Namibia Correctional Services (NCS) were crowned the inaugural 2021 MTC Namibia Netball Premier League (NNPL) following a 30-30 draw with Tigers in Windhoek on Saturday evening.
Going into the final match of the season engaged in a three-horse race between themselves, second-placed Might Gunners and third-placed Tigers, NSC needed to avoid defeat to win the title, and they did just that in a pulsating match witnessed by a huge crowd.
Tigers also needed to win the match in order for them to be crowned champions with 21 points.
NCS took a first-quarter lead of 09-07 before Tigers came back to lead at halftime by 15-13.
The third quarter saw NCS crawl their way back and reduce the deficit to 23-22 in favour of Tigers before the fourth quarter saw both teams being tied at 30 points each.
With the victory, NCS finished the season with 20 points, the same number as Gunners, while Tigers finished third with 19 points.
NCS was therefore declared champions due to their superior goal difference of plus 297 goals compared to plus 275 of Gunners.
Tigers Coach Morne Pienaar said the girls had risen above expectations throughout the season by playing the way they played.
“This is what is expected of a Tigers player. We are now going to focus on the academy and make sure we blend in some of the girls into the first team. Congratulations to NCS for winning the league,” Pienaar said.
Winning Coach, Manuel Tjivera, said the game was a huge challenge from Tigers and they did not give up.
“We are now working towards the Fast-Five tournament and hope that the girls will be ready for the Pen Series with the national team,” he added.
For winning the league, NCS walked away with N.dollars 45 000.00 while Gunners got N.dollars 35 000.00.
Bronze medallist Tigers got N.dollars 25 000.00.
Meanwhile, the sponsors of the league MTC announced an increase to the budget for the NNPL from N. dollars 1.4 million to N.dollars 1.9m following a satisfactory run and end of the league.
‘The additional N.dollars 500 00 should be used to improve the prize monies which should now be N.dollars 250 000 for Gold medallist, N.dollars 150 000 for Silver medallist, and N.dollars100 000 for Bronze medallist, respectively,” MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer, Tim Ekandjo announced.
Source: Tha Namibian Press Agency
