South Africa U-17 Ladies win silver medal at AUSC Youth Games
The ninth edition of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games, which took place from 3 to 13 December in Maseru, Lesotho, gave the South Africa U-17 ladies basketball team, a rare opportunity to participate in an international competition. The prevailing state of mismanagement in the sport, has played a major role in preventing South African national sides from participating in junior and senior competitions across the continent and beyond. This scenario has become more prevalent over the last five years.
At the previous eighth AUSC Youth Games, which took place in December 2018, in Gaborone, Botswana, the South African U-17 ladies team won the silver medal. Despite preparations which were disrupted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the U-17 ladies, were determined to replicate and potentially surpass the achievements attained by the 2018 squad. The team’s chance of attaining that goal was bolstered by the return of the 2018 silver medal winning coach, Thesline Davids. At the time of the tournament, Davids was the erstwhile head of the University of Cape Town and Herschel High School women’s programmes.
Team South Africa started off the tournament on a positive note, registering a 66-49 victory over Botswana. Despite an 89-33 lost to tournament favourites Angola in the second fixture, the ladies bounced back, winning their next two encounters against Lesotho and Botswana, by the respective scores of 131-3 and 96-28. By virtue of their three wins and one loss, the U-17 ladies earned a rematch with Angola in the competetion final. However, due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the South African delegation, participating South African squads were ordered to leave Lesotho, therefore preventing the ladies from potentially winning a gold medal. Irrespective of the anti-climatic end to AUSC Region 5 Youth Games, the U-17 team qualified for the 2022 African Youth Basketball Championships, which is set to take place in Mali at a yet to be determined date. South Africa’s stellar performance was a team effort. It nonetheless, enabled us to identify a few players who could possibly take the next step towards becoming dominant players in the South African basketball landscape.
Angel Oguegbunam is without a doubt the team member who has the most upside when it comes to player development. She has size, strength and videos indicate she can already dunk with relative ease. Oguegbunam also hasn’t let her height go to waste and has developed a good interior game, complemented by good rebounding skills. Oguegbunam is a definitely a standout player within the South African context. Nevertheless, in order for her to realise her full potential, she would likely have to continue her basketball path overseas. In the past, South African female prodigy’s such as Phumla Sathula, Emmerentia Ledwaba and Nompumelelo Ramatsoga amongst others, have used their overseas experience to significantly improve their game.
Fortunately, Oguegbunam has a more recent example she can take reference from if she decides to take the going abroad route. Former Royal Bafokeng Jr NBA Program standout Rorisang Lesenyego was South Africa’s best player at the 2018 competition. Following her performance, Lesenyego got a scholarship to play high school basketball at West Oaks Academy in Florida, USA. After her graduation in 2021, she enrolled at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, USA whereby she was granted a full-ride scholarship to study computer science. If Oguegbunam was to take a similar step, herself Lesenyego and University of Witswatersrand standout Ipeleng Nyatlo could form a young core of South African female talent, that we haven’t seen in awhile.
Other players such as captain Le’Thosa Dampies, vice-captain Khanyisile Maphisa, three point shooting ace Luhle Ndaba, Suzannah Whall, Victoria Barton and Kamogelo Motaung also have the possibility of blossoming into great basketball players. The qualification of the U-17 team for the upcoming continental youth championship, despite the challenging circumstances, was a positive way to end the year for the South African basketball community. Our hope is that, the relevant authorities ensure that these deserving players are given the chance to represent the country at this competition, which they worked so hard to qualify for. Furthermore, considering the last time a female national side participated in an international tournament was Afrobasket 2015 in Cameroon, it is imperative that these ladies get the chance to play at the highest level, just like their contemporaries from across the continent.
