Goals aplenty at Spar Netball champs

PORT ELIZABETH: There were lots of goals on the second day of the Spar Women’s Netball National Championships at the Lotto Young Park Netball Courts, Nelson Mandela Bay.

Districts like Tshwane, Dr KK Kaunda and Mangaung Metro showed their strength in the Senior Section A, by incorporating players who were in the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League (BFNPL) and USSA championships, which took place last week.

In their first game of the day Dr Elsje Jordaan’s Dr KK Kaunda District beat their neighbours Bojanala 103-23.

“We didn’t expect to win with such a margin. We expected a tougher game... But we started really well, that was the aim,” Jordaan said.

“Since the Premier League we’ve been trying to build the lead and finish the game off. It’s coming through for us.

“Consistently we were there, building the game. Converting our turnovers is also getting better.

“It’s a numbers game at the end and we are getting better with that,” said the former Proteas captain.

Jordaan won’t say much about their game plan but all she wants to see is her team succeeding.

“We want to do well in this tournament. We are going to go quietly about our business. But getting such a great win under their belt is great for the girls. It’s something that they really wanted,” she said.

Jordaan was happy to have goal keeper VanesMari du Toit in her team and explained why du Toit went back to her original role of keeping.

“She’s been great for us in the League. She is good with bounces but is not as accurate as a specialist shooter... She carried us in the League but with Sigi (Burger) back, who is a specialist shooter, it doesn’t make sense to waste both players. So it’s great to have them at both sides of the centre,” said Jordaan.

Burger, who played for Surrey Storm in England’s Super League, was out with a knee injury that took her away from the game for six months. She made her return in the second half of the Varsity Cup.

In their second match, Kaunda beat Burta de Kock’s Mangaung Metro 37-59. The game was balanced in the first half with players giving their all but at the end, the Potchefstroom team came out victorious.

That defeat for Mangaung Metro came after they had won their first match of the day against Ehlanzeni from Ermelo, 75-15.

Mangaung Metro are building a new team and were missing Karla Pretorius (formerly Mostert) and their former captain Maryka Holtzhausen.

Tshwane continued with their domination by winning their games 82-20 against Gert Sibande and then 68-25 against Nelson Mandela Bay.