This year, the University Sport South Africa (USSA) championships that have not taken place during the winter season will be held in December at Rhodes University (Eastern Cape) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Three teams from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) will compete in the championships.
Both the senior men’s and women’s Basketball 3×3 teams will be competing at Rhodes University while Cricket (senior men’s team only) and Football (both men’s and women’s teams) will battle it outat UWC The Basketball 3×3 championship will take place on 2 and 3 December, while cricket and football championships are scheduled for 3 to 8 December.
“As we wrap up the 2023 sports season, we hope that these three clubs (basketball, cricket, and football) will bring home gold medals to UJ. The men’s Basketball 5×5 team managed to win the USSA championship in Durban in July, while both the football teams won silver in the FNB Varsity Football tournament and will be defending their 2022 USSA titles in Cape Town.
“Cricket will also be looking to end the year on a high note given their recent form in the Premier A and B Leagues and Black Widow tournament. We wish them all the very best in the games,” says Ms Nompilo Zondi, Senior Manager: UJ Sports Clubs.
In 2022, at Wits University, the UJ Galaxy (senior women’s basketball team) were crowned the USSA Basketball 3×3 champions, after defeating UWC in the final. They also won a bronze medal in the 5×5 USSA tournament just a few days prior to the 3×3 championship. Pretty Murali was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for her showstopping performances.
In a fiercely contested thriller, the UJ men’s and women’s 5×5 basketball teams played nine and 10 games each, respectively. They both lost just one match each, finishing in second (men’s team) and third place.
After a successful 2022 sporting season, both the senior men’s and women’s football teams went on a clean sweep, winning the 2022 USSA Football Championship in Secunda, Mpumalanga. This was after winning the women’s edition of the FNB Varsity Football tournament and the men’s team finishing as runners-up in the men’s edition. The women’s team won three consecutive USSA championships. They will be seeking their fourth title in Cape Town.
The men’s semi-final match between UJ and NWU (Mafikeng Campus) was decided on penalties after the match had ended in a 1-1 stalemate. UJ won 6-5 on penalties. Also decided on penalties was the final between the Orange Army and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). UJ emerged victories, thus clinching the 2022 USSA Football Championships.
The UJ cricket team has done well in 2023, playing in the semifinals of the Black Widow tournament. Many of the UJ Cricket Club team players such as Liam Alder, Ronan Hermann and Ryan Rickleton went on to sign professional contracts with provincial and national teams.
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