Coach urges team to stay grounded

Wesley Botton

Port Elizabeth – Though she was delighted after her team stunned title favourites Tshwane with a convincing victory yesterday, Mangaung coach Berta de Kock said her players would need to stay grounded if they hoped to challenge for a place in the final this weekend at the Spar National Netball Championships.

Mangaung handed Tshwane their first defeat on day three of the annual tournament at Lotto Young Park, earning a 47-35 win and remaining in contention for a spot in the medal play-offs.

“It makes it much easier from a mental aspect, but it’s the work on court that counts, so it’s very important that we go back to the drawing board,” De Kock said.

“Everyone wants it and there’s a big job ahead, but we’re looking forward to it and I know the players can do it.”

Tshwane coach Jenny van Dyk credited their opponents for producing a superb performance, and while she admitted her players had not been at their best, she shouldered some of the responsibility for the rare defeat.

“To be fair to the team, I don’t think I really thought through the starting line-up I wanted against this specific team and I should have planned a little better,” Van Dyk said.

“But we had soft takes, our drives were not strong, we didn’t have precision in our passing and we didn’t quite see it coming.”

The Dr Kenneth Kaunda district outfit from North West and Cape Winelands were the only remaining unbeaten teams in the A-division ahead of yesterday’s final round of matches, which were set to be held early in the evening.

Tshwane are on 12 points, and though the Dr KK team also held 12 points, they have a game in hand.

Winelands had bagged 10 points with two matches in hand, while Mangaung and Cape Town were on eight points each.