Lilongwe – The DebMarine Desert Jewels of Namibia wrapped up their Africa Netball Cup campaign with a seventh-place finish on Saturday after a convincing 51–27 victory over Tanzania at the Griffin Saenda Sports Complex in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Namibia signed off the tournament on a positive note, producing one of their most composed performances to comfortably overcome Tanzania in the seventh-place playoff.
Captain Cornelia Mupenda led the team well and was deservedly named Player of the Match for her commanding display, which anchored Namibia’s dominant showing across all four quarters.
Despite the emphatic win, Mupenda admitted the overall outcome fell short of the team’s expectations.
“Finishing seventh isn’t where we wanted to be, so there are mixed feelings. On a personal level, I am proud to win Player of the Match, but I would always trade individual recognition for a better team result. Overall, the tournament has had some positives for us, we’ve shown good character and learned a lot, but it has also highlighted areas we need to improve going forward.”
Another player Grace Matyayi described the recent international outings as an immensely valuable learning curve for her development as a young player, highlighting the importance of sustained exposure to top-level competition.
She said competing at the Scotland Celtic Cup against some of the world’s highest-ranked teams, followed by the Africa Netball Cup in Lilongwe, offered invaluable insight into the varied styles, increased intensity, and physical and mental demands of international netball.
“Facing different opponents in such a short space of time really tested us,” Matyayi said. “At the Celtic Cup we managed one win, and at the Africa Netball Cup we won one match, drew one and lost two, but every game was a major learning opportunity.”
Matyayi emphasised that the experience gained from tournament play goes far beyond what can be achieved on the training court. She noted that regular exposure to competitive international matches helps players grow in confidence, sharpen game awareness, and better understand the pace and pressure of elite netball.
“These tournaments contribute significantly to a player’s growth and self-belief,” she added. “They teach you lessons that training alone simply cannot.”
She strongly believes Namibia should continue investing in international exposure for its national players, stressing that consistent participation in such tournaments is vital for the long-term development and future success of the national team.
Namibia came into the Lilongwe tournament hoping to build on last year’s Africa Netball Cup, which they hosted in Swakopmund. Playing in front of home supporters in 2024, the Desert Jewels finished fifth, a result that signalled steady progress and raised expectations of a top-six finish this year.
While the seventh-place outcome represents a slight dip, the team again showed competitiveness against some of the continent’s strongest netball nations.
In the women’s competition, Kenya secured fifth place after edging Botswana 50–40, while Zimbabwe claimed the bronze medal with a victory over hosts Malawi 48-44. The women’s final was scheduled for 18h00, with defending champions South Africa set to face Uganda in a highly anticipated showdown.
The men’s competition delivered thrilling encounters, including a tightly contested third- and fourth-place playoff where last year’s finalists Eswatini edged Kenya 40–39. Uganda finished fifth after beating Botswana 45–31 in the fifth- and sixth-place playoff. The men’s final was slated for 16h00, pitting defending champions South Africa against Zimbabwe.