Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge enters playoffs
The second day of the St David’s Marist Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge kicked off early on Friday, following an impressive day one of the tournament, which produced some exciting performances and splash plays.
The defending champions, St Benedict’s College, concluded their pool stage schedule with another win, but they were made to battle until the end by Sacred Heart College, eventually coming away with a one-point victory, 40-39. That narrow defeat, unfortunately for the resilient Sacred Heart squad, kept the team out of the quarterfinals.
Bennies’ reward for topping Pool A is a tricky quarterfinal clash with Pretoria Boys High, who finished second in a tough Pool D.
Second place in Pool A went the way of King Edward VII School (KES). They handed St Andrew’s College a 46-25 defeat to secure the runner-up position.
Unlike Pool A, which featured only two games, matters were busier in Pool B. St David’s Marist Inanda experienced mixed fortunes, winning one and losing one. They were pushed hard by Parktown Boys’ High in their opener but came away with a 32-28 win. However, in their second outing, St John’s College dominated and powered their way to 55-29 victory.
St John’s had an impressive day and they ended it atop the group. After beating St David’s, they followed up with another comprehensive win, downing Grey High 69-29.
St Stithians College will face St David’s in the quarterfinals after claiming first place in Pool C. Saints have shown the mettle to win tight games and the talent to overrun teams, and both were on display on Friday.
Jeppe High School for Boys stretched Saints, but St Stithians came away with an eight-point win, 48-40. Then, they romped to a big 86-26 victory over Redhill School.
Pool D featured Michael Mount Waldorf School, Pretoria Boys High, St Peter’s College, and King’s Linbro. Michael Mount, the winner of Kearsney College’s Independent Schools Stayers Basketball Tournament, finished top of the group.
In their key pool game, Michael Mount handed Pretoria Boys High a 43-32 loss. They faced a second tough outing on Friday, against The King’s School Linbro Park. It produced a tight tussle all the way through to the final whistle, but when it sounded Michael Mount had claimed a 33-31 victory.
U18 RESULTS
Pool A
KES 46-25 St Andrew’s College
St Benedict’s 40-39 Sacred Heart
Pool B
St David’s 32-28 Parktown Boys’ High
St John’s College 69-25 Grey High
St John’s College 55-29 St David’s
Grey High 50-46 Parktown Boys’ High
Pool C
St Stithians 48-40 Jeppe
Hilton College 52-20 Redhill
Jeppe 48-40 Hilton College
St Stithians 86-26 Redhill
Pool D
King’s Linbro 42-35 St Peter’s College
Michael Mount 43-32 Pretoria Boys High
Pretoria Boys High 56-17 St Peter’s
Michael Mount 33-31 King’s Linbro
Saturday Fixtures
u18 Quarterfinals
St Benedict’s College vs Pretoria Boys High
St John’s vs Jeppe
St Stithians vs St David’s
Michael Mount vs KES
u18 Classification games
St Andrew’s College vs King’s Linbro
Grey High vs Hilton College
Sacred Heart vs St Peter’s
Parktown Boys’ High vs Redhill School
U15 RESULTS
Hilton College 39-35 St Alban’s
KES 59-12 St Peter’s College
Sacred Heart 45-39 King’s Linbro
St John’s College 65-24 Michael Mount
St Andrew’s College 62-19 Redhill School
Parktown Boys’ High 42-24 Jeppe
St Benedict’s College 63-54 St Stithians College
St Alban’s College 34-30 KES
Hilton College 71-24 St Peter’s College
St John’s College 47-24 Sacred Heart
Michael Mount 34-32 King’s Linbro
St Andrew’s College 51-50 Pretoria Boy’s High School
St David’s 77-6 Redhill School
u15 Quarter finals
St Alban’s College vs St Andrew’s College
St David’s vs KES
St Benedict’s vs Sacred Heart
St John’s vs St Stithians
u15 Classification games
Jeppe vs St Peter’s College
Redhill vs KES
Parktown Boys’ High vs Hilton College
Pretoria Boys High vs Michael Mount
