{"id":65427,"date":"2025-02-24T16:17:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T14:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=65427"},"modified":"2025-02-24T16:17:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T14:17:17","slug":"northwood-retains-st-johns-basketball-tournament-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=65427","title":{"rendered":"Northwood retains St John’s Basketball Tournament title"},"content":{"rendered":"
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St John’s gave it their all, but Northwood scored an 11-point win in the final of the St John’s Basketball Tournament to lift the title for a second year in succession. Photo: St John’s College on Instagram<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is something about certain teams that makes them almost unbeatable in big tournaments, the clutch gene.<\/p>\n

In rugby, the Springboks<\/strong> carry that unbeatable aura in World Cups. In cricket, the Aussies exude the same aura in ICC events. It seems, in high school basketball, coach Kent VanderYacht<\/strong>‘s Northwood School<\/strong> occupies a similar space.<\/p>\n

The Knights<\/strong><\/em> entered the St John’s College Basketball Tournament<\/strong> as the defending champions, thus making them a team that all others would target. However, when the dust had settled on Sunday afternoon, Northwood had gone back-to-back, beating the hosts, St John’s College<\/strong>, 53-42 in the title decider.<\/p>\n

The Durban school led from the start of the final and imposed themselves on a nervous St John’s outfit. At the end of the first quarter, though, they held only a three-point lead.<\/p>\n