Kearsney lifts Independent Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament title
The hosts, Kearsney College, enjoyed a dream run to the title at the Independent Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament (ISSBT), edging out St John’s College 57-56 in a thrilling final on Monday at the SportZone.
Provincial bragging rights were also on the line, with KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng the two powerhouses of the schools’ game in South Africa.
The title game was edge-of-your-seat stuff. Regulation time ended with the teams deadlocked at 48-48. Even after an extra time period, they remained tied. It took a second overtime period for Kearsney to claim victory.
St John’s made a good start to the second overtime, taking the lead on a three-pointer, but Kearsney quickly responded with a three-pointer of their own.
A late foul by St John’s resulted in a free throw for Kearsney, and Pabatso Sithole coolly drained the shot to edge Kearsney ahead with just three seconds remaining.
Sithole showed he was a man for the big occasion, contributing 26 points towards Kearsney’s success, while Kwakuhle Sibiya scored nine, Jack McReyolds added seven, and Daniel Prinsloo chipped in with six points for the home side.
For the silver medallists, Ama Ntsubane led the charge, with 17 points. Allan Njanfang Patu scored 14, and Aniel Nuttal-Mbembe chipped in with eight.
In Sunday’s semi-finals, Kearsney scored a close 47-42 win over St Benedict’s College, while St John’s College faced a familiar opponent of their own in St David’s Marist Inanda. It, too, was tight, with St John’s claiming a 48-41 victory.
In the third-place playoff, Bennies dominated St David’s, racing away to a big 56-25 win.
RESULTS
Friday, 26 September
Pool A
Michaelhouse 43-23 Clifton College
St Benedict’s College 38-34 St Stithians College
Hilton College 62-29 Clifton College
St David’s 42-24 Michaelhouse
Pool B
Kearsney College 46-39 St Charles College
King’s Linbro 49-31 St Peter’s College
St Alban’s College 56-10 Bishops Diocesan College
St John’s College 63-40 St Charles College
Saturday, 27 September
Pool A
Kingswood College 43-38 Clifton College
St Benedict’s College 41-37 Hilton College
St Stithians College 46-29 St David’s
Hilton College 43-24 Michaelhouse
St Benedict’s College 60-35 Kingswood College
St David’s 50-20 Clifton College
St Stithians College 57-19 Kingswood College
St Benedict’s College 38-34 St David’s
St Stithians College 52-25 Clifton College
Michaelhouse 59-29 Kingswood College
Pool B
St Peter’s College 35-17 Bishops Diocesan College
St John’s College 46-39 Kearsney College
St Alban’s College 37-18 St Peter’s College
St Charles College 46-45 King’s Linbro
St John’s College 51-18 Bishops Diocesan College
Kearsney College 59-48 St Alban’s College
St Charles College 47-St Peter’s College
King’s Linbro 43-42 Kearsney College
St John’s College 56-33 St Peter’s College
St Charles College 65-14 Bishops Diocesan College
Sunday, 29 September
Pool A
St David’s 44-27 Kingswood College
Hilton College 59-55 St Stithians College
St Benedict’s College 36-33 Michaelhouse
Hilton College 60-27 Kingswood College
Michaelhouse 46-42 St Stithians College
St Benedict’s College 24-16 Clifton College
St David’s 39-30 Hilton College
Pool B
King’s Linbro 37-32 St Alban’s College
Kearsney College 66-26 Bishops Diocesan College
St Alban’s College 44-43 St John’s College
King’s Linbro 52-20 Bishops Diocesan College
St Charles College 52-48 St Alban’s
Kearsney College 43-27 St Peter’s College
St John’s College 44-33 King’s Linbro
Semifinals
Kearsney College 47-42 St Benedict’s College
St John’s College 48-41 St David’s
Playoffs
St Stithians College 39-35 St Peter’s College
St Alban’s College 57-19 Kingswood College
Monday
Playoffs
St Charles College 47-43 Hilton College
Michaelhouse 50-37 King’s Linbro
Place 13/14
Bishops Diocesan College 24-22 Clifton College
Place 11/12
St Peter’s College 47-36 Kingswood College
Place 9/10
St Alban’s College 48-42 St Stithians College
Place 7/8
Hilton College 42-40 King’s Linbro
Place 5/6
St Charles College 52-40 Michaelhouse
Place 3/4/Bronze Playoff
St Benedict’s College 56-25 St David’s
Place 1/2/Final
Kearsney College 57-56 St John’s College
