Stellenbosch University’s women’s basketball team recently beat the University of the Western Cape (UWC) 55-45 in the season opener.
SMF News attended the opening fixture of the Western Cape University Sports South Africa’s (USSA) league friendly games on 2 August, which took place at the Coetzenberg indoor centre in Stellenbosch.
“It was a struggle in the beginning. I think it was just nerves because it was our first game of the season,” said Nathaly September, head coach for Maties women’s basketball. “But the positive is that we got the win at the end of the day.”
Nathaly September, head coach for Stellenbosch University’s women’s basketball team, gives her team a game talk ahead of the opening fixture of the Western Cape University Sports South Africa’s (USSA) league friendly games on 2 August. “Next weekend, we have a tournament, but the expectation for this team is to grow,” said September. “We have been growing over the years, and more of them are still here. More than half of the team are still the team from last year.” PHOTO: Jared Moorgas
Maties’ slow start
UWC scored the first points of the game and were defensively strong with a few blocks in the opening minutes of the match.
Ingrid Tredoux, captain and shooting guard for Maties, opened the scoring for her side with a point from the foul line.
“I think we had a bit of a slow start,” said Tredoux. “But I think the way we were able to come back […] I think that’s a big positive.”
Ingrid Tredoux, captain and shooting guard for Stellenbosch University’s women’s basketball team, attempts for a field goal during the opening fixture of the Western Cape University Sports South Africa’s (USSA) league friendly games. “As our coach says, give your all for two to three minutes,” said Tredoux. “If you are tired, you have people on the bench that can come and keep up the momentum. When you get your chance, keep pushing and give it your all. Like we saw tonight, we were rewarded by effort.” PHOTO: Jared Moorgas
At the start of the second quarter, UWC led 15-14, before Maties took the lead again.
“I think we underestimated them a little bit, and I think maybe we overestimated where we found ourselves,” said Tredoux. “When we played them previously, we beat them by a bigger margin, so we came in a bit overconfident.”
Maties held the lead for most of the third quarter, ending the quarter with the score at 42-41.
In the fourth and last quarter, Maties extended their lead to 50-45, with point guard Lukhanyo Nkonzo scoring two consecutive baskets. Maties then sealed the win with two points from point guard Shiloh Hamidi.
Shiloh Hamidi, point guard for Stellenbosch University’s (SU) women’s basketball team, attempts a free throw during the opening fixture of the Western Cape University Sports South Africa’s (USSA) league friendly games. PHOTO: Jared Moorgas
“There’s a lot of improvement from the game we played against Maties last time in the first semester,” said Salizwa Mnyaka, head coach of UWC women’s team. “I mean, we lost by 30 points. Losing by 10 points, even having had a lead […] that shows improvement.”
Aiming for gold
Maties will play in the Western Cape league tournament on 9 and 10 August, which will see them face UWC, the University of Cape Town, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, according to Nkonzo.
Lukhanyo Nkonzo, point guard for Stellenbosch University’s women’s basketball team, skips past defence and makes a layup attempt at the opening fixture of the Western Cape University Sports South Africa’s (USSA) league friendly games. PHOTO: Jared Moorgas
“Looking at this game, looking at our mistakes that we made […] we can take that into the next game and be more calm and collected, and not be nervous in the first 10 minutes,” said Nkonzo.
Nkonzo said that the team is preparing for the University Sports South Africa (USSA) championship in December, in which Maties were Section A silver medalists last year.
“So now we are aiming for gold,” said Nkonzo.