The U19 boys’ basketball team from Michael Mount Waldorf School in Bryanston has been crowned champions of the prestigious St John’s Basketball Tournament, one of the biggest school basketball competitions in southern Africa.

The team fought through a challenging weekend of matches before lifting the trophy, a result that head coach Igor Lunnemann said reflected months of hard work and commitment from the players. “For the team and me, it’s a really big tournament. It’s obviously the biggest tournament in southern Africa, so it just feels good to see that all the work we’ve put in is actually paying off.”

Read more: Michael Mount U19 basketball team triumphs at St John’s tournament

He said the victory was especially meaningful after a difficult start to the season at another tournament where the team did not perform well. Instead of letting that result define them, the coaching staff pushed the players harder during training. “We made a goal to make every training session tougher than any game they would play. In the moment, they didn’t enjoy it, but everyone trusted the process.” Lunnemann added that the team’s unity and determination were key factors behind the victory.

“Everyone stayed focused and trusted each other. Whether someone played a lot or a little, the team stuck together like a family.” One of the defining moments of the tournament came during the semi-final against King Edward VII School. Michael Mount found themselves trailing by 18 points in front of a packed crowd.

“Our spirit in that game was incredible. The boys didn’t panic. They just focused on one possession at a time and trusted each other.” He said, despite facing strong opponents and dealing with challenges such as key players fouling out early in several games, the team adapted and eventually found a winning system.

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Lunnemann believes the tournament victory carries an important lesson for the players beyond the basketball court. “One of the biggest lessons is that hard work works. If you really want something and put the work in, you can achieve it.”

For many of the players, the victory was the final chapter in a remarkable journey, having previously won the same tournament at the U13 and U15 levels. “It’s special for them to finish their final year like this.”

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