Moorosi Tsiane
BOKAMOSO female team coach Faku Masupha says the team with determination and hunger will emerge victorious when his side takes on Lichocha Shooting Rifles in the last match of the five series National Basketball League play-offs champions final at Lehakoe this afternoon.
The teams head into the deciding match tied on two games apiece.
Masupha said his charges lacked hunger in their last match, adding they will be a different team today.
“We didn’t perfect our game tactically in the last match and that is where we lost it,” Masupha said, adding, “It was clear that they (LSR) were hungrier than us and managed to take charge of the rebounds both offensively and defensively”.
He said their tempo had been very low and that worked against them especially against a highly experienced LDR side.
“We have been working hard this past week because we lacked energy and gave the match away.
“So we need to show a lot of energy in this match and we don’t have to give them any respect.”
He said LSR were a “one, two punch team” and his charges had a good chance of winning if they succeeded in shutting out the dangerous pair of Mookho Ntebe and Liteboho Sefali.
The talented Masupha who plays for the Bokamoso male team that recently won treble, said it was important for their female side to win the title to motivate them because the majority of the players were still young.
“We are a development team and development without results can be discouraging so it is important that they win this one just to motivate them, Masupha said, adding, “but they need to understand that they have to work very hard”.
For her part, LSR power forward Mookho Ntebe said they could seal the title provided they played with the same fighting spirit they showed last weekend.
“To win is possible and we know it won’t be easy but we only need to come out more determined like last weekend if we are to beat them,” Ntebe said.
She said the team spirit was very high and they wanted to the end the season on a high note by adding the play-offs championship to their league title.
“The spirit is high and although we have not been able to train together due to different commitments, we have been encouraging every player to push themselves wherever they were.
“We have already bagged the league title so the target is to take this one so that we end the season on a high with two trophies in our cabinet,” said Ntebe.