The Rep 21 February 2020

THE Rep
SPORT
CONTACT
Friday 21 Fe b r u a r y, 2020
US WITH SPORTS NEWS:
m j e k u l a l @ t h e re p.co. za
(deadline: noon Tuesdays)
Queen’s take on Grey PE
Despite rain cutting game short, players show
growth after just two years of starting basketball
ZINTLE BOBELO
Sa t u r d ay ’s rainy weather
left the Queen’s basketball
court wet, resulting in the
cancellation of the school’s first
team game against Port
Elizabeth rivals Grey High
S ch o o l .
Due to safety reasons, standin
coach Nkululeko Gamede
said the game was cancelled in
the first quarter when Grey was
leading with five points, with
one point for Queen’s.
“We always have the best
interests of our boys at heart and
had to cancel the game because
the courts were wet.”
Responding to the p l aye r s ’
performance on the day,
Gamede said: “We are
extremely proud of the boys and
their growth in the past two
ye a r s .
“This is essentially our
second year playing basketball
and we were able to put about
50% of wins in our pockets.
“This obviously shows that
the sport and the boys have
developed in such a short time.
“The number of boys
wanting to play basketball has
increased and we are getting a
lot of schools from around the
province who want to play
against us, so there are exciting
times ahead.”
Grey teacher-in-charge,
Siyabonga Denga, said the
game was tight.
“Queen’s have obviously
started basketball recently, but
they were pushing us hard.
“We were slowly starting to
get ahead.” Gamede said they
were looking forward to the
upcoming tournaments.
“The U16s were at the St
Stithian’s College basketball
tournament and the next couple
of tournaments coming up are
the St John’s U15 and the first
team’s basketball tournaments,
as well as the Jeppe U14
tournament.
“We are excited that we
were able to find tournaments
outside the province to expose
our boys to basketball in
different areas.
“There is no doubt that will
continuously help us grow.
“Basketball is arguably one
of the fastest growing sports
provincially and nationally,
especially in the summer
s e a s o n ,” Gamede said.
FAST MOVING: First team basketball players Yondela Mbasane, from Queen’s, left, and Liyema
Hoyi, of Grey High School, chasing after the ball at the Queen’s basketball courts on Saturday
Picture: ZINTLE BOBELO
Breakers blown away
FIT FACILITY: The new sports facility for top athletes, launched at The Rec by the department of
sport, recreation, arts & culture in partnership with Queen’s College Picture: SUPPLIED
New sports academy
for talented athletes
ZINTLE BOBELO
A sports academy was officially
launched on Friday at the
Recreation Grounds to help
develop talented athletes in the
Chris Hani district.
Provincial senior sport
development manager Bafundi
Makhubalo said the aim of
establishing academies in
different districts in the province
was to nurture identified talent.
He said Queen’s was one of
the schools assessed by the
national department which had
met the criteria required.
“We applaud the leadership
at Queen’s for agreeing to go
into this partnership with us.
“Schools will always be the
bedrock of sport development.
“Therefore for us to achieve
the vision of making SA a
winning nation, we must make
sure we work and source the
schools accordingly.
“In 2013, the then minister,
Fikile Mbalula, and the
president of the SA Sports
Confederation and Olympic
Committee [Sascoc] signed a
framework on the academies of
sport in the country, and many
athletes have since managed to
get ministerial bursaries to be
placed in schools,” he said.
Eastern Cape Sports
Confederation president
Mkhululi Magada said
beneficiaries of the initiative
would hail from different areas
in the district.
“This will greatly assist the
district and because the facility
is situated at Queen’s College it
does not necessarily mean it
will only accommodate pupils
from the school,” Magada said
“We will identify children
from rural areas who will be
placed at the school.
“A lot of excellent athletes
come from rural areas and have
no access to such equipment.
“This initiative is to motivate
and host aspiring top athletes.
We want to monitor their
progress so they can compete at
national and international
l e ve l .”
Queen’s headmaster Janse
van der Ryst said the
collaboration was significant.
“The potential for the people
and communities of the Komani
we are serving is endless and
should fill us with hope.
“Two years ago our school
developed Vision 175 and
b e yo n d ,” he said.
“Queen’s College aims to be
an internationally recognised
educational institution of
excellence.
“We have identified four
actions that will propel us
towards our vision; to care
deeply, think critically, act
bravely and collaborate.
“What we are here to
experience today is the act of
collaboration between these
two institutions.”
MAXWELL LEVINE
Progress and Swallows became
the first two teams to book their
places in the semifinals of the
lucrative Eastern Cape Super 14
rugby competition. Both teams
have won five out of five
matches. The competition itself
has been a revelation and the
level of competitiveness in both
groups has been immense.
Breakers were simply blown
out of the park in front of their
supporters at the Thobi Kula
Stadium by an unforgiving
Progress outfit, who hammered
the home side 68-3 in a flawless
display of attacking rugby.
Breakers never really
seemed to fight for a win, but
instead resorted to trying to
defend. Their discipline also let
them down. They paid the price
DONE AND DUSTED: Triumphant Komani
runners who participated in the Discovery
Surfers Challenge 2020, are, from left, Kathy
Helm who completed 10km, Karen Chellew
(10km), Antoinette Godley (17.5km) and Erin
Chellew (10km) Picture: SUPPLIED
with two yellow and a red card.
Progress lead Group A on 23
points. Since the inception of
the competition the Uitenhage
team has never won the
tournament, but there have
been a couple of heart-breaking
final appearances.
Swallows had to dig deep to
beat Kruisfontein 38-36 in a
pulsating match in Humansdorp
to also book their place in the
knockouts. The Border champs
were leading 28-3 at halftime,
but let their oppoinents back
into the game. At one point
Kruisfontein lead 36-35 before a
penalty saved them. Swallows
are on top on 22 points.
Ncerha Leopards continue
their good run and have
virtually secured their spot in
the semifinal after beating their
closest contender, Harlequins,
28-18 to put them on 18 points.
Mathematically they need
two points to secure a safe
passage, with Black Eagles still
to play. Park had an easy 24-3
win against Eagles while Trying
Stars recorded their first win by
beating Old Selbornians 18-12.
It was just the opposite in
results for another Uitenhage
outfit as Gardens recorded a
fifth straight loss when Police
overcome them 32-17.
The much-anticipated tie
between Swallows and African
Bombers is at the NU1 Stadium
in Mdantsane on Saturday. Pro -
gress face Young Leopards, with
Breakers off to Park. Harlequins
host Black Eagles with Old Boys
at home to Kruisfontein. Trying
Stars go to East London to face
Police. Ncerha Leopards and
Gardens have byes.
KOMANI RACERS: Local runners braving the
heat at the Discovery Surfers Challenge 2020
held in East London recently are, from left,
Marlene De Wet (10km), Wayne Pottinger
(17km) and Shameem Farooq (10km) P i c t u re :
SUPPLIED