TASC lifts P1M Spar trophy

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Monday November 29, 2010 00:00

 

TASC star players, shooter Violet Moabi and middle court player Ogone Gabaratane both won Best shooter and Best mid-player awards, as their team bagged  P15, 000 cash and  a floating trophy.

The much-anticipated game started with an all-out attack by TASC who were in top form throughout the first quarter.

TASC goalscorer (GS), the towering Moabi seemed to be in the right position at the right time as she was always available to successfully slot home most of the balls she received from her teammates.

Her physique and height were humiliating to Notwane goalkeeper Kagisano Mawela who was no match for her.

Realising this weakness, TASC resorted to playing high balls, which the smaller Notwane players found difficult to deal with.

Nonetheless, the Toronto girls tried fighting back but their efforts were only able to help them finish the quarter with nine baskets to TASC's 15.

In the second quarter, TASC continued their dominance, scoring 29 baskets against Notwane's 17. The third quarter however saw a more organised Notwane as they had the most ball possession. They, however, failed to make that ball possession count.

The last quarter was an intense affair between the two teams. The Toronto girls were eager to make a comeback.

TASC however proved they were the better side taking the game easy and frustrating their opponents. Notwane ended the game with three injuries; one of them forcing their centre (C) player, Amogelang Ngwako, to be replaced.

TASC coach, Samuel Letsatsi said since the beginning of the league, their mission has been to be the first side to win the Spar-sponsored league.

He said that his team has been training intensively since the league started. 'We train as a team and work as a unit in the court,' he said.  Letsatsi said when they started training during the past week, they knew that there were only two teams they could face in the finals, these being Notwane or BDF Cats. He said that during practice, they formulated two-game plans to overcome their adversary. 'Notwanes's defenders play in the national team and we made a strategy to break through their defence, which worked at the end of the day,' he said. Letsatsi said they deliberately slowed down the pace of the game, a tactic intended to lure all the Notwane players to the front.

Notwane coach, Oteng Masole said he was happy with a second-place finish, considering that Notwane had not reached the finals in more than a decade.

'We weren't defending as a unit and depended much on our goalkeeper, and our goal defence (GD),' he said.

Masole said they would go back to the drawing board and prepare for next season. Meanwhile, netball giants BDF Cats finished third after beating UB Crystals 47-35 in a losers' final that was held on the same day. BDF Cats lost in the semi-finals to Notwane whilst UB Crystals were beaten by TASC to qualify for the finals.