Westville Boys’ High triumphs at Jenny Orchard Invitational
In a thrilling conclusion to the Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament, Westville Boys’ High School came from behind to snatch a 65-63 victory from Maritzburg College in Sunday’s final in Pietermaritzburg.
College, the defending champions, started strongly and enjoyed the upper hand in the early going.
Captain Nkhanyiso Ngcobo effectively orchestrated the play as the Red, Black, and White exerted pressure on Westville’s defence, and by the end of the opening quarter, College led 22-12.
In the second quarter, the momentum shifted as Westville clawed their way back into the contest. Whatever had been discussed in the team talk after the first quarter appeared to have made a difference.
For a brief moment, the Griffin went ahead for the first time in the final, at 34-33. At halftime, though, it was all square at 36-36.
The stirring fightback had instilled confidence in the visitors, though, and a hard-fought win earlier in the season in the Alan Paton Memorial Hall assured coach Byron Tucker‘s charges that they had it in them to win.
When it truly mattered, with College leading 61-56, Westville found a way to pull off an incredible win. They levelled at 61-61, and that became 63-63 with only seconds remaining in the contest.
The hosts had a free throw to win it, but it bounced off the backboard and missed the basket. Instead, Westville went down the other end of the court and John Adenumi sank successive free throws to claim the title. They had finished only 11th in 2024.
ESCA claimed third place, defeating Michaelhouse 64-57 in the battle for the bronze. The Soweto Basketball Academy finished fifth after a terrific back-and-forth clash with Kearsney College, triumphing 74-71.
In the battle for the seventh and eighth positions, Pinelands High School defeated Northwood‘s second-stringers by 11 points, which made them the best of the Cape schools, while Durban High School (DHS) returned to form by defeating Clifton College 73-45 to finish ninth.
In a meeting of Cape Town Schools for 11th place, Westerford scored a tight six-point victory over South African College High School (SACS).
The All-Star Team, which was named after the event, included Westville Boys’ High’s John Adenumi, the tournament MVP, who was joined by his team-mate, Lesekho Asikhulume in the line-up. Maritzburg College captain Nkhanyiso Ngcobo also cracked the nod, along with his team-mate, Amogelang Nhlakala, and ESCA’s Simuthandile Radebe.
RESULTS
1st/2nd: Westville Boys’ High School 65-63 Maritzburg College
3rd/4th: ESCA 64-57 Michaelhouse
5th/6th: Soweto Basketball Academy 74-71 Kearsney College
7th/8th: Pinelands High School 62-51 Northwood School
9th/10th: Durban High School 73-45 Clifton College
11th/12th: Westerford 63-57 SACS
Final
A Division Final Rankings
- Westville Boys’ High School
- Maritzburg College
- ESCA
- Michaelhouse
- Soweto Basketball Academy
- Kearsney College
- Pinelands High School
- Northwood School
- Durban High School
- Clifton College
- Westerford
- South African College High School (SACS)
- Wynberg Boys’ High
- Rondebosch Boys’ High
- Kingswood College
- Saheti School
