Netball giants lock horns

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Friday November 9, 2012 00:00

 

Southern region's champions BDF Cats, Notwane, Jungle Queens and Prisons have been grouped with their northern counterparts TASC, Botsrail, Miscellaneous and Sua Flamingo. Interestingly, reigning champions BDF Cats have been placed in pool B while the previous season's winners TASC are in pool A with Notwane, Miscellaneous and Prisons.

The teams will battle it out at pool level and two teams from each group will proceed to the semi-finals. Jungle Queens, third place finishers in the southern region, have massively prepared for the Top Eight. The police outfit have been in camp since Saturday and look poised to put up a strong fight for honours.

Queens are yet to reach the semi-finals in the history of the league and will be looking to go beyond the quarters stage. The club's captain Lilian Rankgwe believes they are geared up for tomorrow and is hopeful they will book a berth in the semis. 'We have been in camp since Saturday and I feel we have done enough preparations. We are ready for any team that we will face,' Rankgwe told Mmegi Sport.

Apart from goal defender Opelo Setshwana, Rankgwe said all her teammates were fit for the game. With quality players like goal attack Patricia Ollyn, the industrious Khumo Tutuwe and sharp-shooter, Gomolemo Balesamang they can pull off a surprise. 'Our target is to make top four and we are all eager to do that because it will be our first time,' added Rankgwe. Cats are likely to be without goal attack Kelebaleng Modise due to work commitments. Modise is marking Standard Seven examinations and looks likely to miss tomorrow's games.

However, Cats' coach Flora Kedibonye believes she has enough ammunition to retain the title. Kedibonye will pin her hopes on reliable goal shooter Tebogo Radipotsane. 'We want to retain the title and we know it will not be easy, but we have been training hard and preparing for it,' she said. As has been the norm in past years, the battle for the ultimate prize is likely to be between the two army sides - TASC and Cats.