BDF V stun Saints in BBA league match

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Monday May 7, 2012 00:00

Oarabile Mphate also dropped in with another double, hitting 10 in the second and third quarters of the match.Mike Lempholo had tried to keep the Saints in contention with 14 points, but poor defence cost them dearly as BDF kept widening the point gap. The saints had played well in the opening quarter managing to contain the powerfully built BDF starting five.

The quarter ended 16-11 in favour of BDF with Lempholo's four points in less than 20 seconds before the buzzer pushing Saints to end the quarter with a double figure.BDF came with all guns blazing in the second quarter with Boineelo Thapisa, Oarabile Makwate and Mphato dropping in a collective 24 points to push BDF to 41 points at the end of the quarter, while Saints could only drop in eight points to end the quarter at 19.

Saints dominated open play and attacked well in the first two quarters, but found BDF disciplined in their zonal marking often winning the ball and breaking quickly to punish them. Saints tried to recover in the third quarter, scoring 17 points against BDF's 13.

Shima Khumanego was the top scorer in the quarter with his seven points being vital for the Saints' recovery. But the guard could have hit a double had he converted multiple chances he had in the quarter.  Both teams' defences were shaky in the final quarter, but BDF managed to score 23 points to take their tally to 77 while Saints added 21 points to end the match at 57. 

It was Saints' second successive loss on the road in the past week after crashing 58-22 to Panthers on Labour Day. It looks nothing has changed for them from the previous season when they were the whipping boys of the league with big guns like Spartans and Troopers demolishing them with ease.  Meanwhile, BDF's good showing so far has catapulted them near the summit of the log, thus making them early favourites to clinch the championship at the end of the season.