Hosts Johannesburg held their nerve to defeat Mangaung 53-52 in a gripping final of the Spar National Netball Championships, claiming a third straight title at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg, on Saturday, 7 December, 2024.
Having lost to the Free State team during the round-robin stage earlier in the week, Johannesburg made sure to avoid the same mistakes at the start of the match. While they briefly dropped behind in the opening quarter, the home side ensured they were all square by the first break which was reached with the score on 14-14.
It was in the final four minutes of the second quarter that the Johannesburg team started to edge ahead, thanks largely to a better shooting percentage. With just three goals in it at half-time (29-26) there was all the play for in the second half.
Johannesburg managed to capitalise on the mistakes creeping into Mangaung’s play and by the end of the third period, they had opened the gap to six goals (44-38).
With victory within their grasp, it was Johannesburg who started committing the errors, however, allowing Mangaung to launch a massive fightback in the final seven minutes of the match. With the hosts looking rattled, Mangaung closed the gap at speed, but in the end fell heartbreakingly short, eventually losing by just one goal.
The loss denied Mangaung a hat-trick of their own, after winning the Telkom Netball League and Varsity Netball titles this year.
Speaking after the match, Johannesburg coach Dr Elsjé Jordaan admitted: “That was very rough. I thought we had done enough but Mangaung produced an incredible fightback so well done to them. We nearly lost it for ourselves but in the end, I think we absorbed the pressure well and I’m very grateful that we could pull through.
“It means a lot – to win this competition that I played in myself three times in a row is something special. It’s been a really tough week with the heat and to manage these girls and then to put up a fight like that, I’m very proud.”
Johannesburg Head Coach, Dr Elsjé Jordaan
Captain Didintle Keebine added: “I feel very overwhelmed but most importantly so proud of my team. This really meant a lot.”
“This week was massive. Each and every player has grown, taking the hits, standing strong, not standing back for anyone, taking your ground – putting your put on the ground and saying: ‘I want this.’ And we did it.”
Johannesburg Captain, Didintle Keebine
While her players were in tears after the match, Mangaung coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm remained pragmatic, expressing her pride in the squad who played the whole week with 10 rather than 12 players because of late withdrawals.
“It could have gone either way … I think we just ran out of time. If there was still a minute or two, I think the result could have been different, but this is a final. You win it by one or lose it by one.
Mangaung coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm
“I’m super-proud of the girls. I take nothing away from them, they were brilliant this entire week… It is what it is. Silver again this year, I’ll settle for it.”
Earlier in the day, the Dr Kenneth Kaunda team from North West got the better of Cape Winelands, beating them 33-30 to secure third place.
In the under-21 tournament, Johannesburg dethroned defending champions Tshwane with a commanding 42-32 victory. That completed a massive turnaround after the Johannesburg under-21 team failed to win any of their matches at last year’s Spar National Netball Championships.
This year the side was coached by the recently retired former Spar Proteas captain, Bongi Msomi, who said afterwards: “From no win to a gold medal, that’s incredible and I’m so excited for them.
“When I was a player I wanted to coach… Today this is just special. I think it’s more special because this shows the development of netball, not just for [Johannesburg] but in the country which is something I’m passionate about.”
Final Results of the Senior and U21 Spar National Netball Championships, at Ellis Park Arena on Saturday, 7 December, 2024
Senior A Section Final
Johannesburg A bt Mangaung A 53-52
Play Off Pos 3/4: Dr Kenneth Kaunda A bt Cape Winelands 33-30Play Off Pos 3/4: Nelson Mandela Bay B bt Vhembe 45-41
Best Shooter: Lefebre Rademan – MangaungMid Court: Bianca De Wee – MangaungBest Defender: Syntiche Kabuya – Cape WinelandsPlayer of the Tournament: Sanmarie Visser – Dr KK
U21 A Section Final
Johannesburg A bt Tshwane A 42-32
Play Off Pos 3/4: Dr Kenneth Kaunda bt Cape Town A 43-28
Best Shooter: Anja Visser – TshwaneMid Court: Johane Meyer – Dr KKBest Defender: Lonwabo Khumalo – ZululandUpcoming Player: Kgomotso Maleho – JohannesburgPlayer of the Tournament: Kyla Dames – Tshwane
Senior and U21 Semi-Final Results on Friday, 6 December, 2024
Senior A Section
Johannesburg A bt DR Kenneth Kaunda A 41-34Mangaung bt Cape Winelands A 50-45
U21 A Section
Johannesburg A bt Cape Town A 38-30Tshwane A bt Dr Kenneth Kaunda 48-26
Senior and U21 Results on Thursday, 5 December, 2024
Senior A
Dr Kenneth Kaunda A bt Ekurhuleni A 55-26Johannesburg A bt Cape Winelands 56-43SA U/21 bt Nelson Mandela Bay A 51-47Mangaung A bt eThekwini A 63-31Tshwane A bt Cape Town A 54-52Johannesburg A bt Nelson Mandela Bay A 54-40Mangaung A bt Dr Kenneth Kaunda A 41-44Cape Winelands bt eThekwini A 56-35Tshwane A bt Ekurhuleni A 56-45Cape Town A bt SA U21 49-48
U21 A
Dr Kenneth Kaunda A bt Mangaung 46-34Johannesburg A bt Cape Town A 50-25Tshwane A bt Zululand 42-21
Senior and U21 Results on Wednesday, 4 December, 2024
Senior A
Tshwane A bt eThekwini 53-36Nelson Mandela Bay A bt Ekurhuleni A 41-39Johannesburg A bt SA U/21 53-46Mangaung A bt Cape Town A 55-53Cape Winelands bt Ekurhuleni A 56-19Johannesburg A bt Dr Kenneth Kaunda A 43-36Nelson Mandela Bay A bt eThekwini A 56-30Mangaung A bt Tshwane A 58-47Cape Town A drew Cape Winelands 49-49SA U/21 bt Dr Kenneth Kaunda A 43-40
U21 A
Cape Town A bt Mangaung 50-37Dr Kenneth Kaunda A drew Johannesburg A 40-40Mangaung bt Johannesburg A 52-29Tshwane A bt Dr Kenneth Kaunda A 51-40
A Section Results on Tuesday, 3 December, 2024
Nelson Mandela Bay 45 – 51 Cape TowneThekwini 34 – 33 EkurhuleniDr Kenneth Kaunda 41 – 39 Cape WinelandsMangaung 50 – 47 JohannesburgTshwane 45 – 45 Nelson Mandela BayCape Town 69 – 46 eThekwiniTshwane 53 – 59 Dr Kenneth KaundaCape Winelands 53 – 37 SA U21Johannesburg 63 – 32 EkurhuleniMangaung 50 – 42 Nelson Mandela BayCape Winelands 62 – 44 TshwaneeThekwini 34 – 53 Dr Kenneth KaundaCape Town 42 – 58 JohannesburgEkurhuleni 33 – 61 SA U21Mangaung 53-42 SA U21
A Section Results on Monday, 2 December, 2024
Cape Town 57 – 45 EkurhuleniCape Winelands 56 – 24 Nelson Mandela BayJohannesburg 69 – 35 eThekwiniTshwane 48 – 42 SA U21Mangaung 63 -27 EkurhuleniDr Kenneth Kaunda 51 – 30 Nelson Mandela BayeThekwini 44 – 53 SA U21Johannesburg 63 – 42 TshwaneMangaung 46 – 51 Cape WinelandsDr Kenneth Kaunda 47 – 51 Cape Town
Original Copy: Netball SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Captain of Johannesburg A Didintle Keebine and her charges embrace the trophy representing their third consecutive Spar National Netball Champs title win, at Ellis Park Netball in Johannesburg, on Saturday, 7 December, 2024. All Photos: Reg Caldecott
Photo 2 Caption: Sizeka Adaans of Mangaung A and Sanelisiwe Ntombela of Johannesburg A in action during the final, which tournament hosts Johannesburg won.
Photo 3 Caption: Anja Visser, goal shooter of Tshwane U/21 controls the ball in the circle during the final, won by Johannesburg U21 on Saturday, 7 December
Photo 4 Caption: Former Spar Proteas captain Bongi Msomi’s Johannesburg U/21 winners dethroned defending champions Tshwane with a commanding 42-32 victory.
