it was a low scoring game with the final score being 10-8 in Bee’s favour. In the end it was willows inability to score from the line that ultimately gave Bee’s the game, they were 2/17 from the free throw line.
The boy’s final was a Pretoria Boys High School affair with their A team taking on the B. The A team took the game 24-8. It must be said that the level of basketball being played by Boys High in this age group was very impressive and it wasn’t difficult to see how both their teams ended up in the final. The real stand out was the A team point guard number 18 (kamo). Continue reading »
The 2009 Pretoria Schools League has proven how much the standard has risen in this game. The battle has always been between your top 3 boys and girls schools (PBHS, Glen and St Albans) as well as (PHSG, DSG and Glen). The tide has however turned gradually over recent years and the big guns are not so big after all. This is a brief summary of how teams have fared this season.
U/14 GIRLS:
Pool A comprised of the “Big Schools” in PHSG, DSG and Glen and also featured the B- team from Willowridge. The first game of the season saw Glen A lose to Willows B and that set the tone for an interesting season all round. DSG has shown consistency in beating all the teams in their group although their game against PHSG exposed their reliance on one player as they won by a lucky 3 pointer in the dying moments. PHSG has shown no consistency as they fought hard for a win against Willows B although they made easy work of Glen A. DSG and PHSG proceed to the semis. Pool B saw Willowridge and Bees make easy work of Glen B, PHSG B and Prestige. Willowridge subsequently gave Bees a hiding to ensure a first place finish in the hope of an “easier” semi-final.
Inconsistency in pool A could work against them but the quality of junior basketball has taught one not to put their head on the block. The main surprise in this group is the shock exit of Glen without winning a single game this year. Willows and DSG look like strong contenders with Bees promising an upset but only time will tell.
Possible semi-final 1: Bees v DSG
Possible semi-final 2: Willows v PHSG A Continue reading »
Friday the 8th of May saw Willowridges’s male sides take a daunting trip down the road to rivals St. Albans College for a league fixture that promised a lot of fireworks. Willowridge U/14 and U/16 A boys needed to win these games to stay in contention as they had already lost this season and the First Team had a score to settle as they had lost in a controversial manner to the same side last year.
The U/14 game started off slow with St. Albans taking possesion but not putting it too good use as they were a bit ‘too patient’ on offence allowing the defence to catch them out. A few lay up’s saw St. Albans take the lead and Willows had it all to do in this do-or-die encounter. Dumisani Shongwe and Theo Malatji, the Willowridge coaches, did not waste much time in calling a time out to restructure their game plan. This seemed to have been a wise move as Willows tightened up defence and hardly let another basket in for the first half. College had many players with potential but minor issues like constant three second violations, fouls and the usual jitters had them playing from an almost stagnant position on offence. Victor Fouda, the College coach should have done better to make use of his no.15, a player the size of your average U/19 SG who could easily pass of for Shaq’s son (except he is white). This giant was well contained by Willows and when he did get chances he failed to convert. The second half saw Willows adopt the ‘draw fouls’ approach as they drove the ball to the basket hard drawing some crucial fouls and netting important free throws. When College stopped fouling it was the shooting guards turn to shine as they dropped jump shots like a heavy load, Willows had it pretty much wrapped up half way through the second half. The excitement got to the young boys who began giving away easy possession and making clumsy passes on the fast break, this allowed College to score some easy lay ups to salvage some pride on the score sheet. Willowridge U/14 boys outclassed St. Albans to emerge 30 – 20 victors. The dream lives on. Continue reading »
