After another successful league season, we congratulate the winners. Here are all the results
Sep 23
DSG playoffs tournament 2009.
Gauteng
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Final results
U15 Girls
1st The Glen High School
2nd St Mary’s DSG
3rd Willowridge High School
U 15 Boys
1st Pretoria Boys High School
2nd Norkem Park High School
3rd The Glen High School
4th willowridge High School Continue reading »
Jun 18
Pretoria High School League Finals 2009
Gauteng
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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 »
Jun 05
2009 Pretoria High School League wrap up
Gauteng
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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 »
May 19
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 »
May 08
BOYS
On Friday the 24th of April Willowridge High continued with their league conquest at home against Lyttleton Manor and The Glen respectively.
The first game saw the home teams U/14 A boys take on The Glen High School’s A team. The Glen was still recovering from a thorough walloping by Pretoria Boys High School and came into this game hoping to salvage some pride. Willowridge also needed to stabilise their campaign after a shock loss the previous week so this was expected to be a humdinger. Both teams exchanged possession frequently as they settled into the game. Glen High worked well on offence but the disciplined 2-3 defence by the home team frustrated the visitors as their shots did not fall. Willowridge soon found their stride in the second quarter and began dominating the possession. The half time break was needed by the home team as Coach Dumisani Shongwe took the time to motivate his boys and alter the strategy. This seemed to have worked as the second half saw Willows run away with the game as their fast break proved too much for the visitors. Willows took the game 18-2 and left the Glen with many questions as to their possibilities of success this season. Continue reading »
Apr 21
Boys…
Willowridge High School kicked off their league games on Friday with their boys squaring up against PBHS. The U/16 A boys played Pretoria Boys High School A team in a lacklustre game which lacked any thrills. Pretoria Boys High School dominated from the start and Willowridge never looked like they were the home team let alone in it to win it. The visitor’s shooting guards did all the hard work and all about wrapped up the game in the first half. Coach Tumi’s boys lacked ideas on offence and their defensive intensity wore off quick. Coach Chris Kaniki of PBHS, did well to ensure that the Willows posts, who were taller, never got a chance to dominate against his resilient side. It will be very interesting to see these teams square up again as Willows have promised revenge, they will have to do better though if they have any ambitions for these season.
The U/14 A boys played PBHS B team and everybody was expecting fireworks as Willows are 2 years U/14 defending champs but that was not to be. The home team went on a 10-2 streak in the first quarter but that was about all she wrote. The game was marred but lots of handling errors and missed lay-up’s, a poor reflection on the coaching provided to the youngsters. PBHS eventually fought back and Willows lack of creativity on the bench as well as millions of missed opportunities led to them suffering a shock 18-16 defeat to the underdogs who put up a good fight. Willows will have to step up their game if they wish to make it 3 years in a row.
The home sides 1st team played PBHS 2nd team in a game that Willows dominated from the start. Although Willows was always in control their performance was far from inspirational against a well coached PBHS team which showed passion, discipline and commitment. The willows culture of relying on individuals might come back to haunt them later in the season.
