The Brixton Multipurpose Centre hosted the St John’s basketball tournament on February 20, with teams battling it out in a series of closely contested matches.
The opening game set the tone for the day. St John’s scraped past Alma Mater 46–44 in a match decided by the finest of margins.
Read more: Basketball teams are ready for day 2 of 2026 St Johns College basketball tournament.
St John’s established control early, taking the first quarter 18–10. They followed that up with a 13–11 second quarter to carry a steady lead into halftime. The third quarter was a low-scoring affair at 8–7, before Alma Mater surged late in the fourth quarter, winning it 16–7, but the rally came up just short, and St John’s held on for a two-point victory.
Point guard for Hilton College Asimbonge Myeza. Photo: Waydon Jacobs
Pretoria Boys and Hilton College produced another entertaining contest, with Pretoria Boys emerging 62–58 winners.
Hilton made the brighter start, claiming the first quarter 20–11. Pretoria Boys responded decisively in the second quarter, turning the game on its head with a commanding 22–6 performance. Hilton edged the third quarter 14–13, and again the fourth 18–16, but the damage had already been done as Pretoria’s dominant second quarter proved the difference.
Also read: 2026 St Johns College basketball tournament kicks off
The third match of the day saw Saints fall 38–33 to a determined Northwood College.
Point guard for Saints Thato Sebueng. Photo: Waydon Jacobs
Northwood controlled the opening exchanges, taking the first quarter 11–5. The second quarter was closely fought at 10–9, before Northwood added another 10–7 in the third.
The fourth quarter, however, belonged to Saints. With two minutes remaining, and Northwood holding a six-point advantage, Saints began slicing through the defence with layups. The points steadily added up, and with a minute left, the gap had narrowed significantly. Despite the late charge, Northwood held firm to close out the win.
Saints Boys U15 coach Lindkuhle Nkabini acknowledged the slow start, but praised his players’ response. “I’m really proud of how the boys performed. They showed character and discipline. For the upcoming matches, I am going to work strictly on defence. We matched their height — we were also there with our height.”
If the opening day was anything to go by, the tournament promises more tight finishes and determined performances in the games ahead.
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