Northwood wins, finishes season unbeaten
Northwood School, for a second consecutive year, staked its claim to be the number one basketball team in South Africa. With a win on Saturday, they finished the season unbeaten to affirm that status.
They were pushed all the way in their last outing, against Maritzburg College, in Pietermaritzburg, and had to overcome an early double-digit deficit to keep their immaculate record intact.
Games between Northwood and College are, invariably, must-watch high intensity clashes and it was no different on the weekend. Their rivalry is not just one of KZN’s best, it is also one of the best in the nation.
Kent VanderYacht, Northwood’s coach, remarked during the St John’s College Basketball Tournament to SuperSport Schools Plus that the clash with Maritzburg College is among the most eagerly awaited games for his team, due to the intensity and high calibre of basketball exhibited by both sides.
He also shared an astounding fact: Northwood has not lost at home since February 2020.
They kept their 2025 winning record intact in the Alan Paton Memorial Hall with a stirring 74-68 victory.
The Red, Black, and White aimed to upset The Knights’ festivities, as the latter was still basking in the glory of their recent victory at the St John’s College Basketball Tournament, where they beat St John’s College 53-42 in a fiercely contested final to go back-to-back as the champions of the prestigious event.
Northwood’s regular season proved to be challenging, but each time they came away with a W.
They beat Michaelhouse 64-50, won 77-53 at Kearsney College, and defeated Durban High School (DHS) 62-53.
They won by 20 over Hilton College, scoring a 79-59 victory, and, in a showdown between two powerhouse teams, they triumphed 71-64 over Westville Boys’ High School, the champions of the Jenny Orchard Invitational Tournament.
In other KZN clashes, St Charles College sneaked by Kearsney College 64-63, while Hilton College won by four over their arch-rivals, Michaelhouse, taking a home win by a 57-53 margin.
DHS, who had beaten Clifton College at the Jenny Orchard Invitational, won again against Clifton, taking a 69-46 win at home.
While some Gauteng schools had already concluded their seasons, there were still some mouthwatering matches to play, including St John’s College, who held off St David’s Marist Inanda 43-39 in a tight defensive clash.
In a rematch of the third-place playoff at the St John’s Basketball Tournament, Pretoria Boys High School defeated Jeppe 49-39. They had won 31-26 at St John’s.
On Friday evening, St Alban’s College achieved a resounding victory over Christian Brothers College (Boksburg), running away to 97-22 win.
Weekend Results
Northwood 74-68 Maritzburg College
St Charles College 64-63 Kearsney College
Hilton College 57-54 Michaelhouse
St John’s College 43-39 St David’s Marist Inanda
St Alba’s College 97-22 Christian Brothers College
Durban High School 69-46 Clifton College
Pretoria Boys High School 49-39 Jeppe
