St David’s and DHS break long win streaks in impressive victories
The unpredictability and thrill of schoolboys’ basketball was to the fore on the weekend, with St David’s Marist Inanda and Durban High School (DHS) pulling off notable victories over their highly-regarded opponents.
St David’s got the better of St Benedict’s College for the first time since 2023, while DHS ended Northwood‘s long unbeaten streak at home, handing the Knights their first loss on their home court since 2020.
In Sandton, St David’s made their home court advantage count by beating Bennies for the first time since they came out on top in the semi-finals of the St John’s College Basketball Tournament in 2023.
That year, they also beat St Charles College in a pool stage game, but went down 36-40 to the Pietermaritzburg school’s powerhouse team, which was powered by the dominating play of 6’10” Storm Gilchrist, in the final.
Saturday’s win was secured in front of an electrifying crowd, with the Inanda spirit palpable, as St David’s delivered a determined and disciplined performance to secure a hard-fought victory.
The win brought to an end a five-game losing streak against St Benedict’s. Following the victory, the Director of Basketball at St David’s, Elvis Ukpong, said: “It’s not just that we won the game, it’s that we did it by playing our brand of basketball.”
He also lauded his team’s fighting spirit and courage, saying they were the keys to a deserved victory.
Daniel Rautenbanch and Nathan Hwindiwy guided the St David’s team with poise and determination, and they set the standard for their teammates. Thendu Munyai, though, was the player who drove the home side to victory.
Next weekend, St David’s faces another stiff challenge. They’ll be at home against St Alban’s College – a contest that Ukpong characterised as a fierce confrontation.
St Alban’s took on St John’s College on Saturday and suffered a 46-60 defeat. It’s a result that would have disappointed them, but it will serve as fuel to inspire the Pretoria school against a confident St David’s side. St Alban’s, season after season, remains a top unit, and they’ll be a tough challenge for St David’s
King Edward VII (KES), meanwhile, continued its dominant season with an emphatic 56-35 win over Pretoria Boys High.
Matters were far tighter in the clash between The King’s School Linbro Park and Jeppe High School for Boys. It went down to the wire, with King’s Linbro claiming a narrow 48-47 win.
In KwaZulu-Natal, Durban High School (DHS) ended the long unbeaten home run of the back-to-back St John’s Basketball Tournament champion, Northwood, which had begun way back in 2020.
School started strongly and quickly grabbed a narrow lead. Despite the Knights’ best efforts, they were never able to haul in the visitors, who happily celebrated a win that surely made the rest of KZN’s top teams sit up and take notice.
Kearsney College defeated Glenwood High 74-47 in a match that provided essential playing time for several of Kearsney’s bench players.
After going down to Northwood last weekend, it was a strong comeback and a decisive victory for Kearsney over the visitors.
They exerted their dominance from the first quarter, building a 27-15 lead. In a far tighter second quarter, the Botha’s Hill boys extended their lead. They didn’t score much, but they limited Glenwood to only two points, which left Kearsney 33-17 ahead.
In the third quarter, Kearsney opened up its advantage to 20 points, taking a 52-32 lead into the final quarter. They further stretched their lead to conclude the contest with a clear-cut 74-47 victory.
Kearsney College also took on the Kearsney College Old Boys (KCOB) team. There was plenty of pride at stake, and plenty of action for the spectators to enjoy. When the final whistle sounded, there were only four points in it, with Kearsney securing a 61-57 win.
It was an unforgettable match for Kabo Ramodibedi, who not only received his 50th cap but also lined up against his father, Napo Ramodibedi, who was part of the Old Boys team. His mother, Rethabile, watched from the stands.
Maritzburg College remains in high spirits following their championship victory at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) Basketball Tournament at the end of January. Over the weekend, College thumped Clifton College 84-21.
It was the latest in a long line of impressively dominant performances from the Red, Black, and White.
Westville Boys’ High, meanwhile, controlled the tempo of the game and were better at both ends of the court in an impressive 84-65 defeat of Hilton College.
Michaelhouse also claimed a victory, narrowly defeating St Charles College. ‘House held a narrow lead throughout, but they were never able to relax as Saints kept fighting tigerishly to the final whistle.
There were only three points in it at the end, with Michaelhouse triumphing 54-51.
In the Eastern Cape, Kingswood College secured a 36-10 win over BCM Irons while Queen’s College overran Dale College 52-11.
RESULTS
Gauteng
KES 56-35 Pretoria Boys High
St John’s College 60-46 St Alban’s College
Linbro Park 48-47 Jeppe
St David’s 32-25 St Benedict’s
Eastern Cape
Kingswood College 36-10 BCM Irons
Queen’s College 52-11 Dale College
KwaZulu-Natal
Westville Boys’ High 84-65 Hilton College
Kearsney College 74-47 Glenwood High
Michaelhouse 54-51 St Charles College
Maritzburg College 84-21 Clifton College
DHS 73-69 Northwood
