UP-Tuks will head into Monday’s Varsity Netball Tournament semi-final without three of their key players, but the team is refusing to let their absence derail its bid for a place in the final.
Seen Here: UP-Tuks captain Phophi Nematangari will lead a determined side into Monday’s Varsity Netball semi-final against a tough challenge, with three key players away on Proteas duty — making home support at Rembrandt Hall more important than ever.. Photo Credit: Supplied
The Pretoria side faces a difficult challenge at Rembrandt Hall at 17:00 on Monday, with defender Luca Keun, captain and centre Kyla Dames, and goal attack Kamogelo Maseko unavailable after being selected for the Proteas squad competing at the African Cup Tournament in Kenya.
Their absence leaves a significant gap in the Tuks line-up, with all three having played important roles in helping the team reach the semi-finals.
But standing-in captain Phophi Nematangari believes the players remaining in the squad have what it takes to rise to the occasion — particularly with the backing of a vocal home crowd.
“The three will be missed. They played an integral part in getting us to qualify for the semifinals. The team dynamic will change,” Nematangari says.
“The challenge on Monday will be not to disappoint. We need to win so that when Kyla, Kamogelo and Luca are back, we can play the final and win.”
For Tuks, home support could prove especially valuable. The familiar surroundings of Rembrandt Hall have already produced a memorable result, with Tuks defeating UJ 50-44 on Sunday in a result that demonstrated the team’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure.
Nematangari was central to that victory, earning Player of the Match honours after producing a series of crucial interceptions at pivotal moments.
Yet the 22-year-old was quick to shift the focus away from individual recognition and towards the collective effort behind her performance.
“My teammates are my ‘partners in crime’. I couldn’t do what I do if they don’t pressure our opponents and set up structures from which I can intercept,” she says.
“My role is to watch the ball and bide my time for the right moment to ‘strike’.”
Nematangari brings considerable leadership experience to the semi-final. Last year, she captained the Baby Proteas at the Netball World Youth Cup, and she says leading from the front is something that comes naturally to her.
“Captaincy comes naturally to me. I don’t feel pressure. As captain, I try to lead by example. My actions speak louder than my words,” she says.
“When things get tough on the court, I am the player who puts my hand up and says, ‘We need to keep going’. I pride myself on bringing energy to any team.”
That leadership will be particularly important for a Tuks side that has undergone considerable growth during the tournament.
Nematangari says only five players — herself, Dames, Keun, Maseko and Nonnie Mjaliswa — had previous Varsity Netball experience before the campaign began. For the rest of the squad, the tournament has been a first taste of the intensity and demands of university’s premier netball competition.
The team’s journey has not been without setbacks. Tuks opened the tournament with defeats against Kovsies and North-West, but those early disappointments ultimately helped galvanise the squad.
“There was no time for self-pity; we worked harder, and the team began to build momentum and play with greater confidence,” Nematangari says.
That momentum will now be tested in the biggest match of the campaign so far.
With three established players away on Proteas duty, responsibility will shift to the rest of the squad — particularly the younger players who have grown in confidence as the tournament has progressed.
For Nematangari, however, the challenge is clear: embrace the pressure, trust the structures the team has built and give their absent teammates something to return to.
And she believes the Tuks faithful have a role to play too.
The familiar “Tuks of Niks” chant is expected to reverberate around Rembrandt Hall as supporters rally behind the team in its pursuit of a place in the Varsity Netball final.
The semi-final gets underway at 17:00 on Monday at Rembrandt Hall, University of Pretoria.
