Johannesburg will face Dr Kenneth Kaunda while Mangaung are up against Cape Winelands in the 2024 Spar National Netball Championships Semi-Finals on Friday, following results on the final day of group-stage action at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg, on Thursday, 5 December, 2024.
Johannesburg sealed their spot, topping the log thanks to a superior goal difference to Mangaung, with another two victories on Thursday, first beating Cape Winelands 56-43, and then claiming a 54-40 victory over Nelson Mandela Bay.
Johannesburg coach Elsjé Jordaan said it was mission accomplished for her side, who had planned from the start to finish the round-robin stage on top.
“We’re very happy – just to build that winning culture that we’re used to. It took a lot of hard work. We had to dig really deep. There are some tired bodies but now the tournament starts all over again.”
Johannesburg Coach, Dr Elsjé Jordaan
She added that her side will need to start their matches better, as they head into the knockout rounds. “We’ve got a few inexperienced players who are playing for the first time at this level, and you can see it at the start,” said Jordaan.
“They have to grow up, you have to learn somewhere, and the only way you learn is being out there on the court! So that’s been a bit painful for us, and quite expensive. We turn a lot of ball and then we don’t get the reward with the score, so we need to get those percentages up.”
Despite Johannesburg handing their only loss of the tournament so far, last year’s runners-up Mangaung finished in second spot on the log on goal difference, after suffering a defeat of their own, to Cape Winelands on the opening day.
Speaking after her side had notched up a 63-31 victory over eThekwini and beaten fellow semifinalists Dr Kenneth Kaunda 44-41 in a tight encounter on Thursday, Mangaung coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm said: “These are the types of games we really train for!”
“We have to test ourselves when we are under pressure and I’m quite pleased with how we kept the ball even under immense pressure. It shows we are ready for the semifinal.”
Mangaung Coach, Martha Mosoahle-Samm
Mosoahle-Samm said she and former Spar Proteas teammate Jordaan (the Johannesburg coach) are always pleased to avoid each other in the semifinals.
“We always look out for each other and joke with Elsje saying we don’t want to play each other in the semis, but there is no easy semifinal. This is the top four… We don’t take anything for granted. It’s going to be a tough one.”
Speaking about taking on the only side to have beaten them this week for a place in the final, the coach added: “The girls know that we slipped up against them earlier in the week. I think it’s a good semifinal for us – just to go and rectify all the mistakes that we made.”
Relieved to have made it into the final after three losses in the tournament were Dr Kenneth Kaunda, who beat Ekurhuleni 55-26 earlier in the day before going down to Mangaung.
After losing to Johannesburg earlier in the day, Cape Winelands defeated eThekwini 56-35 to secure third spot on the log and will meet Mangaung in the semifinal.
Heading into the day, Cape Town still had an outside chance of reaching the semifinals after their draw with Cape Winelands on Wednesday, but a surprise 52-54 loss to Tshwane put paid to those plans.
Meanwhile, in the under-21 tournament, defending champions Tshwane safely negotiated their way into the semifinals where they will come up against Dr Kenneth Kaunda while in the other semi, hosts Johannesburg will take on Cape Town.
Semi-Final Fixtures of the Senior and U21 Spar National Netball Championships, at Ellis Park Arena on Friday, 6 December, 2024
Senior A Section
Semifinal 1
11h30: Johannesburg A vs Dr Kenneth Kaunda A
Semifinal 2
13h00: Mangaung vs Cape Winelands
U21 A Section
Semifinal 1
08h30: Johannesburg A vs Cape Town A
Semifinal 2
10h00: Tshwane A vs Dr Kenneth Kaunda
Results of the Senior and U21 Spar National Netball Championships at Ellis Park Arena 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: Panashe Chiranga of Johannesburg and Chrisley Marshall of Cape Winelands pictured in action on the final day of group-stage action at the 2024 Spar National Netball Championships at Ellis Park Netball in Johannesburg, on Thursday, 5 December, 2024. All Photos: Reg Caldecott
Photo 2 Caption: Dr Kenneth Kaunda Goal-shooter Sunel Smit shoots to score against Mangaung, qualifying for the semi’s but going on to lose this encounter 44-41.
Photo 3 Caption: Johannesburg Wing Attack Alex Marimeris in action against Nelson Mandela at Ellis Park Netball pictured during the first of the hosts’ wins on Thursday.
Photo 4 Caption: Bianca de Wee of Mangaung and Catlyn Watt of eThekwini depict the intensity of play on day 4 of the 2024 SPAR National Netball Championships.
