The SPAR Baby Proteas etched their names into the history books on Thursday, booking South Africa’s first-ever semi-final berth at the Netball World Youth Cup with a commanding 79–45 victory over the Cook Islands in Gibraltar.
Coach Precious Mthembu’s side, who topped their group in the preliminary stages, rose to the occasion in their quarter-final clash to secure a top-four finish – a feat that had eluded South Africa in previous editions where their best result was fifth place.
Strong Start and Dominant Finish
The Cook Islands came out with early intensity, briefly unsettling South Africa’s rhythm. But once the Baby Proteas settled, their fast-paced attack and defensive pressure began to show. By the end of the opening quarter, South Africa held an 18–13 lead.
The second quarter saw the Baby Proteas extend their advantage, piling relentless pressure on their opponents to take a 38–21 lead into the halftime break. Rotations in the third quarter injected fresh energy, with South Africa adding 17 goals to Cook Islands’ 14, stretching their advantage to 55–35.
With momentum fully on their side, the Baby Proteas closed out the match with authority, sealing the 79–45 win and their place among the world’s elite.
A Moment of Pride
An emotional Coach Precious Mthembu hailed her team’s milestone achievement:
“I am incredibly proud of the girls; I am actually tearing up. This is history in the making because we have finally secured a quarter-final victory and booked a semi-final spot – this has never happened before. The girls believed in each other, supported one another, and this is unbelievable. This win is testament to the discipline, hard work, and determination by the girls throughout the journey. We now need to shift focus to tomorrow’s game against Australia.”
Quarter Scores
- Q1: South Africa 18–13 Cook Islands
- Q2: South Africa 38–21 Cook Islands
- Q3: South Africa 55–35 Cook Islands
- Q4: South Africa 79–45 Cook Islands
Next Challenge: Australia
The victory sets up a semi-final showdown with four-time champions and reigning silver medallists Australia on Friday, 26 September. It will be the Baby Proteas’ toughest test yet, but with history already made, Mthembu’s charges will be determined to push for a podium finish.
South Africa’s young stars have shown resilience, unity, and flair throughout the tournament, and their run has injected fresh belief into the country’s netball future.
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