September 15, 2004
By Bafana Nzimande
Y-CENTRE basketball player and team coach Thulani Kunene had good reason to be pumped before Orange Farm's Saturday afternoon clash which saw the tournament favourites scoring a resounding victory against five opponents.
Y-Centre was one of six Orange Farm basketball teams taking part in a friendly tournament organised by Region 8's department of sports and recreation as part of an initiative to encourage a healthy lifestyle in the underprivileged area some 60km south of the Johannesburg CBD.
Held at the Lovelife Youth Centre, which provides skills development and recreational facilities to the community of Orange Farm who use sport to overcome daily challenges, the tournament on 11 September attracted a large crowd.
Other teams from Orange Farm were Angola, Black Child, Libras, Score Weber and Thrillers.
As the sun burnt down on the outdoor court, most of the spectators tried to find shade against the wall of the main entrance. With music pumping around the court, youngsters from the township - dressed for summer - got together as much to watch the games as to socialise or perform along with the songs.
DJs Sammy Cindi and Ivan Lukhele, controlling the broadcast from a radio booth alongside the basketball court, played kwaito and hip-hop interspersed with Lovelife messages like "2010 love to be there."
Above the sound of the music and the shouts of the crowd Kunene was convinced of his team's prowess: "We've trained very hard for this tournament and we're positive about winning."
The opening game was a thrilling action-packed affair with Y-Centre and Thrillers battling it out for entrance to the next round.
Every move that the towering players made was greeted with loud cheers. Team members, sporting cornrow hairstyles, and dressed in the baggy sleeveless t-shirts of basketball, with knee-length shorts and sneakers, had the moves to match their fashionable dress.
As the day wore on, team and crowd spirit reached a zenith for the final between local rivals Y-Centre and Libras.
Those who didn't make it were quite happy to celebrate being part of the tournament. "I've enjoyed the tournament so much, even though we were knocked out in the early stages," said Ali Mohale of Dark Child, adding that he hoped Y-Centre won the final.
True to his - and many supporters' - wish, Y-Centre delivered the goods and took the match 58-11.
Organiser and basketball player Mike Merafhe, from Region 8's sports and recreation department, described the day as a huge success and was pleased by the response of the community.
Organisers hope that basketball will encourage a healthy lifestyle
"This event is part of our teams' preparation plan for the up-coming Heritage Day basketball tournament," added Merafhe, who is also the coach of the Thrillers team. "We are not disappointed about not being the overall winners."
Merafhe described the event as a way of showing appreciation to such a vibrant community.
For more information about Orange Farm Lovelife Youth Centre, call 011 850 3970.
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