It is often said that all good things come to an end, and it did yesterday in Gqeberha for the Tuks when they lost 62–61 to Northwest in the Varsity Netball Tournament.
It is the first time in 13 games Tuks got beaten. During last year’s Varsity campaign, Tuks won nine games on the trot to win the title. This time around, they have won their first three games.
From a statistical perspective, Tuks dominated all that happened on the court against Northwest. They had more attempts at goal, a better goal-shooting percentage, more intercepts, etc. But they lost where it mattered, and that was the scoreboard.
Kudos to the Northwesters because they were the team who wanted it more. They stayed disciplined, made the right changes at the right time and were so clinical when they had the ball in hand.
The game was decided in the two powerplays. Tuks could only score four points, while Northwest upped their tally by 12.
Tuks is still second on the log despite the loss with 13 points. UJ, the only unbeaten team, has 16 points. Kovsies, with 13, and Northwest, with 12, are the other teams in the top four.
The reality is that Tuks could be in for a tough challenge. They ought to secure a semifinal spot if they can win one more game. It is, however, not going to be easy. This coming Monday at the Rembrandt Hall, they are playing Maties.
For the team from Stellenboch, it is a must-win game as they already lost twice. Another defeat could end their aspirations of contesting the semifinals. If Tuks lose, things might also get tricky, as in their last two games, they will play Kovsies and UJ.
If there is one thing that Tuks netball fans know about watching their team play, it is that tough times never last, but tough players do. Luca Keun, who played for the Tuks the previous year when they did not lose once, would vouch for it. She prides herself in her never-say-die attitude during a game.
“I believe a game can be won or lost in the last three seconds. It is why I am prepared to ‘fight’ for a victory until the referee’s whistle blows for the final time. This actually goes for all of us. The nice thing about playing for Tuks is knowing your teammates have your back.”
When Keun says this, it can’t be helped to think about the famous Three Musketeers quote all for one and one for all. It is what Tuks netball is about.
Shadine van der Merwe, who captained Tuks to their first Varsity Netball title in 2017, is now an assistant coach. To have a role model as a coach is special to Keun.
“Shadine has changed how I play as a goalkeeper or goal defence as she encourages me to be bolder. To her, making a mistake is not the end of the world; what matters is making a bold move that could change the outcome of the game.”