The 2016 USSA winter tournament has commenced with Wits hosting all the hockey and basketball clubs

Stellenbosch Maties vs NMMU’s Madibaz in the opening ladies’ game of the tournament. Photo: Ayanda Mgede
The annual inter-varsity University Sports South Africa (USSA’s) have kicked off and Wits is hosting the basketball and hockey teams from around the country.
The tournament, which started on Monday 4th July has around 30 institutions registered to participate in the winter’s competitions. The Wits men and women’s hockey teams played their first games where the men’s team beat Durban University of Technology (DUT) 8-0 in the men B Section.
Luck played out differently for the Wits ladies when the hosts suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of defending champions, the University of Johannesburg (UJ). UJ coach, Rob van Ginkel said that the games have been tough and Wits managed to execute their game plan well.
“As defending champions, we are not concentrating on the title that much. We’re taking it one game at a time to make the semi-finals and we are in a really tough pool with other great teams,” he said.

Wits women’s team against UJ in their 2-1 loss. Photo by: Ayanda Mgede
The Wits basketball teams have both won their opening games respectively, with the women thrashing Maties 110-31 and the men’s team getting a 95-29 victory against North-West University Pukke