Correctional edge REPS in SBS Netball derby
MANZINI – Correctional Services Ladies elite team has reinstated their dominance over their uniformed counterparts Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), as they beat them 38-33 yesterday.
This was during the final group round robin games of the Swaziland Building Society (SBS) Eswatini National Netball Association (ENNA) second round, which started last year.
Correctional Services were dominant in the game recording victory in two quarters while REPS won only one in this big fixture, played at Zakhele Netball Courts.
DOMINANCE
The game started off with REPS having an upper hand in the first few minutes of the first quarter in the slippery courts. Their dominance however, was as short as a sneeze with Correctional matching them pound for pound midway through the first quarter and eventually took control. The quarter finished 11-9 in favour of Correctional. The second quarter was balanced with each side scoring 10 times. This meant after two quarters, Correctional led 21-19.
REPS were almost sure to have ended the former’s jinx over them, as they annexed a lead of 25-27 in the third quarter. Prior to this match, the two rivals had last November met in the Instacash Netball Tournament finals, where Correctional won.
PROTECT
REPS were not convincing enough in the deciding quarter to protect their lead in the game and also their pole position in the group. They lost 4-12 in final stanza. This saw the Correctional side march on to the top spot, dislodging them to second with a final score of 38-33.The same derby thrill is also anticipated this coming weekend as the tournament enters the knockout stage and will be wrapping up. If they both win the semi-finals, they will once again cross swords in the finals.
(More reports in tomorrow’s publication…)