Basketball Africa League - The Big Tip Off

Ntunja believes Tigers have a championship DNA

Tigers fine-tuning in key areas for Elite 16

EXITING the O.R. Tambo international airport, one of the most noticeable features at this national asset is a billboard of the legendary point guard and Cape Town Tigers assistant coach, Vincent Ntunja.

Throughout his playing career, Gugulethu-born Ntunja has also dabbled in modelling and promoting brands. He has appeared on billboards, television advertisements and to top it all off, he is a brand ambassador for sports apparel company, Under Armour. This ability for Ntunja, a former basketball player in South Africa, to be marketable is a sign of the game’s infinite potential for growth. However, ongoing governance issues plaguing the sport in the country make it a far fetched dream for most players.

“We have to start by asking, who is managing the game? Who provides the guidelines for basketball from a business and branding perspective? Those are vital people to have within the administration of the game. Right now, along with other issues, basketball lacks in that department,” said the 40-year-old Ntunja. “Despite what’s happening with the game in the country, it has not stopped me from achieving my goals. Under Armour approached me and it was clear from our discussion, we had mutual interests. They understood my drive, my intention to not only be a basketball player but also to be marketable outside the game.

Second Picture — **Cape Town Tigers coach Vincent Ntunja has made the most of his opportunities. Pictures: Big Tip Off**

“So, if we fix the governance issues and place people in the right places in terms of administration, there will be a good product in South Africa. The pie is big enough for everybody to get a slice.”

The former national team player says appearing on the billboard that encourages and promotes tourism in the country is part of leaving a legacy.

“It’s massive! To appear on a billboard at OR Tambo is a milestone. Can you imagine how many people pass through the airport daily? Having your face planted there signals something. It’s a message to every child that it is possible.

“As I speak to you right now, I am at a shoot in Fish Hoek, and I am enjoying myself. It’s for a purpose and I don’t take these opportunities for granted. I can feed my family and have the chance to travel. I am grateful.”

On matters related to the basketball court, recently retired Ntunja and the new ‘it’ team in South African basketball, Tigers are riding a wave of success. Two weeks ago, the American-owned club qualified for the Elite 16 qualifiers of the Basketball Africa League. The Tigers left the preliminary qualifying tournament held at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus with a 3-0 record after beating Roche-Bois Warriors (Mauritius), Matero Magic (Zambia) and Ferroviario Da Beira (Mozambique).

Ntunja expressed his joy at the achievement of the Tigers and stressed that a lot went into getting the team where it is.

“We are elated because of what we achieved in a short space of time. We did not take any shortcuts in preparing ourselves and getting the players to be in tune with each other. Remember that these are guys from different backgrounds and attitudes,” said the former Western Cape Mountaineers player. “Certain feelings or emotions can come to the fore. That’s where we come in to help manage the situation. These are professional players. We appreciate their input and why they are here.”

Having taken a step closer to the BAL tournament, the Tigers are contributing to changing the attitude towards basketball in South Africa.

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“We are changing the narrative about basketball in South Africa. We are changing how people in our city and the country see the game,” said Ntunja. As the Tigers prepare for the Elite 16, which tips off December, they will have to double their efforts.

“The team has been working hard to get ready for the Elite 16, because we do have reasonable expectations of ourselves. We will to take on each challenge as it comes. The team is in a good space, and we are not taking anything for granted. We will be back at the beach training and doing our skill sets on the court. We want to improve on our team chemistry and bonding as a unit.”

Going into the Elite 16, one of the areas where the Tigers need to be a cohesive unit is defence and players need to maintain their on court-discipline. The preliminary qualifiers saw key players, Chris Gabriels and Billy Preston ejected, while team captain Pieter Prinsloo fouled-out.

Ntunja says as a coaching staff, they have communicated with the players about tightening up at the defensive end and learning how to manage themselves in tense situations.

“On the subject of discipline, we have been teaching the players self-mastery. Some of the guys may have been overwhelmed by the stage or even the intensity of African basketball. Those issues need to be addressed and players must understand the task at hand,” said the former Cape Peninsula University of Technology Alumni. “Our defence. We speak about it daily. The rebounding, we must not allow the opposition to get those second-chance looks. That will win us games. We need everybody to be on board at the defensive end.”

In terms of the Tigers play, Ntunja was impressed with the performances of seasoned campaigners Ben Uzoh, Pieter Prinsloo, Evans Ganapamo, and Billy Preston who stepped up for the team in the preliminary leg of the qualifiers. Worth noting as well, was their ability to knock down shots.

“I liked our shooting. It was decent. I must compliment our players ability to step up. Our captain Pieter had a great final game against Beira. Against Matero, Ben and Evans delivered for us, and Billy stepped up,” said Ntunja. “We have always asked the guys to take the lead on the court. As their coaches, we have given them all the information. It’s up to them to apply it.”

**Cape Town Tigers players celebrate winning the National Club Championships**

The Tigers have made known their lofty ambitions to qualify for the BAL and their desire to be crowned champions of the prestigious tournament. To make their BAL dream a reality, they will have to contend with competition that harbours similar desires in the Elite 16.

“We will go back to the drawing board to correct some of the issues and improve on our strengths and we want to focus on the areas that allow us to do more than just participate in the tournament. We are going to the tournament to compete to be champions,” said Ntunja. “If you look at our record, we are unbeaten. Since the Tigers project began, we have not lost a game. So it tells you how much this means to us and how badly we want it. It’s been a good experience, and we will let our hard work speak for us.”

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Sithole feels Tigers have the right tools for BAL mission

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Sithole has exceeded his expectations on the court

THE age of 26 is the middle of an athlete’s prime years. It’s where they develop a level of maturity in their craft and begin their pursuit for greatness or greener pastures.

Well, this is not the case for South African basketball player Thabo Sithole. The KwaZulu-Natal-born point guard is content with what he has achieved on the court at his young age. He has represented South Africa at the 2017 AfroBasket, co-hosted by Senegal and Tunisia and donned the colours of Lithuanian club, Zalgiris Kaunus. In South Africa, Sithole had stints with KZN Basketball National League (BNL) franchises Marlins and the now-defunct Duzi Royals.

“For myself, I have exceeded my expectations in basketball. I did not start as a basketball player. I participated in athletics and played provincial rugby in primary school,” said the former Durban High School pupil. “When I became serious about basketball from grade eight, I never thought I would end up in Europe or represent the country in AfroBasket.”

The journey seems to be getting better for Sithole. He recently joined Mother City club Cape Town Tigers, who are on mission to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) tournament. Before heading to the Western Cape, Sithole was a part of Jozi Nuggets’ losing effort to qualify for the same tournament at the National Club Championships final in September. Now he sees being part of the Tigers as a way of helping South African basketball.

“I joined Nuggets for two or three months. I came through on the weekends to play matches up here (Gauteng) and go back. After the finals, I felt that I should join the Tigers because you need your best eight South African players and the foreign players to represent the country,” said Sithole. “So, I am for South Africa first. It does not matter if I am wearing the colours of the Cape Town Tigers or Jozi Nuggets, I play basketball for the country.”

“I’m not focusing on the NBA or going back to Europe. I want the best for South Africa. It would be better to help develop basketball here rather than to go overseas, while things here are going nowhere.”

After his overseas sojourn, Sithole realised he needed to explore all avenues to secure his future. He took a break from basketball to focus on his studies.

“When I came back from Lithuania, I realised I do not want to bounce around from country to country, which is the case with players overseas. Sometimes you can get injured. For example, if you hurt your knee, you could be out for a year or two. I did not want that for my life,” said Sithole, who is pursuing his masters in development studies at University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). “So when I got back, I told myself, let me look for ways to better myself, so I paused a bit on basketball. It’s difficult to strike that balance, but we are more than just athletes.”

Having played in the BAL qualifiers in 2019 for Jozi Nuggets, Sithole highlighted why the Gauteng side could not progress in their first attempt and why Tigers have a better chance.

“It was tough playing in 2019 because there were some issues. The BNL did not want to release players to help Nuggets. So we only had a few players who could play at that level,” said the UKZN player. “This time around, the team (Tigers) is much stronger. Good players have joined this club. It’s going to be tough, but I think we will manage.

“In this team, there are guys who have played in the NBA. Guys like myself who played for top clubs in Europe and at the AfroBasket. I know the kinds of challenges that might come. There will not be any nerves or panic, because I have experienced such situations before.”

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Sithole is part of a basketball club trying to rock the landscape of South African basketball on the court. Unfortunately, the Tigers’ arrival coincides with a long-time unstable political basketball climate off the court. This is a situation Sithole is both familiar with and has been outspoken about.

“There are people who have been running basketball at national and BNL level. They have been running basketball for a long time. Their treatment of players has not been the best, and there have been many issues,” said Sithole. “I remember coming back from national team duty, they (Basketball South Africa management) took our kits, and the reason given was, ‘there are no funds’, but we found out that the Lotto had given BSA money. Other issues include things not being done on time and if you get injured, it is not clear that there is insurance to cover players.

“It’s unfortunate that those individuals are still in charge. So, when I tweeted to the minister to do something, I was saying somebody from above needs to act. In terms action being taken, things like making sure forensic audits are done and basic good governance would go a long way to remedy the situation. If that does not happen basketball will continue to be in a dark place. ”

Are the Tigers that catalyst for change in South African basketball? Sithole pointed out that South African-owned teams have struggled to attract investment, which has not been an issue for American-backed Tigers. If the newly formed club progress beyond the BAL qualifiers, Sithole hopes both business and government will look at basketball differently.

“What the Tigers are trying to do is a good thing but other clubs are struggling. Tigers are an American-owned team who did not get funding from local banks or mobile telecommunications companies. Maybe this team can help the private sector and government see things differently by qualifying for the BAL,” concluded Sithole.

BAL QUALIFIERS GROUP F

VENUE: UJ SOWETO CAMPUS

FIXTURES:

DAY 1: Thursday

12pm Ferroviario da Beira (MOZ) vs Matero Magic (ZAM)

3pm: Cape Town Tigers (RSA) vs Roche-Bois Warriors (MRI)

DAY 2: Friday

12pm: Roche-Bois Warriors vs Ferroviario da Beira

3pm: Matero Magic vs Cape Town Tigers

Day 3: Saturday

12pm: Matero Magic vs Roche-Bois Warriors

3pm: Cape Town Tigers vs Ferroviario da Beira

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Tigers ready to earn their stripes in BAL qualifiers

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BAL a chance for players to become super stars

FOR Cape Town Tigers big man Pieter Prinsloo, South Africa is where his heart has always been. His allegiance and patriotism run deep, skin deep.

Embellished on the Tigers captain’s right arm are tattoos of the national flag and the big five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo), elements that celebrate his South African roots.

Prinsloo always held the ambition of representing South Africa through the Proteas cricket team, but his life took a different turn when he moved to the United States, where he picked up basketball. Despite living most of his life in the US and playing professionally in different parts of the world, Prinsloo never forgot the country of his birth.

“As a kid growing up here, I always thought I would play for the SA national cricket team. It did not work out that way because I left for the States. For me, this (South Africa) is my home. It’s where I am from, and I will never forget that,” said 29-year old Prinsloo. “Soon as I got out of the house and was allowed to do my own thing, the first thing I did was to get a tattoo of the South African flag.

“For me, that’s my heritage. I also have tattoos of the big five. The tattoos on my right arm are a celebration of my heritage. So wherever I am in the world, and people take note of the tattoos, I let them know this is my representation of home.”

Prinsloo knows all about representing South Africa at the highest level. He has donned the green and gold vest at the 2017 AfroBasket co-hosted by Senegal and Tunisia. Now he will have another opportunity to represent his country, but this time in the colours of the Tigers, who beat Jozi Nuggets 76-70 in September to become the new National Men’s club champions.

The Cape-based club will take on four Southern African teams in the Zone VI Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers from 19- 24 October in Johannesburg at the University of Johannesburg Campus in Soweto.

Pretoria-West born Prinsloo believes hosting the games and hopefully qualifying for the BAL presents an opportunity for Tigers to help raise basketball’s profile in the country and for players to make a name for themselves.

For us, it’s great! It’s an opportunity for guys to become superstars. Some of the guys realise that. When they walk in the street, they will be recognisable. It also means long-term security. It means guys can change their lives and futures,” said Prinsloo, who experienced his bit of the limelight. “I have experienced that playing in countries overseas, where somebody would say ‘hey Prinsloo can I get a picture.’ So, for me, it’s normal to be on a poster because something is going here or there.”

“For South Africa… it’s probably the richest and most talked about country in Africa, but in sport, we ain’t doing sh*t. Our rugby is up and down. Cricket has its scandals. Soccer has not been relevant in, who knows for how long? So we know by what we are doing, we can become a big-time face in this country.”

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Unfortunately for Tigers, they will not host the BAL qualifiers in their home city, and according to Prinsloo this is a missed opportunity for the club and its fans. He also felt the tournament organisers made it impossible for the Tigers to host the event.

“We would have loved to have the games here. We are the SA champs, and we are from Cape Town, but the organisers made it a complicated process in trying to host it here. They had a lot of requirements that we felt were excessive, but they have their rules, so we left it at that,” said Prinsloo. “We would have preferred to have it in Cape Town. Our fanbase is here. It also could have helped us with our branding, marketing of the game, and we could grow our support even more.

“We do have a fanbase in Johannesburg because of the growth of the game, and people see the work we have done.”

The issue of where games should held, has not been a distraction for the Tigers players, as they have continued preparing for the BAL qualifying tournament. They have also added some quality players to help them reach their objective. The only stumbling block could be the lack of meaningful competition since being crowned national champions.

“Training wise, things have been going good. We have incorporated a couple more pieces. Jared (Harrington) is included again after missing out on the championships because of paperwork. We have also filled our African slot with Evans (Ganapamo) and Ben Uzoh, who played with us at the championships. Billy Preston from the States has also joined the team,” said Prinsloo, a former Marist Red Foxes player.

“We have not had many practice games, but in training, things are coming together. The talents we have brought in are starting to click with the rest of the team. There is good chemistry. Guys are starting to understand each other.

“It’s been hard to find competitive scrimmages. We get better runs going five-on-five in the team at training because of the size and skill. It’s been hard to find a similar kind of talent that we will face in Joburg.”

Third Picture — **Cape Tigers captain Pieter Prinsloo receives the medals from BSA secretary general Victor Bergman.**

The talent that lies in wait for the Tigers comes in the form of Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique), Matero Magic (Zambia), Mercenaries (Zimbabwe) and Roche Bois Warriors (Mauritius).

Prinsloo is familiar with Beira, having had a stint with the club. He also provided some insight into what the Mercenaries and Matero will bring to the table.

“Beira is a team that likes to press. They play at a fast tempo. So teams that press don’t handle it very well because they don’t want that pressure. I know some of the guys from Zim. They might have some guys who play here and there in SA. The Zambians play with a quicker small team,” said the former Universidad de Concepcion player.

“I don’t see it causing complications for us. We have a balanced team; we can go big or small at any time. There is size and skill in every position. A guy like me can play small forward, power forward and centre. We have a team that can go quicker or slower. We don’t want to play the opposition’s game. We want to play our game.”

While the qualifying process is still a long one, Prinsloo who has won championships in El Salvador and Nigeria feels that winning the BAL would add another feather on the cap.

“For me, on top of what I have accomplished in my career… I have played in champions league in South America and competed against some the best players in the world. So, winning BAL would add another championship to my resume. To bring that trophy back home and to Cape Town, that would be crazy. It would be an honour,” concluded Prinsloo.

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