92 the new players learned our offensive and defensive structures and the team as a whole learned how to play together again as a unit. It was during this time of adjustment and transition that we were handed our first loss of the year against St. Charles College’s 3rd team, playing away at St. Charles College. Despite our lack of cohesion and rustiness, we nearly beat their third team in a tightly contested affair, losing by only one basket 21–23 at the end. However, the team rallied together after their loss and secured another tightly contested game against Crawford College La Lucia’s 1st team, winning away 22-20. From this point onward, the team came together nicely, demonstrating quality basketball and teamwork characterised by both unselfishness and great offensive and defensive execution. We ended the season on a high, delivering our best performance of the year, convincingly beating Hilton College by 24 points, our greatest margin of victory during the 2019 season. The quality of this year’s fourth team is a testament to its players. They can be proud of what they achieved together and the character they have shown. Results: Played 10, Won 9, Lost 1 Mr Dustan El iott Coach 5th Team Basketball Term 1 Regular Players: Mpendulo Dlamini, Tré Donjeany (Captain), Trent Gooderson, Bradley Green, S’fundo Hlongwa, Mbasa Kulu, Azile Mkhize, Nkanyiso Mkhize, Sizwe Sigasa, Siyabonga Tshabalala Term 3 and 4 Regular players: Asandile Buthelezi, Boipelo Dube, Nqobile Dweba, Matthew Jacobs, Gontse Machaba, Qhawe Mafika, James Maguire, Diko Manci (Captain), Basia Motsoahae, Bulelani Nodada, Matthew Schramm The boys worked hard this season, attending practices, improving in their play, working as a team and most of all enjoying themselves. The first term started with an experienced team comprising mostly Grade 11 and Grade 12 players with significant experience. They bonded well and were familiar with our tactics which made life easier for all during the matches. This changed in the second term though as many of those boys were promoted to the other team and Grade 12’s had to focus on their examinations. This meant that we had to assemble a new team and to get them to play as a team quickly. Given the amount of time that we had, the boys did well, continuing in the steps of those who had left. This was a testimony of the structures and the foundation laid within the basketball fraternity. The highlights of the team were winning both matches were combined into one mega age group. Many of the Grade 12s chose not to continue playing and some of the boys move on to join other teams. The boys enjoyed the season tremendously and made many positive memories. These are memories they can look back on in years to come, remembering that they were part of something bigger than just themselves Term 1 results: Played 5, Won 3, Lost 2 Term 3 and 4 results: Played 6, Won 5, Lost 1 Mr Bongi Ndaba and Mr Khayan i Nzama Coaches 4th Team Basketball Term 1 Regular players: Ulrich Botha, Timothy Camp, Liam de Kock, Andisiwe Dladla, Murray Gibbon, Amnene Mthiyane, Sakhiwo Tshabalala, Timothy van Tonder, Neels Volschenk Term 3 and 4 Regular players: Ulrich Botha, Noah Dammann, Andisiwe Dladla, Keaton Jones, Ite Machobane, Ayanda Makhathini, Gomolemo Maswabi, Amnene Mthiyane, Matthew Strauss, Andrew Sandy, Timothy van Tonder Kearsney’s 4th basketball team’s 2019 season was a near-perfect season, securing nine wins from ten games over the course of the year. However, while a team’s record against other teams is an important metric in one’s assessment of a team, it is not the only measure of a team’s attitude, quality and character. It is these latter qualities that truly define this team. Our goal at the beginning of the year was to assemble a group of hard-working and eager players who were willing to work and grow together in their skill and knowledge of the game in order to become a great basketball team. In the first half of the 2019 season, we established a culture of both hard work and teamwork that greatly paid off as the season wore on as the players learned how to play together and rely on one another. We ended the first half of our season with a twenty-point win over St. Charles College’s 4th team, demonstrating great cohesiveness on offence and communication on defence. Neels Volschenk was the stand out player for the team in first the half of the 2019 season. His attitude, work ethic, reliability, commitment and his positive relationship with his teammates showed that he was a worthy captain. The second half of the 2019 season brought an introduction of seven new players into the team as the Grade 12 students left in order to focus on their upcoming examinations. This greatly changed the dynamic of the team, which meant that there was a necessary period of adjustment as Basketball
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