Rhodes Basketball Rookies’ challenge no match for old boys
The Rhodes University Basketball Rookies took on the old girls and boys, in a match showcasing the new talent coming into the club against the skills of the old girls and boys, last Friday.
Despite the tremendous effort from the Rookies, it was no match for the team dynamics and experience of the veterans. The final score for the women’s game was 44-15 to the old girls and for the men was 46-34 to the old boys.
The women were the first to take to the courts. Speaking to the rookie team before the game, the attitude was “nervous and tired” and “scared and anxious” because as rookies, they had only one practice together.
The Rookies were the first to score a free throw point, after many failed attempts to score from the old girls. Once the old girls had scored their first point, however, there was no stopping them.
During half time the crowd was given a chance to enjoy the excitement of the game.
Rhodes Basketball Chairperson Lerato Ratshefola said, “We did things a bit differently this year so that the audience could participate and get a feel for the game.”
Three spectators were selected from the supporting crowd to take a shot from the free throw line, with one spectator scoring.
His lucky draw ended up being a bar of Dettol soap and not the bottle of Champagne under one of the remaining buckets.
Rookie player Esethu Mpongwana noted that the game was “really hard but fun” and expressed great ex- citement for the fact that one day we will play as well as the other girls.” Captain Learato Ratshefola noted that the rookie team consisted of many talented and experienced players who need to be groomed to play as a team. “The rookies played really well in the first quarter. We had to step up our game after half time.”
The men’s game was a crowd favourite, receiving an encouraging response from the spectators. Both the rookies and old boys made use of blocking and boxing out tech- niques. The old boys were able to score some airballs and bank shots.
Tashinnga Gudza, a rookie player said the team played okay after three good practice sessions and that “the team chemistry has not yet come” as the team consisted of many players who had come from different high schools and thus different playing styles.
“The team hadn’t really bonded yet” said Gudza but they admired the chemistry and communication of the senior players. At the end of the game a dance-off was held, in which two female and male spectators danced for the affection of the crowd, and prizes.
Overall it was a successful Rookie challenge which showcased the skills of the new incoming members but more importantly, involved the crowd.
The Rhodes Basketball club is training for their University Sport South Africa (USSA) qualifying games to be played towards the end of March. In preparation for USSA qualifying games, they are playing in the NMBBA Super League.