Boasa coach accuse netball officials

MOGOMOTSI MOLOI
Correspondent | Wednesday October 17, 2007 00:00

 

The coach was speaking after his charges sneaked through to the ranking stage of the Debswana Championships - northern region - over the weekend. Boasa started Group B games as firm favourites but were let down by a porous defence. The Francistown side scored the least number of goals, 143, compared to the other three sides that sailed it through. National champions TASC, Selebi-Phikwe Prisons and Boteti were rampant as they marched to the next stage of the championship. 

Mosimanewapula said that his less rated girls played better despite hiccups they experienced over the weekend. He expressed concern that some officials plotted against his team but he was impressed that the players defied the odds to make it to the next round. During the game against Marwaneng, Boasa stepped into the court late and found that their opponents have scored five goals. There was no warm-up before the game.

This did not go down well with Mosimanewapula although his girls eventually managed to pull a 20-19 victory. 'I did not know why they (umpires) did that. They allowed that game to start while my girls were still unprepared,' he said.

He asserted that the officials switched fixtures unnecessarily and without notice. 'I do not want to say they were sabotaging me but my feeling is that some of them did not want my team to qualify.' Mosimanewapula, who serves as the Botswana Netball Association (BONA) northern general secretary, indicated that his new recruits did a splendid job against the odds. Boasa are currently leading the northern league though they have played more games than TASC. Shooter Seabo Thukwi, mid-court player Tryphinah Machola and goalkeeper Boipuso Nomatombe played their hearts out to make sure that Boasa qualified for the next round last Saturday. The prison-backed outfit missed key players like Emma Sanjibu and Gabalemoge Baipetli.

Hopefully, Mosimmanewapula said, the duo would join the team soon before the Debswana Championships end. He would be satisfied if his charges make to the  semi-finals of the tournament because of the high level of competition. Meanwhile, last year's Debswana Cup finalists TASC had a field day walloping every side that they met at Donga army camp. The Tango Girls won five games against Mahalapye-based Botswana Railways, Aces, Wanderers, Bojanala and Phikwe Club. TASC proved to be a force to be reckoned as they humiliated Railways 72-1 in the opening game. The next stage of the tournament will be held this weekend in Orapa to determine the rankings of the northern teams. The southern region has already held its ranking games with giants BDF Cats finishing ahead of Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Hawks and Notwane. The four sides will fight out in the quarter-finals with their northern counterparts at a date to be set.