Umbilo Kings and Cwebezela crowned Jr. NBA/WNBA Tournament champs

Umbilo Kings and Cwebezela Primary School lifted the boys’ and girls’ Jr. NBA/WNBA Tournament titles at Umlazi’s Victoria Mxenge Sports Centre on Sunday.

From day one of the tournament, Cwebezela stood out and they quickly established themselves as a fan favourite. They were clearly the class of the field and dominated their opposition.

Following a resounding victory over Durban Girls’ College (DGC) in their first match in Pool B,  Cwebezela rolled to a 31-4 win over Sukuma Primary School, exhibiting robust offensive and defensive strategies, exceptional ball-handling skills, and solid shooting accuracy, which posed significant challenges for their opposition.

Performing as a well-rounded unit, they asked questions their opponents couldn’t answer.

Umbilo Kings were on song from their first outing in the boys’ division, triumphing over some stout opposition, which included a stunning 23-2 victory over Molweni. They added a hard-fought victoryover Shakahead Basketball Development, winning a tight contest 12-7.

The semi-finals and finals of the boys’ and girls’ divisions were exhilarating. In the girls’ final four clashes, Cwebezela Primary School handed Shakahead a 10-6 defeat, while Liv Village held off Sekelani, claiming an 8-4 victory.

In the boys’ division, Umbilo Kings defeated Kearsney College 18-3, while Home Turf Hoops, who had won a number of matches by narrow margins, squeaked past The Clan, winning 19-18.

Then, in the girls’ gold medal match, Cwebezela downed Liv Village 22-10, while Umbilo were pushed all the way by Home Turf Hoops before claiming an 18-15 win and the title.

The Most Valuable Players Awards went to the leading performers on the tournament champion teams. Cwebezela’s Anele Thusi was named the girls’ MVP, while Lancey Kawomba, of Umbilo Kings, was the boys’ MVP.

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Siya Pongco

A passionate reader and dedicated writer, Siya possesses three degrees from Rhodes University including a Postgraduate Diploma at Rhodes University. He also played amateur cricket and soccer, both during his university years. While honing his journalism skills at Grocott’s Mail in Makhanda, he developed a profound interest in the community’s response to crime. Additionally, he covered topics such as art/culture and student politics at Rhodes University in 2022. In his spare time, Siya can be found exploring galleries, dining at restaurants, indulging in literature, taking photographs or savouring his favourite dish, spaghetti.

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