Cape Town Tigers, A snap shot of the South African Streak

The Cape Town Tigers, a team established in 2019, has already consolidated its status in South African basketball folklore despite their short period of existence. Tigers owner Raphael Edwards along with his management team, meticulously set the foundation for the Tigers to become South Africa’s premier basketball side, which saw them defeat national club powerhouse Jozi Nuggets in the South African Club Championships. The Tigers subsequently passed their inaugural test on the continental stage with flying colours, by successively defeating, Roche Bois Warriors, Matero Magic and Ferroviario de Beira, during Group F play of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) preliminary qualifying round, which took place in October in Johannesburg. Based on previous matches, basketball enthusiasts will pay keen attention the trio of former Cleveland Cavaliers player and McDonalds All American Billy Preston, Nigerian international Ben Uzoh, another player with prior NBA experience and Central African Republic (CAR) international, Evans Ganapamo, to spearhead the Tigers push to grab one of three BAL qualifying spots. However, despite the polished pedigree of the aforementioned players, the Tigers South African contingent has a lot to prove and we will highlight some of these players who might make the difference over the course of the next few days.

Pieter Prinsloo: Prinsloo belongs to the select category of South African basketball players who have pursued successful overseas professional basketball careers. Having initially plied his trade at Marist University in the NCAA Division I circuit, Prinsloo, has subsequently had stops in Spain and across Central and South America, which culminated in him playing in the Basketball Champions League America’s for Chilean side Universidad de Concepción, in 2021. Nevertheless, the possibility of playing at the second edition of the BAL was an opportunity too great the Pretoria-born and US-raised Prinsloo to pass up. Despite spending the majority of playing time in the US, Europe and Latin America, Prinsloo has significant African experience, having suited up in 2017 for the Lagos City Stars of the now defunct Continental Basketball League (CBL). Later in the same year, he made his national team debut, featuring for South Africa at Afrobasket 2017 in Senegal and Tunisia, whereby he averaged 12.3 points per game (ppg) and 4.7 rebounds per game (rpg). Prinsloo has been able to replicate, this performance with the Tigers, averaging 14 ppg and 10.5 rbds during the October BAL qualifiers, including a memorable 25 point, 15 rebound output during the group finale against Ferroviario. The Tigers will be up against tough competition, but Prinsloo’s skill, leadership and overall experience will be determinant in helping the Tigers achieve their qualification objective.

Chris Gabriel: Gabriel also belongs to the small cohort of South African’s who have had long term oversea’s professional basketball careers. After featuring at San Diego University, an NCAA Division I side, Gabriel found himself playing with clubs in Denmark, Georgia and Iran before moving back to his native Cape Town. Gabriel is also not a novice to African basketball, having participated with the South African national side at Afrobasket 2011 and 2017. During the October group stage of the BAL qualifiers, Gabriel averaged a respectable 9 ppg and 7 rbg and will also hope to provide the necessary spark for the Tigers and contribute to their qualification for the final round of 12.

Miguel Ferrao: Ferrao has been one of the most recognizable domestic talents over the last five years. Whilst a student at the University of Witswatersrand, one of South Africa’s top varsity basketball programmes, Ferrao won two USSA national championships  in 2016 and 2018 as well as the Varsity Basketball title in 2018. Ferrao also featured with the Egoli Magic of the Basketball National League (BNL), wherein he won multiple trophies with the team. On the international stage, he represented the Portuguese junior national team, before undertaking a nationality switch, which warranted his selection for the South African side at Afrobasket 2017. Ferrao also won gold with the USSA national side at the 19th edition of the Confederation of University and Colleges Sports Associations (CUCSA) which took place in Botswana in 2018. Ferrao is an extremely efficient player who can play around the basketball as well as at the perimeter. During Group F qualifying fixtures, Ferrao’s number’s weren’t eye popping, averaging 6 ppg and 3.5 rbds, nevertheless, Ferrao’s size and diverse skill set will be advantageous as they face players of similar calibre during this round.

Lehlogonolo Tholo: Tholo is another household name in South African basketball circles, with the Pretoria native having established a reputation as one of the country’s most reliable guards. Tholo has previously featured with the Tshwane Suns of the BNL and was also part of the South Africa national team which went to Afrobasket 2017. During his stint with the Tigers, Tholo has dutifully served in his role as a back up to starting point guard to Ben Uzoh. While he doesn’t provide the same scoring touch, nor doesn’t he possess the Uzoh’s level of creativity, Tholo is a good ball handler, accurate passer and a good defender who provides the necessary energy for the fast-paced games the Tigers have played so far. The player dubbed the “Mamelodi Express” will hope to build on his role as an impact player, as the Tigers embark on the most important part of this qualifying tournament.

Somusa Mthembu: For the better part of the last decade, Mthembu was regarded as one of South Africa’s most promising post players. Mthembu demonstrated flashes of his potential during his tenure with the Tshwane Suns, which warranted him a call up to the South African senior men’s side for the 2017 Afrobasket qualifiers. Nevertheless, Mthembu didn’t fully live up to the prospects the basketball community had anointed with and has sought to redeem himself with a move to the Tigers. Mthembu has significantly improved his game and gave a telling testimony of how much being with the Cape Town side has rekindled his love for the game, during an interview in the lead up to the preliminary qualifiers held in October. However, Mthembu’s contribution during those fixtures was negligible and in order for Mthembu to have a fighting to chance to remain on the Tigers roster, he will need to consistent by doing the little things such as; playing tough defense, rebounding, boxing out, making hustle plays and showing overall increased effort.