The Wits women’s basketball teams are ready and excited for the Wits Lady Bucks tournament
The Wits Buck Ladies kicked off the 6th annual Wits Lady Bucks basketball tournament on a high note, bagging the first win of the week on Tuesday, August 7.
The women’s basketball second team, played their first game against the MSA Queens from Monash. Wits ended their first half with a score of 29 – 3 and closed off on 52 – 9.
The tournament is organised by the Wits basketball committee who have hosted an annual women’s only basketball tournament over the past few years around women’s day in order to promote basketball and women in sport.
Tlangelani Baloyi, who is a Masters in Building student, plays for the Wits Buck Ladies. She says the ladies have been preparing for the tournament and are very excited. She added, “We have our own division [this year] so we have a fair competition.”
This year is the first time that teams are playing in divisions as more interest was shown in the tournament with 10 teams participating from across South Africa.
Baloyi says the tournament is a good initiative. “Some of our girls joined our team this semester so we get to know each other. We should have more of this, not only in women’s month. Not necessarily a women’s tournament but more inclusivity.”
Tshidi Diole, a second-year chemistry student, attended the match to support her friend who was playing. She says she will attend some of the games during the tournament and that she’s looking forward to seeing more supporters throughout the week.
Diole added, “Women’s basketball doesn’t have a lot of supporters so it’s nice to have everyone out supporting the girls.” She said everyone is usually on the other side of Hall 29 supporting the men’s basketball teams.
Ruda Kaseke, chairperson of Wits’ women’s basketball, plays for the first team, the Wits Lady Bucks. She has high hopes for the tournament.
Kaseke told Wits Vuvuzela that, “It’s awesome because we have something of our own. This is a time when we get the women to shine. We have Ashies [Ashraf Lodewyk Memorial Basketball Tournament] in April but that’s mixed with the guys.”
The tournament is running from Tuesday, 7 August to Sunday, 12 August. The Wits Lady Bucks will play their first match on Thursday, 9 August at 10:00.
FEATURED IMAGE: The Wits Buck Ladies in action. Photo: Sanet Oberholzer.
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