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SPRINGBOKS SUBDUE TUNISIA 70-53

In another grind it out affair Fabian Poll put in 16 points to go 8 rebounds 4 assist and 2 blocks to pace the baby boks past the host 70-53. Jabulani Makeba also produced a double double with 10 points and 10 boards as all 10 players who played did scratch the score sheet.

CL afterwards addressed his thoughts on the proceedings. " Ain't nothing this season been very pretty. But wins are wins. I have been in touch with the various managers as we collectively try and see what can be done to provide more oomph on the offensive end. But as the old adage goes offense sells tickets defense wins championships and I have been very happy with the efforts on that side of the ball. Next week we get a chance to avenge the earlier slip up to Senegal then come the Egyptians, so these are important weeks in the process"


The contest was nip and tuck for the better part of three periods but a surge at the end of the 3rd extending into the fourth saw the Springboks gain full control of the contest. After leading 33-31 at intermission the boks won the second half 37-22. Neither team shot well as the Boks connected on just 38% from the field while the host had struggles all night long shooting just 24% for the evening.

Always pleasant to read.

Another interesting update to review....

Fabian Pöll: still in solid shape though the DMI is not quite as robust and again no pops. Stands 34 points from setting the all time record for points scored. The last couple of weeks have seen him kinda a little off his game, hopefully he will regain his firm this week.


Sean Dunker: a IS pop, ok game shape but a strange DMI reading. Has had some issues in both u21 and club games with fouls, it could be something impacting these numbers. Consistency could be his big issue.

Jabulani Manzini: no pops and he got overplayed last week but still out best option for what he plays.



Jabulani Makeba: no pops but a very solid reset should contribute well.


Beau Bleek: HA and DR pops will help. Will need productivity from his minutes .


Mxali Matomelaa: another OD pop but still iffy on offense.


Khaya Nkosi: DR pop, solid reset. Should provide good support

Ad Hayden: no pops but a great reset


Ngwazi Khomane: HA and DR pops, defense is iffy but should provide scoring off the bench.


Siphiwe Mamoepa: ok reset, no pops. Debating on what to do with him this week.


Ayize Mini: No pops, poor dmi reset, may limit his use this week


And the rest of the roster is as it is, though Mase did see a ID pop and may get dressed as a reward.


This week the rematch with Senegal. Last time saw a difficult to stomach loss, and another tough battle is anticipated. Hopefully we have just a tiny bit more luck. Next week is Egypt and Nigeria concludes the phase.





Last edited by Coach Lambini at 2/2/2020 5:14:58 PM

SLUMPING SPRINGBOKS DROP 90-83 DECISION TO SENEGAL

On a evening where the limitations of the roster were on full display a 34-23 fourth period surge by Senegal doomed the baby boks to a 90-83 defeat miring them into a third place finish for the second group phase. Fabian Poll produced 27 points to move within single digits of securing the all time RSA u21 scoring title but aside from a solid performance from Sean Dunker (12 points on 6-9 shooting) the rest of the offense struggled to find solid footing. Even more troubling was a 46-30 deficit in rebounding including a 16-6 margin on the offensive glass. "you just can't give up that much on the glass and expect to survive" a exasperated CL stated afterwards. "tonight was a glaring example of our shortcomings. I need to take a hard look and go back into the lab to determine if there are changes that need to be made in lineups or tactics to give us a better chance of success. Yet all things considered this affects us not one iota. We are going to face these guys again, and it is not about how often you win but when. I still remain confident there is a way to the final. But what this really does is make the final two games before the semis a moot point. So don't be surprised if you see some shakeup and experimentation"

tough luck! what’s your take on the defensive tactics you used against them

The rebounding killed us yesterday. -16 is hard to overcome and 30 for a entire game in BB is downright pitiful. Also collectively we foul a bit too much. But I am still confident in the tactical soundness of the 3-2 and feel overall it is our best alignment. But that is what these last two games can serve as, a means to experiment with something different. Any ideas, I'm all ears.

i don’t know i feel sometimes man to man is safer. but you obviously know the players weaknesses so if you feel that’s the way to go then alright. i was thinking man to man or 2-3 if their inside guys are way better than ours

my issue with m2m is if there is a weak link it gets exposed. the 2-3 is a little dicey if the opponent can hit the threes. the one advantage to 3-2 is you tend to force more turnovers from denying the ball down low but you lose some rebounding,which does not cost too much if your bigs are good on the boards. our problem is our bigs are not particularly good on the boards. And it translates on both ends, denies up opportunity and gives the opposition opportunity.

alright, makes sense. goodluck then

This week's update

Fabian Pöll: increased dmi, still no pops. only needs 7 points for the all time scoring record.

Sean Dunker: ID pop, stamina keeps dmi a little low but still progressing well

Jabulani Manzini: good news ID pop, bad news, GS still iffy....oh and he's hurt. Actually though going on the shelf for a week might solve the GS issues as this will autocorrect his minutes. Leaves a big hole though in the lineup.

Jabulani Makeba: JS pop, good reset, with the injury to Manzini I am going to try something funky with him this week, it's liable to not work but this is a good spot to try something unusual.


Beau Bleek: a ID pop, not real strong on that area but any progress is good progress.

Mxali Matomelaa: JS pop, nice reset, will need something special from him.




Khaya Nkosi: another guy with a JS pop, another good reset. And he also is slated to be used creatively. As to the efficiency of my maneuver remains to be seen

Ad Hayden: DR pop. Good reset.


Ngwazi Khomane: no pops, minimal reset


Siphiwe Mamoepa: excellent reset, OD pop, real excited for his future and increasing his role in the present.

Ayize Mini: rebounding pop, still kind of a mess overall.

And the rest is what they are! This week those big baddies from Egypt. A good faith creative effort will be made, if it works we might have a shot. But even if it is effective that big man they have can control the whole game. So expectations are low, but we've upset these guys before with minimal expectations so let's see what happens.

goodluck