09 Nov 2015

Botswana mixed netball team wrapped their friendly games in style after beating Singapore senior national netball team 41-31, in a game played at Botswana College of Agriculture on Sunday.

Singapore arrived in Botswana last week Monday for a series of training matches as part of the Mission Foods Nations Cup 2015 preparations to be staged in Singapore from December 13 – 19. 

In the first match played on Wednesday, Botswana girls managed to beat their visitors 44-32. On Friday, Singapore redeemed their pride and beat Botswana under 21, 37-34. On Saturday the senior teams met again at BCA hall, where Botswana continued with their good performance by winning 33-26.

However on Sunday, Botswana came with guns blazing seeking to revenge on what the visitors did to their little sisters, and it was evident that Botswana have no mercy for Singapore girls by winning the first quarter with 9-7.

In the second quarter, the visitors tried very much to close the gap, but that was not to be, because Botswana squad made up of amongst others Hildah Binang, Sarona Hans and Francinah Eyman were not in a compromising mood and the quarter went to Botswana with 14-7.

However the third quarter was a close one, with the visitor’s shooter Charmaine Soh, finding it easy to score from all angles. However Botswana took it with 10-9.

Complacency nearly cost the local lads in the dying minutes of the game, as they allowed their opponents to dictate terms . Although they displayed good techniques in the last quarter, Singapore failed to increase the margin as they finished with 11-11 and at the end the final score board read 41-31 in a favour of Botswana.

After the game, Singapore coach Ruth Aitken said Botswana has given them a good match practice ahead of the Mission Foods Nations Cup . She said during the game, her players had  a poor second quarter, although they managed to pick up on the third and fourth quarter.

“However for me it was only trying players in different positions and different environment, and see how they do, and somethings work and some didnt, but thats what the training tour was all about,” she said. 

Aitken further said they choose to hold their training tour in Botswana because she knows they were going to give her girls tough competition, adding that the country will be hosting the Netball World Youth Cup in 2017, therefore she found it prudent for Singapore to come and have an idea as to how as a team they need to prepare.

Botswana, head coach Neo Kebuwang said she was happy with her girls’ performance during the tournament, adding that despite beating the visitors three times, they have learnt a lot from them.

Kebuwang said Singapore was good in marking spaces, and it can temper their opponent to make mistakes and ultimately punish them. She said during the game, her players continued to play high balls, something which she said nearly cost them given than their opponents had tall defenders.

Mmeawhile,Botswana will also participate in the Mission Foods Nations Cup 2015,and their first game will be against Namibia on December 14 and the following day they will come face-to-face against Papua New Guinea. On December 16, Botswana will once again battle it out with Singapore before taking on Chinese Taipei on December 18. Ends