Neo Mothiba - The Big Tip Off

St Alban’s coach Victor Fouda was a pillar of the game

IT would be an understatement to say that Victor Fouda’s passing in late December has left a substantial void in the South African basketball scene. A familiar face in various courts, Vic embodied everything good about the game. He was a dedicated mentor, saw the bigger picture, and was a strong pillar within the basketball community, especially in Tshwane.

I did not think the last time I would see him would be a few weeks before I travelled for the AfroBasket in Angola last year. Our final conversation naturally revolved around basketball and the focus on the Cameroon U19 team. Analysing his country’s poor performances at the 2025 U19 World Cup in Switzerland, he pointed out that the wholesale changes made to the playing personnel that qualified for the tournament after making the 2024 U18 AfroBasket final disrupted the team.

One of the comments he made that stuck with me was, ‘You cannot buy chemistry.’ Given his many years of moulding and shaping young men on the court for over 20 years at St Alban’s College and his track record of success at the high school and BNLSA levels, it would have been hard to go against his sentiments.

What I fondly recall about him is that everyone felt his presence on St Alban’s game days. The players on the court, the bench and fans were all treated to his theatrical mannerisms on the sidelines.

Victor Fouda Basketball Without Borders — **Victor Fouda held high praise for Pascal Siakam. Pictures: The Big Tip Off and Supplied**

His intensity, passion, and animated but stern demeanour were a thing of legend as he urged his players on and called them out when they failed to execute. There was also the collected Vic, who was ready to talk about the game whenever I ran into him. The passion was the same and showed his eye for talent.

A 2018 conversation comes to mind about his compatriot and NBA star Pascal Siakam, who was already two years into his pro-career. In that discussion, Fouda raved about how great Siakam, who now plays for the Indiana Pacers, was going to be after witnessing his capabilities at the 2012 Basketball Without Borders Camp. He was on the money with his prediction as Siakam, then a Toronto Raptors player, played a significant role in leading the Canadian franchise to their first championship.

While our relationship dates back to when I worked in mainstream media, when I bet on myself by launching The Big Tip Off, he was one of the first people who helped me start the journey by inviting me to do a feature on his first team, which was about to travel to the USA. As St Alban’s prepared for a trip to the United States, he encouraged the young men to make the most of the opportunity.

“What I tell my players is, this type of tour can lead to bigger things, it’s about how you take advantage of it. Going to the USA is a dream for any basketball player so they must make use of this chance because you never know, you could be scouted and play college basketball in the USA,” said Fouda in the 2018 interview.

Much as he was a lifelong hooper, Vic was into football and a long-time Gunners fan. Then you can imagine the amount of anguish he went through each season Arsenal misfired after a promising start to the season.

Once, about ten years ago, while working a night shift, I took a call from Vic during my days in print media after Arsenal had suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Manchester United.

We talked for about 40 minutes about how terrible the team was and how the manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, had long lost his managerial mojo. The conversation could have continued into the night, but a missed deadline is a cardinal sin in print media.

This season is another that has promise, and hopefully our Gunners can do this one for Vic.

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A teammate and coach

Vic touched many lives. South African legend Neo Mothiba, who knew Fouda from the late 90s and would later win championships with him, remembers a devoted father and his passion for the game.

“I first met Victor in 1999, when he was the selector for the U19 Northern Gauteng team that travelled to Durban for the USASSA Championships. He later became my coach and teammate when I returned to Pretoria to play for Pretoria Heat, and he also coached me in the Tshwane Suns, where we went on to win two BNLSA championships,” said Mothiba.

“He played a pivotal role in my basketball journey and development. His love for the game was immense. His passion was felt by everyone who had the privilege of working with him. Beyond basketball, he was a devoted father and a family man whose love for his boys and his family was truly exemplary.

“He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his legacy – as a mentor, teammate, coach, and friend – will live on in our hearts and in the game he loved so much.”

Victor Fouda and St Alban's — **Victor Fouda, far left, built a successful basketball programme at St Alban’s College.**

A rival and a brother

University of Pretoria coach Thanda Kweyama, who coached Pretoria High School for Boys in many battles against Fouda’s St Albans, reflected on those duels and the legacy he left.

“Victor was not only a rival on the court, but also a brother who always looked out for his St Alban’s boys. He always wanted them to compete, play with purpose and passion. You could see in his animated reactions when he coached,” said Kweyama. “He was a giver and a mentor, but most importantly, he made basketball fun and appreciated. His parting leaves a big hole in most hearts. For me personally, it’s the battles when I coached Boys High and the derby days.”

Kweyama continued: “I will miss his calmness when he spoke in private, versus the alter ego on the court when he was coaching.”

“Basketball in general has lost a hero and a father to many.”

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Mothiba ready step into bright lights and action of the BAL

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FRIDAY, 28 February, was a day of contrasting emotions for South African certified baller and legend Neo Mothiba. On that day, while looking forward to what he termed a grudge match against his former club Jozi Nuggets, the draw for the much anticipated Season 5 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) took place a few hours earlier.

Mothiba was probably feeling the anticipation too when the draw formalities had ended. His was the anticipation of taking another step towards finally getting a crack at the BAL.

As the reality playing in the BAL sinks in, Mothiba’s team MBB will travel to Kigali, Rwanda in two months to compete in the BAL’s Nile Conference (17-25 May) against home club APR, Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya and Kenya’s new giants, Nairobi City Thunder.

Speaking a day after the draw, Mothiba told The Big Tip Off that MBB’s ICSL (Inner City Super League) clash against the Nuggets is one of many matches that will prepare the wild card entrants to the BAL for potentially gruelling battles in the Nile Conference.

“What a time to be alive,” said Mothiba, a day after the 73-58 win over the Nuggets, a club he served with distinction as captain. “It was a grudge match… It was in preparation for the bigger picture of the BAL. We needed games like that. It was a close one.”

Neo Mothia in action for MBB — **Neo Mothiba says MBB will be competitive in the Nile Conference. Pictures: FIBA**

Turning to the BAL, Mothiba’s journey to getting there was arduous. As a player for the Nuggets, he experienced disappointment, first at the Road to BAL in 2019 and consecutive national championship losses (2021 and 2022) to the Cape Town Tigers. The veteran player for iTeam yase dladleni, as MBB is known, even began to wonder if the BAL was becoming a far-fetched dream.

“To tell you the truth, I thought the window had closed. It was one of those things where I thought this opportunity would never come,” said Mothiba. “On the flip side, I knew I had to stay working hard, so when the opportunity arrived, it found me ready.

“The fact that MBB made it is a dream come true. It’s also one of the things I have always wanted to do – play on the biggest stage. BAL is the biggest in Africa right now.”

Mothiba relishes the upcoming duels in May against APR, Al Ahli and City Thunder, and while he feels MBB is not highly favoured, they are not at all deterred by the opposition.

“It’s going to be tough. If it wasn’t, everybody would be doing it (playing in the BAL),” said Mothiba. “We are excited. Obviously, we are the underdogs, but we will give our best shot and see what happens.”

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For Mothiba and his teammates to have a chance at being competitive at the BAL, incoming coach Sam Vincent will be the man drawing up the X’s and O’s that hopefully march the Blue Soldiers to the battlefield of success.

The former Tshwane Suns captain says the experienced Vincent, current coach of Beacon College in the United States, will bring the energy of college basketball to MBB’s play, something Mothiba seems to ascribe to.

“From having conversations with Coach Vincent, I think we are all on the same wavelength in terms of professionalism and the game plan,” said the former South Africa captain. “We want to play at a high tempo, be in guys’ faces, and he believes in that. I think once the guys understood his plans, they bought in. It was interesting to see the guys get into that competitive mode over the past three weeks. It’s like college basketball: high tempo, high pressure, good defence and execution on offence.”

Mothiba says Vincent, a former Nigeria Olympic team coach, has also worked on the players’ attitudes and approaches ahead of the tournament.

“Most important is our psyche… He has been working on our mindset and reminding us that we are a professional setup, which means everyone has to take care of their body and ensure they are ready. When we go out there and compete, teams should beat us with special stuff and not things you can control,” said Mothiba.

**Neo Mothiba has pushed the ethos of hard work in the MBB camp.**

If anyone is well-versed in continental competition and its challenges, it’s Mothiba. Having five AfroBaskets under his belt, his less experienced teammates will do well to pick his brain on what to expect at the BAL.

Aside from tapping into his knowledge well, Mothiba has been impressed with how MBB players have treated the pending mission with the seriousness it deserves.

“The message I have pushed is hard work. You can be the most skilled player ever, but if you are not going to work hard, all that can come to nothing. Luckily, the guys know my resumé, and if I tell them something, they’ll likely encounter it down the road,” said Mothiba. “What has been interesting to watch is the guys getting into it (training). On the team WhatsApp group, guys post their 5 am workouts, putting up shots during their breaks. These are the little sacrifices that build morale.

“When you know the guy next to you is working as hard as you are, it means something. The way we are doing things is unprecedented for a South African team. We are all professionals and that is how we are carrying ourselves.”

Mothiba’s long wait to play in the BAL has ended. Listening to him, he is ready to lace-up his sneakers against some of the best on the continent. As soon as the Nile Conference action tips off in May, one of South Africa’s finest and his teammates will look to make a splash in Kigali.

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Mothiba goes above and beyond to share knowledge

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SCHOOLS may have closed for the Easter break, and whilst pupils will have taken a break from academics, the doors of learning have been kept open on the basketball court.

Kids who aspire to have the shooting accuracy and quick handles of Golden State Warriors’ point guard Steph Curry, the passing vision of Houston Rockets floor general Chris Paul or whichever NBA star they want to emulate, had the opportunity of being how the best in the business do it.

Decorated South African basketball player and sports director at the St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls, Neo Mothiba, and his team of experienced basketball coaches, have through the non-profit organisation Beyond The Arc used the game of basketball as a way of giving back to the young boys and girls of their communities.

“I didn’t invent basketball, somebody taught me basketball so it would be selfish of me not to do the same and give back to the community,” Mothiba who credited his mother for his sense of community. “From home my mother has always been involved in the community through sports as well. So I think it’s only a vehicle for me to basically impact as many people as I can.”

**Neo Mothiba gives a few pointers to the young boys. Pictures: The BTO**

Mothiba, who has represented South Africa at the international level in continental competition and the Commonwealth Games, elaborated on how Beyond The Arc came to life stating that there was a need for an initiative that would help to build and expand the minds of children, especially African children, who have not benefited from exposure to many opportunities in life.

“Beyond The Arc came from seeing a lack of activity in our kids. We are not all gifted the same, we are not all going to be sports people, but we need to channel the inner black child, where he or she can do whatever they want, notwithstanding not having the opportunity to do that. And that’s where Beyond The Arc Consulting and Beyond The Arc Foundation came from,” said Mothiba, who hails from Soshanguve.

The former Tshwane Suns captain lamented the state of things in some of the townships that they come from, citing the lack of activity among todays younger generation.

“We want to impact the communities that are close to us. Most of us came from e loction, when we go back there we see how much the situation has deteriorated; it’s not like when we grew up: when we grew up there was a lot of activity. Nowadays the kids have got nothing else to do. They don’t have a vision, they don’t have a clear path on where they need to go, so hopefully we can help them in that regard,” said Mothiba, who gave his opinion on what led to things being in the current state that they are in.

“When communities stopped having clubs and sports started being concentrated in schools, that’s where we kind of lost it, because not all schools have sports and now – without any clubs – it’s one of those things where we need to understand that anything that is community-based is sustainable, because when these kids get back home from school where there is nothing happening, we need to make sure that we bridge that gap by starting an after – school system where the kids can go and do whatever they want in a protected space. Where they can brainstorm and be successful and that’s where we want to get to, where we become enablers that help these kids to flourish,” said the 34-year-old Mothiba.

**Welcome Mokoena shows attendees some training drills.**

While the project is driven by individuals who are passionate about basketball, they want to broaden the scope to include other sports and also the Arts and Culture.

“Obviously we want to partner up with many facets in terms of our perceived future, we want to offer every kid an opportunity to participate, but basketball is just an obvious choice because the directors are basketball enthusiasts. But we want to cater for culture for example; gumboot dancing or kids that want to play chess, just to make sure between that downtime from 2-5 the kids are doing something worthwhile,” said Mothiba, a two-time BNL champion with the Suns.

Mothiba was also impressed with the response of the kids who came through for Thursday’s inaugural camp at Pretoria Boys’ High School and affirmed that it will improve certain aspects of their lives.

“These kids are enthusiastic and they are excited to be here and you can see they are soaking in as much as they can basketball wise. With me, basketball has taught me so many things outside of the game: persistence, teamwork and hard work, and to be able to carry that into life as well. You can see from watching what these kids are doing on the court that the work ethic and discipline has been developed and instilled. We are hoping that programmes like these will instil the basketball aspect but also the lifestyle aspect of it as well,” said Mothiba.

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