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One of the most exciting variations of basketball has seen the WSU ladies’ and men’s basketball team try their hand at the three-a-side version of the game at the USSA Winter Games held at the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks).
The 3X3 basketball variation is played by three players per side with one backboard and a half-court setup, and, according to a study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, is the largest urban team sport in the world.
Both the ladies’ and men’s teams finished fourth in the competition after bowing out at the semifinal stage due to losses against UP-Tuks and University of Johannesburg (UJ) respectively.
“I’m very proud of the ladies for all the hard work and effort they put in despite numerous challenges during the preparation stages. Not once throughout the whole tournament did the ladies show any signs of giving up, which was a testament to their determination,” said captain and third-year hospitality management student, Samantha van Aswegen.
She said the team needed a lot more vigorous physical training and specific, 3X3 basketball skills practice as well as preparation games so as to get more in tune with the how this version of the game is played and its physical and intellectual demands.
The ladies team amassed a total of three wins out of six round-robin games, beating Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Rhodes University (RU), and University of Limpopo (UL), whilst also losing to UJ, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and UP-Tuks to finish fourth in the log standing before going on to lose 21 – 6 to the hosts yet again.
The men’s team, led by shooting guard Olebogeng Matabane, shared a similar record with the ladies’ team, registering wins against VUT, RU and UL, and also losing to UJ, TUT and UP-Tuks to finish fourth in the round-robin standings before succumbing to UP-Tuks.
” Basketball as a sporting code has great potential to put the university’s name on the map because it’s a global sport with great appeal not just in this country, but worldwide. We appeal to the university to play an integral part in the development and guidance of our players,” said the men’s basketball coach, Siyabonga Ntlongweni.
WSU LADIES TEAM: Samantha van Aswegen; Alizwa Klaas; Lesego Mathe; Boitumelo Sepotokele
WSU MEN’S TEAM: Olebogeng Matabane; Ntsako Resenga; Karabo Tshumane; Thimna Mahleza
By Thando Cezula
