As Africa’s top-ranked team, the Proteas delivered on Friday (13/12) an impressive performance, dominating a determined Zimbabwe side that fought relentlessly until the final whistle. With this victory, South Africa has set up a final against Uganda’s She-Cranes, who shocked the heavily favoured Malawi Queens with a 51-43 win in the second semi-final.

From the outset, the Proteas showcased their superior speed, accuracy, and court coverage. They edged ahead with a narrow 17-13 lead in the first quarter, capitalisng on strong centre-court play and precise shooting.

In the second quarter, South Africa extended their lead through well-executed passes, relentless centre court pressure, and clinical shooting. They went into halftime with a dominant 34-21 lead.

‘This has been our focus from the beginning’

The Proteas continued to dominate in the third quarter, maintaining a formidable defensive presence and consistently exploiting gaps in the Zimbabwean defence. By the end of the period, South Africa opened an 18 goal lead.

In the final quarter, South Africa remains composed, securing the 63-41 victory. This win extends South Africa's unbeaten record against Zimbabwe, having won all eleven encounters in recent years.

The win left the Proteas coach, Jenny van Dyk, smiling and they continued to build on their consistency and since she took over the team is yet to taste defeat. “We are preparing for Uganda exactly as expected. This has been our focus from the beginning, and we’ve trained with them in mind,” said Van Dyk.

 “The players faced a tough start in the semi-finals, but they rallied and turned things around well before the end of the first quarter. Zimbabwe started strong, but our players did an excellent job maintaining consistency throughout the match.

‘The team is ready’

The ability to rotate all 12 players in a semi-final speaks volumes about the depth and quality of our squad. “The team is ready. We will continue to prepare thoroughly in the lead-up to tomorrow’s final, but we’re confident in our ability to give our best performance.”

Saturday’s final between South Africa and Uganda will take place at the Dome in Swakopmund, starting at 14:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg