Botswana netball stars Letang Mogotlhwane and Violet Oneile will face off in the semi finals of the 2015 Singapore Netball Super League this weekend. Mogotlhwane’s Blaze Dolphins will contest against Oneile’s Magic Marlins for a berth in the final.
The match-up between the sides will ensure that Botswana will have a representative in the final of the tournament for the first time since 2012 when Judith Mawela and Tebogo Radipotsane battled for the NSL title.
Mawela led her side to victory three years ago and the current crop of players plying their trade in Singapore are eager to emulate her.
Oneile’s Marlins head into the semi final as the favourites given their final league position as the top seeded team but Mogotlhwane has added defensive stability to her side and they will be a daunting challenge for the league favourites.
Marlins boasts the league’s only unbeaten record after five consecutive victories. Oneile’s form has helped the team maintain a 100 percent record so far, she could be in line for a Most Valuable Player award if she leads her team to the final. Fellow Batswana players Ntebogang Motlakaleso (2012) and Hidah Binang (2014) have won the illustrious individual award before.
Marlins will have the upper hand after beating Dolphins 42-37 in the final game of the regular season this past weekend.
The match was a prelude to this Saturday’s semi final clash, both teams qualified for the semi finals by virtue of being part of the tournament’s top four teams. Tiger Sharks and Sneakers Stingrays will contest the other semi final.
Meanwhile, Sarona Hans’ M1 Starfish will battle Binang’s Mission Mannas in the 5th/6th place playoff match. Both players’ clubs failed to qualify for the semi final but they will contest for the consolation prize of being the fifth best team in the league.