10 October 2023
The responses from coaches and managers to the introduction of the Michaelhouse Invitational Basketball Tournament, contested for the first time in the school’s very impressive Indoor Centre, on 6 and 7 October, has been that it was a resounding success. The boys had a blast, and some very good basketball was produced.
The first team to catch the eye was St Stithians College, who showed great cohesion from the opening tip-off. But it was noticeable, too, how quickly some of the other sides developed over the course of two jam-packed days.
Tight competition
Saints looked like the class of the field in the early going, but soon it became clear that they were not the sole front-runners. Kearsney showed great depth and their A side qualified to face their B side in the quarterfinals, while the Drakensberg Boys Choir, who were an unknown quantity, performed well to reach the quarterfinals, too.
The hosts, Michaelhouse, had their A team reach the last eight, along with DHS A, Saint John’s College A and Hilton College A, who impressed with their size and athleticism.
Playoffs
There, St Stithians accounted for the Drakensberg Boys Choir, winning 35-24. Michaelhouse A held off DHS A 36-32, and Kearsney A downed Kearsney B 43-34. In the pick of the clashes, Hilton A edged out St John’s A 29-28.
Kearsney A moved on to the title-decider by getting one over the hosts, Michaelhouse A, recording a comfortable 33-25 win. Meanwhile, Hilton A shocked St Stithians A, claiming a 38-34 win to put themselves into the gold medal game.
In a cracking contest, deserving of a final, only one point separated the teams at the end as Hilton A sneaked a 35-34 victory over Kearsney A to become the inaugural Michaelhouse Under-14 Invitational Basketball Tournament champions.
Future goals
It brought the curtain down on a very successful first edition of the event, which will surely attract many more teams in 2024. It began with 12 sides, but the goal, said Michaelhouse Master in Charge of Basketball, Clint Sliedrecht, is to have a tournament that features A and B divisions, with each containing 20 teams, and the action taking place over four days.
The model is the Kearsney Independent Schools Stayers’ Tournament, which has been tried and tested, and which has evolved into one of the country’s most popular and prestigious basketball events.
Stamp of approval
An interested spectator at the past weekend’s tournament was Northwood’s 1st team coach, the American, Kent VanderYacht, fresh off of leading the Knights to the Kearsney Invitational Basketball Tournament title. He spoke enthusiastically about the new tournament: “I think it is very important. The younger we can get these boys playing basketball the better, that’s what I find.
“Coming from America to here, the fundamentals are lacking, and if we can get them at 14, or even younger is better, these tournaments are so important to their basketball development.”
VanderYacht said the appetite for the game in South Africa is massive and growing all the time. “I love schoolboy basketball. The enthusiasm you have around the schools is amazing. It’s comparable to the American game,” he reckoned.
“I started basketball in 2019 at Northwood, and since then the growth of the game, and how the schools are taking it more seriously, has been amazing. I love seeing the growth of all the kids, and how much the kids want to play.”
Referees
The Michaelhouse Invitational Basketball Tournament was not only an important growth opportunity for the players, but for the referees, also, with many matches to be officiated in a short amount of time.
Technical Director Mpumelelo Mtshali said the approach of the match officials was a little different too: “The under-14s are more of a developmental level. Some of them are new to basketball, some have played in primary school. We’re not as strict with them, but we’re still teaching them the rules, the fouls and violations.”
At the same time, there was an opportunity to help grow the ranks of the referees. “Three of the refs here are development refs,” Mtshali explained. “Hopefully, they improve because each of them refs with a senior ref.”
FINAL CLASSIFICATION RESULTS
11th/12th: St Charles A 20-15 Michaelhouse B
9th/10th: Northwood A 26-15 St John’s B
7th/8th: St John’s A 34-23 DHS A
5th/6th: Kearsney B 24-15 Drakensberg Boys’ Choir A
3rd/4th: St Stithians A 37-34 Michaelhouse A
1st/2nd: Hilton A 35-34 Kearsney A
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