U21 Sunshine Girls suffer against South Africa
Published:Sunday | January 19, 2025 | 12:15 AMGregory Bryce - Staff Reporter
IN THE first game of the three-match Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series, Jamaica’s U21 netball team suffered a humbling 31-61 loss to South Africa yesterday at the National Indoor Sports Centre.
In an important series being used by both teams as preparation for the upcoming Netball Youth World Cup, South Africa took the lead in the series in dominant fashion.
Annett Daley, U21 Sunshine Girls head coach, said the result was a major teaching moment for her and her girls as they got their first taste of international competition outside of the Caribbean.
“This game is really important. It is the first game in my journey with the young Sunshine Girls and it is a game about finding out,” Daley said in her post-game interview.
“It is about finding out those persons who are ready to take on the task of getting us to the World Cup and for us to do well as is customary for Jamaica. So right now, it is finding out process.”
She continued, “These ladies, today was a major first for them. It is the first that they are playing this type of netball as, so far, we have only played in the Caribbean. So it is a first for them to play this level of netball.”
Period of success
The first half of the game told a completely different story than the second with both teams starting the match with attacking intent as they traded goals in the opening minutes.
South Africa ended the first quarter with the advantage as they led the young Sunshine Girls in a close 11-13 scoreline.
Jamaica would find a response to their opponents’ pressure as they enjoyed a period of success and pulled the score level at 15-15 in the opening three minutes of the second quarter.
However, this would be their final hold on the contest as the South Africans took firm control of the remainder of the game.
The SPAR Baby Proteas opened up an eight-goal lead to end the first half 29-21 and then continued their onslaught with a dominant showing in the third quarter.
In just two minutes, they had stretched their lead to 13 points, 35-22, as the Sunshine Girls faltered under the pressure.
Jamaica’s desperate attempts to cut the deficit only played into the hands of the South Africans as several fouls, misplaced passes and ill-timed shots saw South outscoring the Sunshine Girls 26-4 to end the third quarter 47-25.
The last 15 minutes of the contest continued in the same vein, South Africa completing the rout, outscoring the Girls 14-6 to land the first blow in the series.
South Africa head coach, Precious Mthembu, said the win was a major boost for her players to get a positive result away from home.
“The first two quarters were a bit shaky and had me on the edge of my seat. I think one of the positive things is that we played the Jamaican team here and its a confidence boost for us. We got a taste of how the Jamaican style is like but I think we did what we needed to do,” she explained.
Giada Prinsloo led the way for the South African attack on the evening, as the goal shooter enjoyed a brilliant game, scoring 44 of her 48 attempts, recording a 92 per cent shooting accuracy.
She was supported by Michelle van der Merwe, who sunk 13 from her 18 attempts.
For the young Sunshine Girls, Kellian Hunter’s 16 from 20 attempts was the standout, while Nickiesha Powell had a 91 per cent shooting accuracy with her 10 goals from 11 attempts.
The teams will meet again for the second game of the three-match series on Wednesday, January 22.