Top teams make statements at Youth Classic Basketball Tournament
Day one of the Youth Classic Basketball Tournament, organised by African Grassroots Hoops, delivered captivating action on the courts of the German International School, in Cape Town, on Saturday.
The popular tournament is a highlight of the developmental basketball calendar and attracts both local teams and sides from beyond the borders of the Western Cape.
On Saturday, the Soweto Basketball Academy, Montana Vikings, and Bulldogs, caught the eye.
Male Competition
The Soweto Basketball Academy, after being beaten in the final of the Soweto Basketball Uprising Tournament by Jozi Stars on Monday, returned to winning ways with successive victories on the opening day of the Youth Classic Basketball Tournament.
They’re top of Group A, with the maximum four points after a 49-22 win over the Titans Basketball Club, which they followed with an equally convincing 50-22 defeat of the Cape Town Sharks.
The Sharks, though, had no problems dealing with the Hout Bay Hurricanes, cruising to a one-sided 48-5 win. They’ll face the Titans in their final group game, with a win guaranteeing them a place in the semi-finals, and they look odds-on to advance to the final four.
It was a tough day for the Titans, who lost both their games. After their defeat to the Soweto Basketball Academy, they were edged out by Hout Bay, going down 22-25.
The Montana Vikings, who made the semi-finals of the Soweto Basketball Uprising Tournament, before falling to the Soweto Basketball Academy, picked up two wins in Group B.
In their opening match, they were pushed hard by Eagles Basketball Club A but came away with a 33-25 victory. The Eagles showed in the loss, though, that they are formidable contenders.
Their second match brought an even tighter win for the Montana Vikings, who held off Snipers Hout Bay to take a 32-30 win.
After day one, Eagles Basketball Club A, with three points, is in second place, just one point behind the Montana Vikings. They scored an impressive and hard-fought 65-62 victory over the Lions Basketball Club in their other outing on Saturday.
The Lions Basketball Club, in third, also has three points after they grabbed a one-point win over Snipers Hout Bay, triumphing 43-42 in a tense match.
In Group C, the Bulldogs made a resounding statement, not only to the teams in their group but also to every other team participating in the Youth Classic Basketball Tournament by posting a clean record while dominating their opposition.
The first team to suffer a defeat against the Bulldogs was Blouberg, who were beaten 43-22. The Westcliff Eagles were handed a 65-26 loss, and Eagles Basketball Club B became the third team to go down, with the Bulldogs powering their way to a 44-26 victory.
In other Group C fixtures, the Westcliff Eagles claimed a tight 33-28 victory over Eagles Basketball Club B. They made it two from three, then, with a 52-43 victory over Blouberg.
Female Competition
The women’s tournament features six teams, split into Group A and Group B.
On Saturday, the defending champions, Hotshots Basketball Club, along with the recent back-to-back champions of the Soweto Uprising Basketball Tournament, the Soweto Basketball Academy, were on song, as was the Montana Vikings.
Leading in Group A, the Hot Shots Basketball Club squeaked by Shaq Squad, winning 18-16, before letting loose against Hout Bay United and running away to a 38-11 win, which ensured their progress to the semi-finals.
In Group B, despite travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town through the early hours of Saturday morning, the Soweto Basketball Academy showed no signs of jet lag, as evidenced by their commanding 46-16 win against the local Langa Kings in their opening match of the tournament.
Also in Group B, the Montana Vikings rumbled to a 37-17 victory over the Langa Kings.
Results
Saturday
Male Competition
Group A
Cape Town Sharks 48-5 Hout Bay Hurricanes
Soweto Basketball Academy 49-22 Titans Basketball Club
Soweto Basketball Academy 50-22 Cape Town Sharks
Hout Bay Hurricanes 25-22 Titans Basketball Club
Group B
Montana Vikings 33-25 Eagles Basketball Club A
Lions Basketball Club 43-42 Snipers Hout Bay
Montana Vikings 32-30 Snipers Hout Bay
Eagles Basketball Club 65-52 Lions Basketball Club
Group C
Bulldogs 43-22 Blouberg A
Westcliff Eagles 33-28 Eagles Basketball Club B
Bulldogs 65-26 Eagles Basketball Club B
Westcliff Eagles 52-43 Blouberg A
Bulldogs 44-26 Westcliff Eagles
Female Competition
Group A
Hotshots Basketball Club 18-16 Shaq Squad
Hotshots Basketball Club 38-11 Hout Bay United
Group B
Montana Vikings 37-17 Langa Kings
Soweto Basketball Academy 46-16 Langa Kings
Sunday
Male Division
Group C
Court C
09:00 – Blouberg vs Eagles Basketball Club
Group A
Court A
09:55 – Titans Basketball Club vs Cape Town Sharks
Group B
Court A
10:50 – Lions Basketball Club vs Montana Vikings
Court B
10:50 – Hout Bay Snipers vs Eagles Basketball Club A
11:45 – Hout Bay Hurricanes vs Soweto Basketball Club
Semifinals
12:40 – A1 VS Top 2nd Place
13:35 – B1 vs C1
Male Division Final
15:00
Female Competition
Group B
Court A
09:00 – Soweto Basketball Academy vs Montana Vikings
Group A
Court B
09:55 – Shaq Squad vs Hout Bay United
Semifinals
11:45 – A1 vs B2
12:40 -B1 vs A2
Final
14:30
