21 Nov 2016

BDF Cats have snatched the My Spar My Botswana Netball League championship after defeating UB Crystals 35-30 in a temperate  encounter.

The final, which was played under bad weather condition due to rain at BONA courts in Gaborone, resulted in both teams being cautious as the field was slippery.

Nonetheless, both teams started on a high note showing their intentions of winning the game with BDF Cats having an upper hand.

In the second quarter BDF Cats continued where they left by slotting more goals than their opponents.

UB Crystals came back the better team than in the third quarter, but at the end it was not enough as the score was 26-20 in favour of Cats.

Despite the rain, the game had some sparks. In the last quarter both teams were neck to neck, but UB Crystals faced a well experienced and oiled team that continued to put their noses in front as the game ended 35-30.

BDF Cats pocketed P30 000 and gold medals, followed by UB Crystals with P20 000 and silver medals.

The third place went to TASC of Francistown who won bronze medals and P17 000 after walloping Orapa by 54-20 in the semi-finals,  Orapa got position four and won P12 000 cash.

BDF Cats coach, Neo Ntwayagae expressed her gratitude towards her girls for emerging victorious.

“We won the game in the mid-court as per our plan, we were ready to play as our preparations went very well, and my girls were focused,” she said.

On the other hand, coach Abednico Chetelo of UB Crystals indicated that it was a good game despite the weather condition.

“An interesting game with interesting spectators, the game was very competitive even though rain came all of a sudden.”

However,  Chetelo said he was happy with the result and for being position two as it was their first silver medal ever, citing that they lost the game with a slight margin and that their preparations were not that good since her players stayed in different places.

In the individual awards category, Katlego Dipatelelo of Orapa won best defender scooping P2 500. Tebogo Radipotsane walked away with best shooter and pocketed P2 500 as well.

The most valuable player went to Kgomotso Matibini of TASC and she scoped P2 500 and Gagotheko Tshelametsi of BDF Cats scoped P2 500 for the best attacker. BOPA