The Tornados continued their unbeaten streak in Division Two of the 2026 Telkom Netball League with a commanding 65-41 victory over the Kingdom Queens, while the Diamonds edged the Sunbirds in a thrilling contest earlier in the day.
The Diamonds and Sunbirds produced one of the most entertaining clashes of the morning session, with momentum swinging throughout the encounter. The Sunbirds started brightly by forcing turnovers and capitalising on early opportunities, but the Diamonds settled midway through the opening quarter and eventually drew level.
A goal from Diamonds Goal Shooter Colene Dercksen and a two-pointer from Goal Attack Brenscha Badenhorst handed the Northern Cape side a narrow advantage before Sunbirds Shooter Kelly Ann Gouws responded with a super shot to leave the scores finely poised at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw the Sunbirds increase their defensive intensity and briefly wrestle back control, but the Diamonds regrouped well through strong rebounding and clinical finishing during the Telkom Super Shot period to take a slender 26-25 halftime lead.
Both teams went goal for goal during much of the third quarter until Diamonds Goal Defense Keletso Gontho produced a crucial turnover that sparked another momentum shift. The Sunbirds fought back to level matters late in the quarter, but the Diamonds finished strongly to carry a two-goal cushion into the final stanza.
The Diamonds then took complete control in the fourth quarter with a run of unanswered goals stretching their lead to six. Despite the Sunbirds remaining competitive in the Super Shot exchanges, the Mpumalanga side eventually succumbed to a 55-50 defeat.
Elsewhere, the Limpopo Baobabs delivered a dominant display to thrash Sonoblomo 67-34. Having played three matches within 24 hours, fatigue appeared to affect Sonoblomo as the Baobabs imposed themselves physically and defensively from the outset.
Baobabs Goal Attack Rochelle Maree starred during the Super Shot period in the third quarter, converting four two-pointers to help her side extend the lead to 51-28 heading into the final quarter. Sonoblomo struggled to break down the Baobabs’ defensive pressure and missed several key chances in front of goal as the Limpopo side cruised to victory.
In the final Division Two encounter, the Tornados once again underlined why they remain unbeaten. They stormed into an early 19-12 lead against the Kingdom Queens through relentless defensive pressure and effective transition play.
Although the Queens improved in the second quarter through better ball movement and attacking combinations orchestrated by Goal Attack Thobekile Mjaja, costly errors at crucial moments prevented them from mounting a sustained comeback.
Mjaja continued to inspire her side during the Super Shot period in the third quarter, converting two two-pointers to keep the Queens within touching distance. However, Tornados Goal Attack Rochelle Rossouw responded in kind with a super shot of her own as the unbeaten side steadily pulled away.
The Tornados maintained their consistency in the final quarter to seal an emphatic 65-41 victory and preserve their flawless record.
After the match, Tornados coach Lucy Twani praised her team’s execution and discipline.
We had a checklist; we had to tick a few boxes especially on attack. Our ball speed, placement, our lines and I think we worked really well to achieve that, so we can move on to the next thing. Defensively, we put a lot of pressure, but we’ve been focusing on the process rather than the end result,said Twani.
Earlier in the day, the Zambezi Eagles showed impressive resilience against the Crinums despite going down 61-50. While the Eagles’ results do not count towards the standings, the side continues to gain valuable exposure against top opposition. The Crinums, meanwhile, maintained their unbeaten run ahead of a highly anticipated clash against the Southern Stings.
Results
- Zambezi Eagles 50-61 Crinums
- Baobabs 67-34 Sonoblomo
- Diamonds 55-50 Sunbirds
- Kingdom Queens 41-65 Tornados