The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
CORRECTIONAL Queens’ head coach, Naftali Nyanguru, has described his side’s victory over a fancied Glow Petroleum Queens as nothing short of a miracle.
The prisons side emerged 36-22 victors to lift the 2019 Independence Cup, in a tantalising encounter played at Marymount Teachers College yesterday.
Nyanguru said he had never seen his charges play the way they did, and believes there was a “mysterious hand of God” on display.
“Since the time I started coaching this prison team, I am yet to see my players in the form that they were in the finals yesterday. In a tight battle against Kwekwe-based Glow Petroleum Netball Queens, it was a tough first quarter which had both sides fighting for a fair share of possession during the first seven minutes.”
Unfortunately, the fancied favourites, Glow, failed to contain the pressure, losing centre passes to their rivals, and found themselves trailing 17-12 at the breather.
After the break, Correctional Queens continued from where they left over dominating possession and make the all-important points to end the game with a 36-22 win and the Cup in hand.
Their coach, Nyanguru, was all too happy to take the win and Cup.
“I’m happy, especially with the way things changed in the second half; it is like the girls were super charged. As 2018 league champions, we had something to defend, we have a name to live up to and I’m happy so far we are on the right track,” he said.
Glow Petroleum Netball Queens coach Samuel Masvaure blamed his team’s defeat on fatigue and a lack of concentration on the shooters. Glow Petroleum Queens finished second, with Beta Netball Queens coming in third. Correctional Queens goal defender Queen Sigauke was crown player of the tournament.
