Exciting netball matches marked the exciting return of the 2023 MTC Netball Namibia Premier League (NNPL) on Saturday at Ogongo Campus in the northern part of the country.
Action started on Saturday with thrilling action between Northern Fly Ballers NC and Afrocat Lions in a match that Lions won narrowly by 32-31.
In the second game of the day, Namibian Correctional Service NC welcomed coastal outfit Eleven Arrows NC in a tie that the inaugural champions easily won by a 63-17 scoreline.
Newly promoted team Wanderers NC showed that they are a force to be reckoned with in the top-flight league as they thrashed Fatou NC 65-23, while coastal team Namibia Navy NC also collected maximum points on Saturday as they beat Young Stars 59-37.
In the fifth match of the day, Otjozondjupa Nampol NC beat Rebels 41-19, while defending champions Mighty Gunners NC proved to be a better team as they won their match against Tigers NC 51-37.
In the last match of the day, Northern Fly Ballers NC beat Eleven Arrows NC 42-37.
On Sunday, NCS won against Fatou NC 67-16, while Namibia Navy also picked up maximum points as they won their match 43-28 against Tigers NC.
Otjozondjupa Nampol beat Afrocat Lions 35-31, while Wanderers continued with their great run as they completed a back-to-back win in one weekend with a 50-29 win over Rebels.
Speaking to this publication after the completion of the weekend fixtures, Desiree Namases of Gunners expressed satisfaction with his side’s win on Saturday, saying they earned it.
She said with the second leg in full swing, the team will need to focus on the goal, which is retaining the title.
“I am happy with how we performed yesterday (Saturday), and I believe the team put in enough work to have gotten the much-needed results against an equally tough opponent, such as the Tigers.
We put our focus on the coming fixtures, and we ensure we don’t remove the foot of the pedal,” she said.
With the weekend results, NCS leads the log with 22 points from 14 matches, followed by the Mighty Gunners and Otjozondjupa Nampol in second and third, respectively, who are also on the same number of points but lead goal difference.
Namibian Navy is fourth, and Wanderers are fifth, while Afro Cat is sixth and Tigers are seventh.
Eleven Arrows are eighth–just above the relegation–threatened Young Stars who are ninth, Northen Fly Ballers, who are tenth, Rebels who are eleventh and Fatou in twelfth position.