Despite suffering defeats in both of their games on Saturday, head coach of Afrocats Lions Dimitri Bittler had nothing but praise for his players, saying that there is still room for improvement.
Lions lost their first game to Namibia Correctional Services (NCS) by 30-38, before narrowly going down 39-41 to Tigers.
During Saturday’s post-match interview, Bittler acknowledged that both games did not go according to plan, but he was however impressed with the overall performance of his players and how they showed character.
He noted that some small mistakes cost them greatly. “It was a tight game; we were missing a bit of clinical finishing on our side. We were leading, but they capitalised on the small mistakes we made. Apart from that, I think it was a great game against both teams, and it was a pleasure to watch two very good teams in action,” he said.
He also recognized that there are some areas where the team needs to improve to achieve their goals for the season, but he remains optimistic that they can make the necessary adjustments as time goes on.
Despite the challenges of having a new team and having lost most of their top players to other forces at the start of the season, Bittler is satisfied with the progress they have made so far in the league.
“From a coaching perspective, there are some minor tweaks we need to make in training to become the well-oiled machine we aspire to be. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve the desired results today, which highlights the strength of the opposition and the intensity of the game,” said Bittler
“We are on track to reach our target for this season. So far, I am very pleased with the team’s general performance this season and how they are coming together as a unit.”
Meanwhile, Tigers coach Lloyd Makunde said it was a tightly contested game but was happy with the outcome as their initial mission was to collect maximum points. He revealed that they are aiming for a top-three finish at the end of the season.
“It was a tough game, and we got off to a bad start because the girls didn’t follow the instructions, and we lost our grip. However, the girls picked up their game later on and we managed to bounce back to claim the victory,” he said.
In other matches played on Saturday, Mighty Gunners defeated Otjozondjupa Nampol 45-34, while Navy won 53-32 against Eleven Arrows in a coastal derby. Tigers narrowly defeated Wanderers by 47-45.
Khomas Super 10 League commences
Meanwhile, action in the Khomas Super 10 Netball League returned this weekend and saw various thrilling matches played at the Patrick Iyambo College in the capital.
In Saturday’s matches, Go Monate Fela defeated Afrocats Lions 1 by 39-21, while Nampol suffered defeat at the hands of NCS by 32-39. Tigers lost to NDF by 42-41, while Wanderers also lost 26-32 to NUST.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na
Caption: Netball jpg – Thrilling action…It was nothing but exhilarating action in the MTC NNPL over the weekend, as matches took place at Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo and Windhoek. -Photo: Maurice Kambukwe