22 February 2023
Kearsney College’s under-14 basketball team made their mark at the inaugural Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament, hosted by Maritzburg College over the leave-out weekend, by capturing the title.
The boys from Botha’s Hill enjoyed an outstanding tournament, playing six games and coming away with a perfect six wins.
Their first game, against Maritzburg College, turned out to be their tightest of the competition, with Kearsney recording a 46-39 victory. Only Saint David’s Marist Inanda, in a pool fixture, also managed to get within 10 points of Kearsney. Later, they defeated the Johannesburg school in the final by 12 points.
Apart from the two wins over Saint David’s and the win over College, Kearsney also recorded comfortable victories over Westville Boys’ High, Clifton and Saint Charles College.
Under-19 competiton
The Kearsney College 1st team also excelled. They beat eventual champions, Michaelhouse, 47-38 in a pool game, and finished the pool stages unbeaten after thumping Bishops Diocesan College 75-3 and beating Eswatini’s Usuthu Forest 52-41.
In the quarterfinals, Kearsney emerged victorious from a potential banana skin clash against a strong Northwood team, winning 58-51. Saint Charles then handed Kearsney their only loss of the tournament, coming from behind with a late game surge to capture a 51-42 victory.
That set up a third and fourth playoff against Maritzburg College, who have been in impressive form all season. Kearsney, though, had the answers on this occasion and secured third place with a 61-53 win.
RESULTS
Under-14
Pool
Kearsney College 46-39 Maritzburg College
Kearsney College 53-12 Westville Boys’ High
Kearsney College 39-29 Saint David’s Marist Inanda
Kearsney College 57-15 Clifton
Semi-finals
Kearsney College 46-24 Saint Charles College
Final
Kearsney College 38-26 Saint David’s Marist Inanda
1st Team
Pool
Kearsney College 47-38 Michaelhouse
Kearsney College 75-3 Bishops Diocesan College
Kearsney College 52-41 Usuthu Forest
Quarterfinals
Kearsney College 58-51 Northwood School
Semi-finals
Kearsney College 42-51 Saint Charles College
Third and Fourth Playoff
Kearsney College 61-53 Maritzburg College
Leave a Reply