After falling short of victory in previous years, the Kunene Region Under-20 netball team will be the favourites in the Namibian Newspaper Cup showpiece this weekend, the team’s manager has said.

The manager of the Kunene netball team, Ndimeja Zatjinda, told Nampa on Tuesday that the sky is the limit this time around as they are confident of their players’ ability.

‘This year, the sky is the limit. We have never had such a team before so the region must expect wonders from the girls,’ she stated.

Zatjinda explained that the region conducted fair trials through schools and zonal sports organisations to select the top players. Despite a notable performance in last year’s Newspaper Cup, Kunene faced disqualification for fielding a non-registered player, which prevented them from advancing to the quarterfinals. However, Zatjinda gave her assurance that all regulatory matters are now in order and they are aiming to win.

Kunene Region’s U-20 netball team, led by Concetta Mauha, includes Jeomba Katjiumune as sec
retary, Naftali Nangula as head coach, Hilia Nashilongo as assistant coach, and Zatjinda as team manager.

This year’s event, which is sponsored by Netbank, is set to take place in Gobabis in the Omaheke Region from 30 March to 01 April 2024.

Kunene has been drawn in Group A along with Ohangwena, //Kharas, Otjozondjupa, Kavango West, Oshana, and Omusati.

Hardap, Khomas, Erongo, Oshikoto, Kavango East, Zambezi, and Omaheke will compete against each other in Group B.

The football draw features Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshana, and Kunene in Group B; Otjozondjupa, Ohangwena, and Omusati in Group C; and Kharas, Erongo, and Omaheke in Group D. Group A includes Zambezi, Oshikoto, Hardap, and Khomas.

In the netball category, Khomas Region defeated Erongo to win the championship, while Kavango West defeated host Otjozondjupa Region by a score of two goals to zero in the final.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency