Uganda’s She Cranes came up short in their pursuit of the 2024 Africa Netball Cup title, losing 65-50 to South Africa’s SPAR Proteas in the women’s final played today afternoon at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund, Namibia.
This victory marks South Africa’s record fourth Africa Netball Cup title, cementing their dominance as the top-ranked team on the continent.
Enroute to the final, the She Cranes ranked second on the continent, had showed resilience and skill throughout the tournament.
After narrowly losing their opening match to Zimbabwe 49-50, they bounced back with commanding victories over hosts Namibia (55-43) and Eswatini (85-34) in the group stage.
They carried this momentum into the semifinals, where they edged Malawi 51-43.
South Africa’s path to the final was equally impressive, characterized by dominant performances.
The Proteas swept their group matches with emphatic wins over Botswana (67-25), Zambia (73-28), and Namibia (75-27).
In the semifinals, they dispatched Zimbabwe 63-41, setting up a highly anticipated clash with Uganda.
The final started with South Africa taking control early, leading 16-12 after the first quarter.
By halftime, the Proteas had extended their lead to 30-24, thanks to their fluid transitions from defense to attack and clinical finishing in the circle.
Uganda worked tirelessly to narrow down the margin, but the Proteas’ defensive organisation and offensive sharpness, led by standout goal shooter Elmere Van Der Berg and goal attacker Nicola Smith, proved too much to handle.
The Proteas surged ahead in the third quarter, finishing with a commanding 50-33 lead.
Despite Uganda’s efforts, South Africa maintained their dominance, sealing the title with a 15-point margin.
The loss leaves Uganda with three titles, but the She Cranes will be proud of their performance after missing last year’s edition due to administrative challenges.
Speaking after the match, Uganda’s head coach Nelson Bogere reflected on the team’s journey.
“It has been a fair tournament for us with lots of learning points that we take home as we improve our game further. I thank the players, fellow coaches, administrators, media, and fans who have rallied behind us from the start to the end of the tournament.”
