105 104 The Chronicle 2021 Centenary Edition The team that participated in the Stayer’s Tournament were eager to prove that they had what it takes to represent the College at the highest level. Despite some tough, close games, they finished top of their pool and made it to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the team lost the quarter-final, against Michaelhouse, by one point, in a game that could have gone either way. However, the team picked themselves up and won all their remaining games, finishing in a respectable 5th position. The team did not make the most of their opportunities in their first match, which resulted in a one-point loss to Hilton. After that they refocused and showed improvement in each game. If they maintain their positive work ethic, this group has a great deal of potential. However, to continue competing at their current level, hard work and personal sacrifice are required. Coach Mr Khayani Nzama was appointed as the first team assistant coach. He is commended for his hard work preparing the players ready for each match. A big thank you must also be given to our biokineticist, Mr Benji van Zyl, who worked with the squad to improve their performance. The results were evident in the boys’ improved performances on the court. Centenary Tournament Results: Played 7, Won 6, Lost 1 Regular Season Results: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2 Mr Myles Delport Coach Mr Khayani Nzama Assistant Coach 2nd Team Basketball Terms 3 and 4 Regular players: Jared Brien, Njabulo Gumede, Max Hastings-Brown (Captain), Singele Mkhize, Sphe Mnguni, Michael Ngwenya, Cameron Roache, Kayden Robinson, Ryan Wimbush, Adam Williams The second team was raring to go once inter-school fixtures resumed in the third term. They played incredibly well, despite the 18-month layoff due to COVID. There was an intensity to their game that was not present in a second team for a long time. Perhaps the realisation that competitive sport can be taken away at a moment’s notice can explain this. The games were not all plain sailing, as some of the opposition fought hard and did not give away easy victories. The team, however, managed to hold on and fight to the end, even in those tough matches. Michael Ngwenya, Max Hastings-Brown, and Ryan Wimbush were stand out players and used their experiences as ex-first team players to their advantage. There were also some good performances from Adam Williams, Jason Brien and Sphe Nguni, which also is a good sign for 2022. Results: Played 8, Won 8 3rd Team Basketball Terms 3 and 4 Regular players: Oliver Brazier, Dagan De Witt, Zipho Cele, Avuzwa Gazi, Kamva Khamba, Phila Mayeza, Andile Nomvete (Captain), Matthew Rix, Neo Scott In the second part of the basketball season, the U16 and open age groups are combined, and the 3rd team is mostly made up of players who would have represented the U16A team, together with a few senior players who were not selected for the second team. The team started slowly, but as the season progressed they began to find their form. The individual skills training done during the COVID lay-off period began to pay dividends. The two-point loss to Maritzburg College in Term 3 galvanised the team. They continued to play tighter defence and smarter offence, sharing the ball to find the open man. Remarkably, they managed to turn the loss to Maritzburg College around when they played them again in Term 4 and won 37- 14. Andile Nomvete and Khamva Kamva were superb in the way they led the team. Oliver Brazier was much improved scoring inside the paint, and making the opposition pay if they left him alone on defence. This was a great bunch of boys to coach. They thoroughly enjoyed their games and I would not be surprised to see some of them playing for the 1st team in the near future. Results: Played 6, Won 5, Lost 1 Mr Andile Ntshingila Coach Mr Mfanafuthi Ntombela Coach 4th Team Basketball Terms 3 and 4 Regular players: Phiwenhle Chonco, Lonwabo Hlophe, Thomas Hulse, Cobey Marks, Nala Madlala, Solethu Mdladla, Singele Mkhize, Zibusiso Ngobese, StJohn Vallance This part of the basketball season was a rebuilding period after an extended hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many boys had not played much basketball since March 2020. Our goal for this season was to re-instil key fundamentals in running structured offence and defence, and effective teamwork. The boys worked hard in practice every week, with several players seeking further instruction to improve their skills. As the season wore on, the boys improved significantly in their offence, learning from their mistakes. They began working more as a unit, seeking team success rather than individual glory. They showed great heart to come back from behind to win hard-fought games and resilience to remain ahead in some close contests. As a coach, I am proud of their efforts and growth as players and look forward to building on our gains. Results: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2 Mr Dustan Elliott Coach 1st team’s Iviwe Shongwe vs Maritzburg College 1st team’s Lathi Sali vs Maritzburg College
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