05 Dec 2013

Spartans have vowed to retain the Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) National Championships title when they take on Troopers in the final on Friday, December 6.

The two bitter rivals lock horns at the New Youth Centre in Gaborone at 8pm to decide the men’s national champion for the 2013 season. Troopers were crowned league champions last month after winning all but, one of their season’s matches. They also made light work of the Flames from Francistown last weekend to advance to the national championships final.

But Spartans head-coach, Bobotho Ratsoma said even though Troopers are on a roll at the moment, he is confident of his charges’ ability to outsmart their nemesis.

“We are the only team that beat them in the league and we can beat them again in the final. I have confidence in our ability and we are also in good form. We are the ones who can give this title away,” said Ratsoma after his team sealed a berth in the finals by defeating the Dolphins 66-53 in a semifinal tie-break at the UB courts on Wednesday night (December 4).

Ratsoma predicted a close encounter against the record title holders. “We play a very similar style of basketball and I believe it is going to be a very hard fought match which will go down to the last seconds.”

Spartans broke Troopers’ stranglehold on the BBA trophies by winning the league and national championships double last year. Meanwhile, BDF V will face Police V in the women’s final after defeating UB Relics 70-59 in their semifinal tie-break match on Wednesday. Relics matched their opponents pound for pound in the opening five minutes but, the fired up Resego Moepeng and Orapeleng Leagajang spurred BDF to a 27-10 first quarter lead. Moepeng, one of the army team’s most influential players, scored fantastic three-pointers to leave the Relics reeling.
They maintained the big margin lead and eventually secured a 70-59 victory. ENDS