WESTERN CAPE DOMINATES TWIZZA NETBALL CHAMPS
25th September 2023, Gqeberha – After months of the competitions around the country for Twizza Netball Club Championships, the finals week was played in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
This competition had been running as early as March this year and started off in the districts. All 52 districts within the Netball South Africa structures had to organise competitions where teams from the districts faced off. While netball is predominantly played by women, the Twizza Netball Champs allows for male teams to also participate.
The winners of the districts then progressed to provincial stage where they play against teams from other provinces to get the best teams to move to the national finals. Seventeen (17) teams made up of both male and females from all the nine provinces congregated at the Nelson Mandela University, Madiba Indoor Centre for the penultimate weekend of netball and for the two best teams in the country to be identified. North West province brought only one team.
All the teams here understood what was at stake and played their hearts out – none of the players participating in the Telkom Netball League are allowed to compete at this competition, we are guaranteed to get new players and identify new talent.
“This is a great tournament for players that are considered unknown to showcase their talent. What we know for sure is that we have a whole lot of talented netball players in this country – it has been very evident in what we have been able to find since March. Historically we have seen players emerging from here and making it into SPAR National Champs and some to Telkom Netball League,” said Netball South Africa President Cecilia Molokwane.
After three days of intense and competitive netball, it came down to the Western Cape claiming gold medals for both males and females. Braves ladies team finished first, beating the only North West team Gutsi Academy 26 – 18. Third places belonged to Mogodi Hot Pirates of Limpopo.
In the male division, it was the Hurricanes from Western Cape beating Mhluzi Young Fighters from Mpumalanga 21 – 20 in a very closely contested match. In the play-off match Aventos from Free State beat Gauteng’s Mighty Panthers 15 – 12.
INDIVIDUAL BEST PLAYERS
Women
Ntandokazi Mbengashe (Braves) – Player of the tournament
Malemela Mamakiri (Mogodi Hot Pirates) – Best Shooter
Rebecca Sojane (Gutsi Academy) – Best Centre Court
Amahle Mncube (Braves) – Best Defense
Men
Lwandle Zwane (Mhluzi Young Fighters) – Player of the tournament
Tonny Saguga (Mhluzi Young Fighters) – Best Shooter
Sinethemba Msongo (Hurricanes) – Best Centre Court
Goitsemangg Fudumela (Aventos) – Best Defense
Molokwane concluded by saying “it was indeed a great display of netball, team effort and individual brilliance. Massive congratulations to all teams and overall winners. Big thank you to Twizza for enabling us to take netball back to the people.
