15 May 2017

The Under-21 netball team made a great come back to end the game with 37-37 against the men’s teams in a #ReaBaTsaa netball tournament game played at BONA courts on Sunday.
The men’s team started the first quarter at a high tempo dictating the pace of the game, and in the event denying the Under-21 to make any moves that could lead to goals.
The men’s team choose to play long and high balls thus making it difficult for the Under-21 girls to close them, and the first quarter ended with the men having scored 13 against six.
In the second quarter, the men’s team continued with their dominance with the young ladies failing to handle their opponents. Their main enemies were goal defender, Tumelo Morotsi and goalkeeper Timela Simon who denied the girls scoring opportunity.

The second quarter ended with the score board reading 12-22 in favour of the men’s team. However, the U-21 girls came with guns blazing in the third quarter and the team showed their true colours, and dictated the pace of the game.
The U-21  goal attacker, Boikanyo Selogelo showed that she was talented and was too hot to handle, as she moved swiftly to the centre third, feeding the goal shooter as well as scoring more goal.
Botswana’s U-21 wing attacker, Gaone Tshegofatso was also a marvel to watch, and she made life difficult for the men’s team as she was passing and collecting balls to  create more goal scoring opportunities for her team.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was 25-32 in favour of the men, and in the last quarter of the game, the girls came back with confidence as they continued to gel well, especially in their defence as it proved to be solid, frustrating their opponents more especially in the centre. The game ended 37-37.

Botswana Under-21 netball coach, Setshedi Botlhole-Mmopi said she was happy that her team managed to calm and handle the men’s team properly.
She said from the onset their strategy was to avoid to play high balls because they knew that their opponents were fast and strong, and that their passes were powerfull, adding that she told the team not to try to keep up with their speed, but to enjoy their game.
Talking about the long balls that were played by their opponents, she said as a team they do not believe in playing long balls given that they were easily marked.

“If you have players who have a good take-off, they are actually easier to mark that short balls. So it is not something that we would want to encourage, but we can only play long balls when the opportunity arises,” she said.
The men’s team coach, Onkabetse Kesekang said he was happy with his team’s performance, adding that they managed to give the U-21 girls team match practice.
He said the U-21 team needed a high paced and physical game as they prepare  for the Netball World Youth Cup to be played in Gaborone in July.
In other games played on Saturday,   BDF Cats beat Botswana Select 39-30, Jungle Queens were beaten 56-43 by Notwane and in the other game Notwane succumb to BDF Cats with 47-43. In the last game of the day, the men’s team beat Botswana Select 52-33. ENDS