Author: sipongco

Although the majority of schools nationwide have concluded their basketball matches for 2025, several KZN schools were in action on Saturday, including a big-time showdown between Northwood and Maritzburg College.

A basketball clash between Northwood and College is a guarantee of a high-voltage action-packed game and the KZN basketball powers delivered again, outdoors in Durban.

The conditions were testing, sunny but windy, but both teams adapted their games well to meet that challenge.

From the very first tip-off, the match was intense and charged with emotion. Both teams entered the fray with determination, and early technical fouls on both sides established the competitive atmosphere for the afternoon.

Once the initial chaos subsided, Northwood, led by u18 South African national basketball team player, Siya Shabalala, took control, launching aggressive attacks in transition, which led them to a four-point advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Defensively, Northwood transitioned into a two-three zone, maintaining discipline and focus. Communication was precise, rotations were compact, and the team effectively controlled the boards. By halftime, the Knights had extended their advantage to 32-24, having restricted College to minimal second-chance opportunities.

The Red, Black, and White headed into the second half having made strategic adjustments and were able to narrow the deficit to just one point. Northwood, though, responded with a scoring run of their own.

In the fourth quarter, the home side was faced with further challenges to overcome when both Sims Vacu, one of Northwood’s standout players, and Shabalala incurred their fourth fouls. The Knights’ bench rose to the challenge, defended tenaciously and sustained the game’s tempo.

Inside, Awande Chiliza delivered an impressive performance, concluding the contest with 18 points and 22 rebounds, which left him only two points shy of his third consecutive 20/20 game.

Shabalala topped the scoring chart with 27 points and set the game’s tempo through fearless drives and relentless hustle. Vacu contributed 10 points and six assists and skilfully managed the attack until foul trouble hindered his progress.

In the end, Northwood won by 14 points to reaffirm their status as one of South Africa’s top basketball teams.

Pabatso Sithole leads Kearsney College to win over Clifton 

In hot and windy conditions, Kearsney College made their way to the Riverside Sports Club to take on Clifton College in their final fixture of the year

Pabatso Sithole, who has enjoyed a superb season, once again demonstrated his skills by leading Kearsney with 21 points.

He was their star performer when Kearsney lifted the Independent Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament title and his excellent form has continued throughout the term.

Sithole received good support from Lubansi Mseleku and Daniel Prinsloo, who contributed 12 points each, while Lwandile Njapha dropped eight points in a 66-21 Kearsney victory.

The game got off to a slow start, with both sides struggling to find their shooting range. At the end of the first quarter, Kearsney held a slim 8-7 lead.

In the second quarter, the visitors found their shooting stroke and their defensive structure, adding 21 points without conceding any to go into the break leading 29-7.

Clifton picked up their game in the second half, but Kearsney comfortably eased clear, with the home side adding 14 points and the visitors tacking on another 37.

At Westville, the visitors, St Charles College, pulled off a hard-fought 10-point victory over Westville Boys’ High, winning 69-59.

In Balgowan, the honours in the big clash between Michaelhouse and Hilton College went to the visitors, who came away with a six-point win, 62-46.

RESULTS

Kearsney College 62-21 Clifton College
Hilton College 52-46 Michaelhouse
Northwood 66-52 Maritzburg College
St Charles College 69-59 Westville Boys’ High

After two years of dominance in the u19 division of the Gauteng Development League (GDL) by Highlands Park, the Lions of the North have been unseated as the GDL champions by Mamelodi Sundowns, who secured the title on the last weekend of the season.

As the league headed towards its conclusion, Highlands Park and the Brazilians were in a fierce competition for the GDL crown. It was a fascinating season. At one point during the second round of matches, five teams appeared to be in contention for the title, with SuperSport United, Randburg, and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) all challenging at the top.

Kaizer Chiefs, who had struggled in mid-table for most of their campaign, enduring a sub-standard season by their high standards, finished on a high, passing SuperSport United to claim fifth place.

Ahead of the weekend’s matches, Highlands Park and Park were level on 77 points. However, Bafana Ba Style had a better goal difference than Highlands Park. The previous weekend, the University of Pretoria (Tuks) had shaken up the title race when they shocked Highlands Park, which, effectively, all but ended the chances of a three-peat by the Lions of the North.

On Saturday, Highlands Park, nonetheless, had a chance to make history with a third consecutive title, but they didn’t control their own destiny. With their superior goal difference, Mamelodi Sundowns were in the driver’s seat.

For Sundowns’ coach Kristopher Bergman, it was a chance to claim silverware for the first time since joining the Chorkloop-based club in January.

Additionally, Sundowns had a shot at a fourth GDL title in 2025, with their u13, u15, and u17 teams having won their divisions the previous weekend. Only Kaizer Chiefs kept Sundowns from making a clean sweep of the titles, with Chiefs claiming the u14 crown.

Highlands Park took on a struggling School of Excellence side in their final game. School of Excellence had been through a trying campaign and sat 15th in the standings, way below their usual standard, which has usually seen them at the upper end of the table.

Highlands Park did what they could do, scoring a 1-0 win, but Mamelodi Sundowns secured the title in style, cruising to a 3-0 win over Panorama in Pretoria to seal the deal.

Also on Saturday, Rockefvs played to a 2-2 draw with SuperSport United. TS Galaxy scored a 2-0 victory over the East Rand Athletic Club, and Kathorus Hyper Academy took down Tuks 2-0.

With the schedule completed, East Rand Athletic and Elspark United Academy will be relegated to the second tier of the GDL for next season, while the Prestige Football Academy returns to the GDL after being demoted to the Gauteng Development League – Promotional League in 2023. They’ll be joined in the GDL by Future of Africa.

RESULTS 

Saturday, 8 November 

SuperSport United 2-2 Rockefvs
TS Galaxy 2-0 East Rand Athletic
Kathorus 2-0 Tuks
Highlands Park 1-0 School of Excellence
Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 Panorama

The fourth edition of the Gauteng Women’s Soccer League (GWSL) kicked off in the first week of November and is now set to head into the knockout phase of the competition after the group stage concluded at the Rovers Football Club, in Alberton, on the weekend.

Diepkloof Ladies, who won the inaugural tournament in 2022, are among the teams that have qualified for the next phase.

The 2023 champions, Raycon Ladies, also advanced and face off against Diepkloof Ladies in a mouthwatering round of 16 clash on Saturday, 15 November.

In 2022 and 2023, Raycon and Diepkloof met in the title games, with Raycon winning their 2023 meeting 1-0, thanks to a stunning free kick executed by Loretah Ncube, which left the Diepkloof Ladies’ goalkeeper in disbelief.

Mamelodi Sundowns, the 2024 champions of the GWSL, also qualified for the last 16, which means all of the previous champions are through to the knockout rounds. The Brazilians take on United Ladies.

It has been an incredible season for Sundowns. Their u13, u15, u17, and u19 boys’ teams all won Gauteng Development League titles.

Additionally, the Sundowns’ u17 team in the Gauteng Women’s Development League also claimed the title, concluding the season with just one defeat, although that loss was the first that the club had suffered under the guidance of coach Rhoda Mulaudzi.

They finished the season with an eye-opening tally of 213 goals scored and only 24 conceded.

In October, Mamelodi Sundowns was also crowned the winner of the Gauteng Sasol League. Now, they have their sights set on the GWSL trophy, aiming to become the first side to successfully defend the title.

Saturday GWSL Recap

On Saturday, in Group A, Luso Africa surged into a 3-0 lead against Raycon Ladies, but the former champions showed strong character, fighting their way back to share a 4-4 draw.

Asijiki secured a 1-0 victory over United Ladies, while Mito Stars triumphed 2-0 against Raycon Ladies. Luso Africa had to settle for a second draw when they met United Ladies, with that match ending 2-2.

In Group B, Mamelodi Sundowns started strongly with an early 2-0 victory over Blue Birds. In their second outing, though, the defending champions were stunned 2-1 by Royal Lions. Lions continued their excellent form with a big 5-0 win over Brazilian Ladies.

The University of Pretoria (Tuks) played to a 2-2 draw with Blue Birds. Then, they hit the afterburners in scorching Brazilian Ladies 9-0.

Despite that impressive win, Tuks mustered only one victory from their three group matches, which meant they missed out on the last 16.

In Group E, Diambars Sunward, the recent winner of the inaugural Phoenix Elites SA Annual Games, found the going tough. They fell 0-2 to Electrical Ladies and, also, 0-2 to Kempton Park, which meant they failed to progress to the knockout stage of the competition.

Thandabantu United secured a slim 1-0 victory over Rosina Sedibane, who also suffered a 0-2 loss against Electrical Ladies.

Sunday GWSL Recap

On Sunday, some teams which had not yet booked a place in the last 16 had an opportunity to advance.

In Group C, JVW 2 scored a narrow 1-0 victory over the 2022 champions Diepkloof Ladies. Later, Kenneth Football Club (KFC) held JVW 2 to a 1-1 draw.

After an initial loss, Diepkloof Ladies rebounded to win their second match with a score of 2-0 against Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA). Springs Home Sweepers recorded a 3-1 win over KFC and drew goalless against RESA.

In Group D, JVW 1 kicked off their Sunday schedule with a 1-1 draw against Future Stars. Later in the day, they were held to a 0-0 stalemate by Revelation, who had edged out Edenvale 2-1 in their Sunday opener.

Edenvale recovered with a convincing 4-1 win over the hosts, Rovers, while Future Stars rolled to a 6-0 victory over Rovers.

In Group E, Diambars Sunward suffered two more defeats, going down 0-2 against Rosina Sedibane. Then, Thabandabantu handed them a fourth 2-0 loss in succession.

In other Group E matches, Kempton Park cruised to a 5-0 victory over Rosina Sedibane, while Thandabantu United picked up a tight 1-0 win over Electrical Ladies. Kempton Park also took down Electrical Ladies, winning 1-0.

RESULTS 

Saturday, 8 November 

Group A

Luso Africa 4-4 Raycon
Asijiki 1-0 United Ladies
Mito Stars 2-0 Raycon
Luso Africa 2-2 United Ladies

Group B

Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Blue Birds
Royal Lions 5-0 Brazilian Ladies
Tuks 2-2 Blue Birds
Royal Lions 2-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Tuks 9-0 Brazilian Ladies

Group E

Electrical Ladies 2-0 Diambars Sunward
Thandabantu United 1-0 Rosina Sedibane
Kempton Park 2-0 Diambars Sunward
Electrical Ladies 2-0 Rosina Sedibane

Sunday, 9 November 

Group C

JVW2 1-0 Diepkloof Ladies
Springs Home Sweepers 0-0 RESA
JVW2 1-1 KFC
Diepkloof Ladies 2-0 RESA
Springs Home Sweepers 3-1 KFC

Group D

JVW1 1-1 Future Stars
Revelation FC 2-1 Edenvale FC
Future Stars 6-0 Rovers FC
JVW1 0-0 Revelation FC
Edenvale FC 4-1 Rovers FC

Group E

Rosina Sedibane 2-0 Diambars Sunward
Thandabantu United 1-0 Electrical Ladies
Kempton Park 5-0 Rosina Sedibane
Thandabantu United 2-0 Diambars Sunward
Kempton Park 1-0 Electrical Ladies

FIXTURES 

Last 16

Saturday, 15 November

09:00

Match 1 – Thandabantu United vs Kempton Park, Field 1
Match 2 – Mamelodi Sundowns vs United Ladies, Field 2
Match 3 – Springs Home Sweepers vs Mito Stars, Field 3
Match 4 – Blue Birds vs Future Stars, Field 4

10:30

Match 5 – Revelations vs JVW 2, Field 1
Match 6 – Diepkloof Ladies vs FC Raycon, Field 2
Match 7 – Royal Lions vs JVW 1, Field 3
Match 8 – Asijiki vs Electrical Ladies, Field 4

Quarterfinals 

12:00

Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 2, Field 1
Winner Match 3 vs Winner Match 4, Field 2
Winner Match 5 vs Winner Match 6, Field 3
Winner Match 7 vs Winner Match 8, Field 4

A goalless draw between Bolivia and Qatar on Sunday helped the u17 South African national team, Amajimbos, to a second-place finish in Group A of the u17 FIFA World Cup and a place in the next round of the tournament.

Amajimbos fell to Italy on Sunday, going down 1-3.

In a similar manner to their match against Qatar on Thursday, 6 November, South Africa conceded an early goal, with Valerio Macarroni setting up Sameul Inacio for a fourth minute strike.

Qatar had scored in the third minute on Thursday. That game ended 1-1.

Italy, who went into the game having not conceded a goal, kept up the pressure on South Africa. However, the Europeans had their defences unlocked in the 32nd minute by Shaun Els, which resulted in the teams heading into the break level at 1-1.

The Italians hit the front again 10 minutes into the second half, with Macarroni laying on his second assist of the match, while Antonio Arena provided the finish.

Only three minutes later, Arena turned provider, setting up Inacio, who netted his second, to make it 3-1.

Fortunately, for South Africa, the goalless draw between the hosts, Qatar, and Bolivia, worked in their favour. The Qataris finished third in the group but could qualify for the round of 32 as one of the eight best third place finishers.

The winner of the u19 Gauteng Development League (GDL) title will be determined this weekend.

The title race should have concluded last weekend, but heavy rain and waterlogged pitches resulted in several matches being rescheduled.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools 

Highlands Park, who are aiming for a third consecutive title, take on the School of Excellence on Saturday, while the current log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, tackle Panorama.

Both Sundowns and Highlands Park have 77 points after 33 matches, and both boast identical records of 24 victories, five draws, and four losses.

Sundowns, however, tops the standings with a superior goal difference. They’ve netted an impressive 96 goals while conceding only 23, whereas Highlands Park has scored 67 and allowed 27.

Football is unpredictable, but it would be a big surprise should Sundowns come up short against Panorama because the Roodepoort club has struggled for form in the latter stages of the season. However, only last weekend, Highlands Park lost their lead at the top when they went down to the University of Pretoria (Tuks).

Tuks’ victory over Highlands Park reflected the sentiments expressed by Sundowns’ coach Kristopher Bergman in August when he told SuperSport Schools Plus that no results in the GDL are handed over on a silver platter.

Both Bergman and his Highlands Park counterpart, Sfiso Mnguni, will surely stress that point ahead of their side’s final matches on Saturday

In other games, TS Galaxy faces East Rand Athletic, SuperSport United goes up against Rockefvs, and, on Sunday, Joburg City confronts East Rand Athletic.

FIXTURES 

Saturday, 8 November

11:00
School of Excellence vs Highlands Park, Elandsfontein
Panorama vs Mamelodi Sundowns, Panorama Sports Ground

12:00
Tuks vs Kathorus, Tuks

14:00
TS Galaxy vs East Rand Athletic

16:30
SuperSport United vs Rockefvs, Eskom Megawatt Park

Sunday, 9 November 

11:00
Joburg City vs East Rand Athletic, Greek Sporting Club

u19 GDL Table

Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Mamelodi Sundowns	33	24	5	4	96	23	73	77
Highlands Park	33	24	5	4	67	27	40	77
Randburg	34	20	8	6	70	31	39	68
RESA	34	21	5	8	78	45	33	68
Kaizer Chiefs	34	19	3	12	74	50	24	60
SuperSport United	33	17	9	7	51	31	20	60
Wits Junior	34	14	7	13	63	60	3	49
Kathorus Hyper Academy	33	11	12	10	35	35	0	45
Tuks	32	13	4	15	43	56	-13	43
Jomo Cosmos	34	10	12	12	35	44	-9	42
Panorama	33	12	5	16	47	61	-14	41
Joburg City	33	11	5	17	38	54	-16	38
TS Galaxy	33	10	6	17	36	54	-20	36
Rockefvs	33	10	6	17	41	61	-17	33
School of Excellence	33	9	6	18	48	65	-17	33
Seven’s Academy	34	8	7	19	54	71	-17	31
East Rand Athletic	32	5	7	20	22	54	-32	22
Elspark United	33	3	4	26	23	99	-76	13

 

Following an impressive 3-1 victory over Bolivia in their opening game, the u17 South African national team, known as Amajimbos, was held to a 1-1 draw by the resilient host nation of the u17 FIFA World Cup, Qatar, at the Aspire Zone, in Doha City, on Thursday.

Amajimbos were stunned only three minutes into the contest when Qatar took the lead through Yazan Mohamed.

His strike was a big boost for the home team which had suffered a 0-1 loss to Italy in their opening match on Monday. That same day, South Africa beat Bolivia.

Qatar’s lead didn’t last long, however, with the man of the match, Emile Witbooi, equalising for Amajimbos in the 16th minute.

Despite pressing hard for a win, South Africa was unable to crack the Qatari defence again, with some good opportunities being missed. The hosts, meanwhile, were unable to pose any real threat to goalkeeper Lwandiso Radebe.

Italy moved to the top of the Group A standings after a comprehensive 4-0 win over Bolivia.

It took them until the 35th minute to take the lead against the South Americans, with Simone Lontani netting. Only three minutes later, though, they were two goals to the good, thanks to a Samuele Inacia goal.

Nine minutes after the break, Destiny Elimonghale made it 3-0, and Fabiao Pandolfi delivered the final blow by netting during added time.

The tournament, which features 48 teams for the first time, will see the top two teams from each of the 12 groups progress to the knockout stage. They’ll be joined there by the eight best third-placed teams.

After the draw with Qatar, Amajimbos coach, Vela Khumalo, told SAFA Media that, “It was not the result we were anticipating, but we knew we were playing against the hosts, and we were well aware of how they wanted to play.

“We made our analysis, and this is exactly how we thought they would approach the game. In fact, if you look at the goal that we conceded, it was from our own mistake.

“Other than that, they sat at the back and were hoping to play from transition. Their plan worked. They stuck to it. Congratulations to them.”

Reflecting on his side’s performance, Khumalo continued: “I also think we were not really aggressive or even showed a little bit of individual brilliance. But it was not our day. We were not really on the ball. We got a draw, which we can take and go home.”

South Africa’s final Group A match against Italy takes place on Sunday at the Arrive Zone Pitch, in Doha.

The Gauteng Development League (GDL) was expected to conclude this past weekend, with Highlands Park and Mamelodi Sundowns in the running for the u19 title, but heavy rains meant some matches in Johannesburg couldn’t be played.

Earlier in the week, though, Wits Junior snatched a 3-2 victory over Panorama and Rockefvs downed the University of Pretoria (Tuks) 4-2.

On Saturday, Highlands Park, who are pursuing their third consecutive GDL title, was set to face the School of Excellence, with Tuks awaiting them on Sunday.

Due to a waterlogged pitch, their Saturday match was postponed to Saturday, 8 November. Meanwhile, their title-chasing rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, were in action against Jomo Cosmos and bagged a convincing 3-0 victory.

With the win, the Brazilians moved up to 77 points, tied with Highlands Park, but Sundowns took over first place on goal difference.

On Sunday, though, the Lions of the North had a chance to move back into first place when they faced one of Sundowns’ Pretoria neighbors, Tuks. Unfortunately for Highlands Park, Tuks played the role of spoiler, claiming a sound 3-1 win. That result was gratefully received by Sundowns, at Clapham.

Omolemo Moabi, Tristan Peters, and Sibusiso Munyuku netted for Tuks in the surprise win, with the consequence being that Highlands Park needs Panorama to beat Sundowns in their final match of the season.

If both title chasers were to win next week, ‘Downs, with their superior goal difference, would lift the title and stop Highlands Park’s quest for a three-peat.

In other matches on Saturday, Kathorus Hyper Academy, fresh off a 2-1 victory over Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) last weekend, once again beat the Vereeniging club at the President Park Stadium, although this time it ended 3-2.

Before beating Highlands Park on Sunday, Tuks scored a 3-2 win over Panorama, while Randburg claimed a 1-0 victory over Jomo Cosmos on Sunday.

Seven’s Academy grabbed a narrow 1-0 win over the School of Excellence, while TS Galaxy got by Joburg City 3-2.

Elspark United, who will be relegated to the second tier of the GDL, did not fulfil their fixture against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday, resulting in Amakhosi being awarded a walkover win and three points as a consequence of that.

Trophy lifting Time 

While the u19 title winner will be decided next week, the other age groups have already crowned their winners.

The u17 GDL title was awarded to the Mamelodi Sundowns, who dominated their opposition.

The Brazilians also won the u15 GDL title, while Kaizer Chiefs claimed the u14 GDL crown. Mamelodi Sundowns’ outstanding season continued with victory in the u13 division, too.

With three titles already in the books, the pressure now shifts to the u19 Mamelodi Sundowns’ side to deliver a fourth.

The Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL) titles were presented on Sunday, 26 October, with JVW winning the inaugural u13 division title

The SAFA Academy dominated the u15 division and were worthy winners, while the u17 title went the way of Mamelodi Sundowns, who had a competitive back-and-forth with SAFA Academy before Banyana Ba Style secured the title.

RESULTS

Wednesday, 29 October

Wits Junior 3-2 Panorama
Rockefvs 4-2 Tuks

Saturday, 1 November 

Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 Jomo Cosmos
Kathorus 3-2 RESA
Tuks 3-2 Panorama
Wits Junior 5-2 Rockefvs
Kaizer Chiefs vs Elspark United (Walkover, Elspark failed to honour the game)

Sunday, 2 November

Tuks 3-1 Highlands Park
Seven’s Academy 1-0 School of Excellence
TS Galaxy 3-2 Joburg City
Randburg 1-0 Jomo Cosmos

The u17 South African national team, known as Amajimbos, recorded their first-ever FIFA World Cup victory with only 10 players on the field, beating Bolivia 3-1 on Monday, in Qatar.

Coach Vela Khumalo’s squad faced an early setback when Sive Pama was sent off in the first half, leaving South Africa a man down with more than half the game to go.

However, the team quickly responded positively after Pama’s ejection.

Cape Town City’s Emile Witbooi, a member of the SuperSport Schools Class of 2024, scored the opening goal of the contest, with a searing counterattack catching Bolivia off guard.

From the first whistle, the Bolivians defence appeared vulnerable, and South Africa probed and exploited weaknesses by attacking down the flanks through the side’s wings, which was a key strength of Khumalo’s strategy.

At the start of the second half, with Amajimbos leading 1-0, the coach made a couple of substitutions, removing Teboho Mlangeni and Selywn Stevens and replacing them with Lebohang Dlamini and Alwande Booysen, affectionately known as Bhubesi.

Their introduction had the desired effect, particularly from the Lamontville Golden Arrows‘ wing, Booysen, who set up Neo Bohloko for Amajimbos’ second goal.

While South Africa enjoyed attacking success, they were also subjected to some defensive scares and committed a number of errors that could have led to Bolivian goals.

Eventually, one of those mistakes resulted in a penalty for the South Americans and Jesús Maraude punished South Africa by slotting the opportunity past goalkeeper, Lwandiso Radebe, who had pulled off some outstanding saves.

Only one goal separated the sides, but Shaun Els made sure of the win for Amajimbos by netting in additional time to make it 3-1.

South Africa’s next group stage clash is on Thursday, when they take on the host nation, Qatar.

After a long period of waiting that left fans in suspense, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has finally revealed the squad that will represent South Africa at the u17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which starts on Monday, 3 November.

The u17 South African national team, known as Amajimbos, qualified for the u17 FIFA World Cup earlier this year and completed their preparations on Wednesday, in Johannesburg.

They left for Qatar on Thursday, fuelled by aspirations of reigniting the nation’s passion for football, which has seen a resurgence in support for the national teams after decades of disappointment.

The World Cup opportunity is also important for young talents, such as Emile Witbooi, who plays for Cape Town City and attended trials at Chelsea in England last year, to showcase their talents on the global stage.

Coach Vela Khumalo, who guided Amajimbos to World Cup qualifications, told SAFA Media that although there is potential for progress following his team’s preparation match against the Kaizer Chiefs’ DStv Diski Challenge team, he was satisfied with their performance on the pitch on Wednesday evening.

“Even though we played very, very well against Kaizer Chiefs, a strong DDC team that is going to Manchester, we cannot get carried away because we played well here. There are certain things that we still need to work on,” he said.

South Africa is placed in Group A of the u17 FIFA World Cup and will play against the host nation, Qatar, as well as Bolivia and Italy.

Amajimbos kick off their World Cup campaign against Bolivia on Monday of next week, followed by their second outing on Thursday, 6 November, against Qatar.

Their final group match will be against Italy on Sunday, 9 November.

Khumalo believes his charges have what it takes to qualify for the knockout stages.

“We can get out of the group from what I saw,” he said. “But you never know if that was the true reflection of the teams or if they were still preparing, but honestly speaking, we stand a good chance of getting out of the group,” he concluded.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers 

Lwandiso Radebe, Keabetswe Morake, Sello Mokhobo

Defenders

Sive Pama, Lunje Noqobo, Liam Marthinus, Alwande Booysen, Abulele Dlekedla

Midfielders

Kamohle Mareletse, Teboho Mlangeni, Joshua Taylor

Forwards 

Luke Hendricks, Selywn Stevens, Shaun Els, Emile Witbooi, Tumi Mothapo, Neo Bohloko, Will Henson, Lebohang Dlamini, Omphemetse Sekgoto

Exams are hurtling into view, and with that the 2025 schools’ basketball season is also set to come to an end this coming weekend. On the weekend past, a number of schools also played their last matches of the year.

KwaZulu-Natal

Northwood vs Clifton 

In KwaZulu-Natal, Northwood, the winners of the St John’s College Basketball Tournament for the past two years, faced off against Clifton College.

In a dominant win, Northwood showcased their depth and talent.

However, the contest was not solely controlled by Northwood’s regular starters. Several uncapped players were also given an opportunity to experience first-team basketball. That served as valuable preparation for the Knights‘ basketball team for the forthcoming year, considering that several matriculants will depart the school following their exams.

The primary group of Northwood’s starters, except for their South Africa National Team u18 player, Siya Shabalala, who was unavailable, played for the first half and established a commanding lead.

In the second half, adjustments were made, and those who began the game on the bench entered with confidence and composure, upholding the Knights’ championship mentality and standards, while continuing to extend their lead on the scoreboard.

There was some outstanding scoring from Awande Chiliza, who dropped 24 points, while Sims Vaku contributed 23 points and expertly managed the tempo from the guard position.

By the final whistle, Northwood had almost doubled up Clifton, scoring a decisive 85–43 win.

Kearsney College vs Glenwood High

At Glenwood High, Pabatso Sithole, from Kearsney College, led the team with 12 points, followed closely by Abake Moyo with 11 points, while Kwakuhle Sibiya and Daniel Prinsloo each contributed seven points, and Lubani Mseleku added six points for the visitors.

Sithole was one of the standout players for Kearsney on their home court when they secured the Kearsney Independent Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament (ISSBT) title at the end of September this year, scoring 26 points in the final against St John’s College.

On Saturday, in the sweltering heat on Glenwood’s outdoor courts, Kearsney started strongly, establishing an eight-point lead of 10-2 by the conclusion of the first quarter.

Kearsney maintained their defensive intensity in the second quarter, allowing Glenwood only three additional points by half-time, while consistently adding to their own total. By half-time, the game was all but decided with Kearsney leading 31-5.

The heat impacted the third and fourth quarters, which led to Kearsney’s intensity dropping. The contest became much tighter, with the Botha’s Hill bunch tacking on another 28 points, while Glenwood found their way by scoring 21 of their own.

It ended 59-26 in favour of the visitors.

Maritzburg College vs St Charles College

On a sweltering summer Saturday, Maritzburg College faced off against St Charles College in a showdown between Pietermaritzburg rivals with established traditions of excellence on the basketball court.

The Alan Paton Memorial Hall buzzed with enthusiasm and anticipation as the tip-off approached. However, both teams started sluggishly, with the extreme heat and the physical nature of the clash exacting a toll. At the end of the first quarter, the Red, Black, and White led 12-8.

A robust performance from College in the second quarter, however, increased their advantage to 11 points.

Throughout the remainder of the match, it was a back-and-forth tussle. College, though, had set themselves up for victory with their strong second quarter and it finished 58-45 in favour of the home team.

In other matches in KZN, Hilton College and Durban High School (DHS) delivered a thriller. In total, 157 points were scored, but only three separated the sides, with DHS edging it 80-77.

Westville Boys’ High, meanwhile, had the measure of Michaelhouse, winning by 18 points, 65-47.

Eastern Cape

In the Eastern Cape, Queen’s College concluded their schedule with a rout of their great rivals, Dale College. It was one-way traffic, with Queen’s triumphing 73-13.

In Makhanda, St Andrew’s College hosted Grey High, and it was the visitors who stunned the home team, pulling off a 43-38 win.

Gauteng

King Edward VII School (KES) followed up their recent success at St David’s Marist Inanda’s Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge by cruising to a 51-29 victory over Pretoria Boys High on Saturday.

KES has been in excellent form. They won all of their matches at the Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge, one of the country’s top basketball tournaments, and had three players selected to the All-Star Team.

They included Siya Ndlovu, who was named the event’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). He who cracked the nod alongside his teammates, Bradley Moyo and Tim Fanny.

On a busy weekend for St John’s College sports’ teams, their basketball side claimed a 39-32 win over St Stithians College.

St David’s, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge by Michael Mount Waldorf last weekend, returned to action with a 57-49 victory over Jeppe High School for Boys.

St Alban’s College completed their year’s programme in style, winning by 20 points against Parktown Boys’ High, 57-37.

Redhill School also picked up a win, beating Helpmekaar College 49-26.

RESULTS

Eastern Cape

Queen’s College 73-13 Dale College
Grey High School 43-38 St Andrew’s College

Gauteng 

St John’s College 39-32 St Stithians College
St David’s 57-49 Jeppe
KES 51-29 Pretoria Boys High
St Alban’s College 57-37 Parktown Boys’ High
Redhill 49-26 Helpmekaar

KwaZulu-Natal 

Westville 65-47 Michaelhouse
Northwood 89-49 Clifton College
DHS 80-77 Hilton College
Maritzburg College 58-45 St Charles College
Kearsney College 59-26 Glenwood