Afro Stars seem unstoppable ahead of playoffs
Basketball
They now hold first position after five consecutive wins.
Afro Stars have made themselves a force to be reckoned with in the Khomas Basketball Association (KBA) Premier League. They now hold first position after five straight wins, with only one game remaining before the playoffs.Their most recent victims were the league’s second-place side, University of Namibia (Unam) Wolves, whom they beat 74-71 in a tense clash at Unam Gym Hall on Friday evening in the capital.
The two sides have met four times and Afro Stars have won three of the encounters. Before Friday’s result, they recorded a 66-49 win in June, while Wolves’ only win came in May (67-81). Afro Stars’ first win over Wolves was in April, 78-69.
Only three losses in season so far
The KBA League leaders have only recorded two other losses apart from the one to Wolves: a narrow 63-65 defeat to Quality Basketball Club in May and an 89-80 loss to Unam Rebels in March.
Afro Stars’ other victims include Quality Basketball Club (QBC), whom they beat 72-68 in their sole July fixture. In June, they beat BAS Vikings 59-49 and Rebels 86-72.
May was their busiest month, during which they won three out of five games, beating BAS Vikings 103-66, Rebels 85-79 and QBC 71-66.
In April, they beat BAS Vikings 57-46, while the season’s month opener, March, saw them record more wins than losses. That month, they beat BAS Vikings 83-54 and QBC 71-67.
‘What wins games’
Speaking to this publication after their Friday night win over Wolves, which saw them maintain their league-leading status with 27 points, above Wolves’ 25 in second place, Afro Stars coach Melusi Linda could not hide his delight.
“It was a good game that Wolves wanted to win [to usurp us as league leaders], but our boys really came together [and fended them off],” he said.
He added that the win is especially fulfilling, as the team has not had it easy, having picked up a lot of injuries lately.
“They have made it really tough for us, but the guys stepped up and gave all they had and we were lucky to win.”
Acknowledging the team’s great run in the season so far, Linda said the players have learned to play well as a team.
“They are moving the ball more and are now starting to trust each other. That’s what wins games,” he remarked.
Super Friday results, league standings
In another Friday night fixture, Unam Rebels took on BAS Vikings, claiming a decisive 96-79 victory to strengthen their hold on third place with 22 points.
QBC now sits in fourth place with 20 points, ahead of BAS Vikings at the bottom of the league with 14 points.
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