VOLLEYBALL: Support Unit look ahead

07 Dec, 2014 - 00:12 0 Views
VOLLEYBALL: Support Unit look ahead Airborne . . . Support Unit attacker Raidos Mhetu (right) prepares to spike the ball set by Field West (centre) during a training session in Harare — Picture: Kudakwashe Hunda

The Sunday Mail

Airborne . . . Support Unit attacker Raidos Mhetu (right) prepares to spike the ball set by Field West (centre) during a training session in  Harare  — Picture: Kudakwashe Hunda

Airborne . . . Support Unit attacker Raidos Mhetu (right) prepares to spike the ball set by Field West (centre) during a training session in Harare
— Picture: Kudakwashe Hunda

SUPPORT UNIT men’s volleyball team coach Itsanang Abu Basuthu has revealed that his men are using the pain of last year’s agonising Confederation of African Volleyball Region V Championships exit to spur them on ahead of this week’s competition.

Support Unit will be joined at the championships, which run from December 13-21 in Maputo, by Naba and Stanbic Thunder.

The police outfit were one point away from making it into the semi-finals, but somehow conspired to hand passage to eventual champions Autoridade Tributaria of Mozambique with some sloppy play.

Now, as they brace up for this year’s competition, Basuthu has backed his charges to come right.

“Things are taking shape; we are slowly getting there and the boys are working hard because they know it’s tough out there.

“It was a painful loss against Autoridade the last time out; maybe it was because we didn’t have that experience of facing top teams at that level.

“However, we have learnt from that painful exit and should put it right this time around,” he said.

Basuthu has been emphasising the importance of dealing well with pressure situations to his charges.

“In the defeat to the Mozambicans, the boys were under too much pressure; they wanted to get the winning point as quickly as possible, but ended up losing concentration.

“I remember calling two time-outs as I could see the pressure in their eyes; it was an eye-opening experience for me, too.

“We don’t usually talk about that game in particular because it pains us. All we do is highlight the need not to take anything for granted at such a high level of competition,” he said.

The SU coach revealed that his squad, which has since roped in the talented trio of Douglas Choto, Charles Nyamasvi and Tazviona “Taz” Zvirawa, will be aiming at making it beyond the quarter-finals.

“We are not putting ourselves under pressure, but the team has to show progress, hence a semi-final qualification is the minimum we will accept.

“However, we know it won’t be a stroll in the park and have been working hard on improving our central blocking and attack,” Basuthu said.

Meanwhile, Naba coach Munyaradzi Mavima says they are not dreaming “too big.”

“We can’t describe the feeling (of qualifying). We are a young baby born in 2011 and to achieve this can only be God’s work. Initially, people saw us as a boozers’ outfit.

“We wouldn’t want to dream too big; we are still babies, but if we reach the third round we would be happy,” he said.

Stanbic Thunder have assembled a youthful outfit and their team manager Tongai “Mabull” Mahachi says they are relishing the chance to square up against some of the region’s top volleyball clubs.

“We are not under any pressure and that’s the funny part of it. We are a young team and will play freely and hopefully cause some major upsets,” said Mahachi.

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