Johannesburg, South Africa: Day 4 of the Telkom Netball League 2024 showcased some epic games. It also highlighted various critical tournament preparation aspects and critical, performance elements.
What was dubbed the most electric match of the day, saw a battle of experience between 2 national coaches bringing to court 2 different game plans; This was the match between the Crinums and the Fireballs. In the words of Coach Dumisani Chauke, “It was the cracker of the day.”
In a match-to-match analysis:
The starting line-up for the Fireballs seemed to be looking for defensive height with Tinita van Dyk in the circle to assist with rebounds, countering Karla Pretorius’ height. Refiloe Ntseka did very well with ball placement and feeding into the circle, but it appeared at times, that the Fireballs connections were lost at centre court.
In the match between the Stings and the Jaguars, the tenacity of the Stings was shown as they didn’t let go that easily. The match ended with the Jaguars winning the game 53 – 48.
In the B Division, the Sunbirds and the Lillies youngsters showed how gutsy they are. However, they struggled to sustain the level of play. This indicated those simple elements of preparation and performance aspects in such a high-performing tournament. Tired minds and tired bodies allow for less focus and the dropping of balls.
The Kingdom Queens proved very impressive in their performance on the day. Yet again the element of preparation and sustainability came under the spotlight. This is specifically in terms of highlighting recovery methods when playing two matches in less than 24hrs as in the case of the Diamonds.
In a wrap-up and overview of day 4, experience proved to be key as witnessed by Karla Pretorius and Kamogelo Maseko. Karla Pretorius showed her strengths at ball interception and was able to turn unexpected balls around, while Kamogelo Maseko showcased her talent at commanding the space.
While speaking to some of the coaches, a specific comment was also made by Dumisani Chauke; “Karla is highly experienced at reading body language” She continued, “She steals ball out of nowhere. “Youngsters can learn a lot by studying Karla’s body movement” Coach Dumisani further noted; that Didintle did extremely well in crucial turnovers for the Jaguars, and that Kayla Dames is lethal on defence. She ended off by saying that the defending champs define the term, “stamping your authority with confidence.”
As day 5 hit, it was again shown that bodies are starting to get fatigued, and injuries are creeping in. You can see a lot of players walking around with strapping. The tempo and intensity have gone down significantly. And this all boils down to preparation and recovery as noticed in day 4.
What is very exciting is that the Northern Cape Diamonds recorded their first win of the season in a tightly contested match against the Lillies, a match where both teams were pitted against each other equally half for half. Both teams showed utmost determination to win the game. The Lillies won Qs 1 and 2, only for the Diamonds to come back stronger after halftime and claim a 47- 38 victory.
The match between the Crinums and the Flames, the last showcasing of Day 5, ended with the Crinums walking away with a 48 -33 victory over the Flames. This again showed that the crinums have a plan, a plan to win.
Going into the next 48 hours; looking at the fixtures, many teams have some off time. And still in conversation with top coaches, they have urged players to rest, rest and rest some more… Get off your feet, get off your phones, and recover.
Full Results:
Tornados 40 – 42 EC Comets
Diamond 47 – 38 Lillies
Sonoblomo 52 – 43 KD Queens
Baobabs 31 – 70 Fireballs
KD Stars 42 – 33 Sunbirds
Flames 33 – 48 Crinums.
Wednesday (1 May) Fixtures:
08:00 Sonoblomo vs KD Stars
10:00 Diamonds vs Tornados
12:00 KD Queens vs Tshukudu
14:00 Baobabs vs Flames
16:00 Lillies vs Comets
18:00 Aloes vs Stings
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