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Candidating for third and likely last mandate to try to catch a medal

I have to say that this roster has a strange but well defined profile, and that could enable non-standard play

S27 started with this declaration. A third mandate, some idea behind this, and the willingness to take the best out of this team to complete this cycle.

The adventure started.

Round 1 - seeding
Misr was our first opponent. No way to compete, too big the salary gap, and no reason to spend any "secret". Isolation, M2M and just a bit of GP (game prediction) to limit the gap in points. 120-89 L and evaluations demonstrated I was not so wrong. A PIC increased our TS.

Second match was against Senegal. Uhm, may be we can surprise them. It's a risk. Better to PIC and spend our Isolation as the roster could give us the right chances. A long match, ended at OT. 31 Mokitimi + 19 Lekoelea, +13 RB, 117-114 W! Yep, we defeated Senegal! 1-1 record, who's next? BTW, thank you for having played the wrong tactics!

Now, Ghana, great Guards and some problems in the roster. We must win, let's spend our TS. As I am smart, let me spend also a double GP. Well, thank you Mokitimi for your 9/9 24p and Motihala 10/18 22p. I missed both GPs, but I did it as Ghana decided to use far than optimal tactics (and a crazy PIC!). 115-98 W, 2-1 record, one of two opponents for second round (with Al Maghrib) left behind.

Straight ahead, the chance to enter second round against Al Maghrib, the home team spending crazy MOTS here and there. PIC for both, a mess of GP on both sides (ininfluent), 18/27 and 41p for Sebe and overalll 57/96. YEP! We are almost qualified to second round having 3W and won both direct challenges with Al Maghrib and Ghana!!! We have time now to work for that medal...

Tounes. Not much confident, but we need TS to aim to the medal. A princeton? Against ME who studied that tactics becaming proficient in it? Good test for a Low Post ... working well, really. Despite unstoppable Bassir, our forwards Motihala and Sebe make the difference (combined 17/26 45p). FOURTH victory 101-88? Really? Are we Misr's challengers??? Too early, Al Jazair and Senegal will come back.

Now the rebus Nigeria. No idea about how dealing with them, and probably a normal could be spent by them. Mmmm well, we could loose without any impact if they will not move to next round. Let's use a confusing Princeton, also a good test to understand what that roster can do. Lesson learned: without Mokitimi we cannot use that kind of attack (nor externals). Loss. Painless.

Al Jazair dilemma: trying to grab a W risking TS but virtually taking the medal, Again Isolation, the tactics that gave me something more than others. And a Normal. Bad choice, Unlucky. Loss by 4 while heading to the finish, "spectacular" evaluation for Al Jazair, this is painful although we enter final round with a good record... but we miss this W, let's hope that will not impact us!

Poll:  How S27 went...

Round 2 - now or never
Pragmatic chase to the medal. Nothing less is relevant. Where to start from?

Ghana first. We have the second record behind Misr, a great advantage to enter final 4. Ghana could mix up set up again. Let's avoid GP. With those Guards, no chance for an external attack, we have to go straight toward the boards. I said "pragmatic"? Time to spend TS and eliminate one challenger. Three forwards, 24/34 and 58p combined, not by hazard, I know what this roster can do even against 2-3 zone. Or better exactly against that zone. Although external attack took a 13 as evaluation, as expected, I planned M2M to at leat tie RBs. Mission accomplished. 121-109! A great step toward medals.

Could we surprise Senegal again? They have to fight for a medal. We need TS to pragmatically catch our medal, possibly aiming to third place to avoid Misr in SF and try a chance. PIC and trying a Motion that could work. A bad choice, 38/102 at shooting and a large defeat 106-90. Not too bad having accumulated a PIC, but -16 is a bit large.

Have I said that I hate how Al Jazair mixes tactics? No? I hate them! I feel them superior than SA, so let's see if Isolation can work. It does. To them. Not too far in evaluations, but 26/76 vs 40/83. A deep -22 for our worst match. We are loosing ground in third place rush, but medals are closer due to other results.

Host Al Maghrib will spend a MOTS for sure. No doubt, a last call. We can defeat them even with a PIC. BUT where is the third place? Well, scoring difference may change that race. Let's then spend a normal to have a good scoring. Again Motihala, well backed by Mokitimi and Lekoelea, a good defense to shut down external offense, and +30. I am gaining confidence about LI against zone, an obviuos side effect for this roster. Is that the best, or could LP be even better?

Just to notice: YEAH, Senegal defeated in a never ending match by GHANA! And Al Jazair keeping Misr to fight till the end, but eventually loosing. We have a medal (virtually), and we can have a chance to catch 3rd place! And may be Misr is not invulnerable, although out of reach for us.

Misr: the big-bad-ugly boys to close the loop of the two qualification rounds (we started against them, remember?). How to face them? Spending TS? Well, PIC. GP to limit scoring, Isolation just to convince all the world that this is my best tactics (for sure the most used). If we will be 3rd, we will spend all our chances against Misr in SF, otherwise we will have our MOTS in SF to point to silver medal.

A bad loss. 116-84 despite horrible tactics but with another missed GP. Only RBing mildly worked. Let me take the calculator, what's happening in Al Jazair-Senegal? 99-84... uhm 15 points... Really!!?! We are THIRD by 11 points!!!! THIRD! We may have a chance against the named challenger. Not too bad, better than T-rex Misr!

Guys, mission accomplished. SA back to medal. Now, let's leave pragmatism behind us. Let's dream.

Dream part 1
Semifinals. After ages: 8 seasons without any medal (it was a silver in S19). Have I told you I hate Al Jazair tactics mix up? Yes, I did. Well, no way to risk a GP, too easy to fail. How to afford those guys? They will expect my internal attack and could spend GP, but usually they don't. TS is likely to be similar, may be we have a bit more, not enough to bridge salary gap.

Let's play inside. We don't have enough power outside, despite attractiveness. If they predict my tactics, good to them. And may be... may be their attitude to mix tactics could bring them to a defeat. I trust my internal attack. Let's push it ahead. Let's use a Low Post, as our hidden circulation is a great boost. Let's rely on our forwards. M2M. No prediction. MOTS.

WTF!?!?! That stupid tablet did a mess again and I don't have Mokitimi!!! He's not the critical guy, luckily we have Lekoelea, but ... stupid of me, let's just hope.

Tactics and strategies. Al Jazair played bold. PIC to take a chance against Misr. And Isolation. A suiciide. A deadly combination. To them. SOUTH AFRICA MOVES TO FINALS!

Dream part 2
Excuses about Mokitimi. Done.
When we play? Monday? Gosh, I am away. Let's set up the match now. Done.
We loose? We overachieved our goal and topped our best ever. Nothing to be sad.

What about Misr. Strong. Powerful. Able to compete in WC. Flat LI+M2M, no GP, ever, why risking? Apart SF. May be a MOTS spent in SF (why???).

How surprising them? All-in, no chance. I know this team has a number of hidden skills that made the difference and brought us here. Then zone, double prediction, LP. All-in.

Again, not by hazard, the age of Forwards. Galvin, Motihala, Sebe, Lekoelea. Big problems in outside attacks, some great and bad performances at FTs, but my key is rebounding, boosted by GP and zone. I know that could open a wound to shooters. but it's an all-in isn't it? Assists almost kill us, but we are there. A chance to win, but it's an epic final.

Overtime.

One point after the other, incredibly balanced. Mokitimi, the forgotten guy, scores 93-91 with 0.18. Omar shoots against Sebe with 0.10, missed, but Sebe doesn't grab the ball. Again a chance to second OT. Again Omar. Scored. 0.02. What else?

Motihala is there. A forward. The symbol of our team. He has the ball. Omar gets crazy. Foul. Motihala to shoot two FTs entering with 8/8. First, scored. SOUTH AFRICA IS AFRICAN CHAMPION, S29.

Don't wake me up.

Motihala. A wonderful performer. The archetype of this SA, a team with unprecedented set of skills, with hidden tricks but with a destiny of pain against 200K$ T-rex. You scored our last two points for the first golden cup of SA, dethronizing Misr after 3 victories in a row, 6 overall. Thank you Motihala, you wrote the history.

Mokitimi The Forgotten Guy. The one who sat in a SF insulting his coach, and being wrong. The one that scored a key 2p that could have closed the final in Q4. We will not forget you anymore.

Sebe Defense? What's that? Ah, what somebody tries against me without success? I understand. You are not my perfect SF, but I loved you when you regularly scored... and insulted you when you just left Omar or other scoring against you. A zero sum player. Well, not so much!

Lekoelea The added value. The player we hadn't in last seasons. A great guard/forward, almost perfect for this team. Precious resource.

Galvin, Hlomelang & Mazibuko Somebody has to defend and grab rebounds. If other tall men are just looking at other's boards, they work on our side. Pillars.

Gulch Donald Duck. A point guard we needed, with an incredible series of injuries, bad gameshape and transfers. This was the first real season. A bit below expectations, but solid.

Mosheua the man that never exit. 48 MPG, every game. 96 when lucky. Not a perfect player, but SA needs him.

Motsamay, Maselesele, Moonsamy, Hijdra, Cotton, Reerink More than just "fillers". Nobody of them can make the difference, but we need all of them, with their strenghts and weaknesses. While starters take a break, they don't open black holes. Thank you for you contribution.

Legodi The last call. Trying to confuse a bit Misr (well not much expectation), but why not trying. Not ready yet to play, close enough.

Last edited by GM-BlackMouse at 7/9/2014 6:22:30 PM

Last but not least.

A big thank to all managers who prepared these guys.

A big thank to all those who followed this team along the seasons.

A big thank to whom elected me three times and trusted.

A big thank to my staff that worked with me in South Africa ages ago, when I started my adventure as coach.

and let's make the cup shiny!

BTW, we are #34 in world ranking. Highest was 25 at beginning of S12 (ranking started in S11). The little difference is ... THE GOLD CUP!!

A magnificent and historic achievement! Thanks again!
I am very happy with how my players performed in NT. :)

I am also very happy with the performance of Sebe hehe
Now I do very well in the World Cup.Good luck

I have sticked this thread. it's an historical result, isn't it? However, if anybody would argue, I would simply remove from sticked list, let me know in case.