Latest news with #PieterPrinsloo
TimesLIVE
21-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Vincent has flashbacks of legendary Larry Bird in Prinsloo's display against Thunder
Made By Ball (MBB) head coach Sam Vincent says he saw glimpses of his former Boston Celtics teammate and Hall of Famer Larry Bird in Pieter Prinsloo's match-winning performance against Nairobi City Thunder in the Basketball Africa League in Kigali on Tuesday. The Pretoria-born Prinsloo had 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Robinson Odoch-Opong knocked down a three-pointer at the death to help MBB to a 75-74 win in the Nile Conference. 'There were moments when I was having fond NBA flashbacks, because Pieter today [Tuesday], he reminded me of Larry,' Vincent said. 'No disrespect to Larry but some of the shots [Prinsloo] hit on the step-back threes and the low post moves, he was sensational.' Vincent also praised Teafale Lenard Jnr, who scored 20 points, saying he reminded him of another teammate in former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen. Pippen was a crucial member of the Bulls' championship-winning team that featured players such as Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr and Dennis Rodman and dominated the NBA in the 1990s. 'I also had some flashbacks with Teafale and a couple of those monstrous dunks that he had reminded me of Scottie,' Vincent said. Pieter Prinsloo's double-double (30 PTS/11 REB) performance for MBB earned him the @visitrwanda_now Player of the Game mention. #BAL5 — Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 20, 2025 He said the adjustment he made by bringing 2.13m tall David Craig into the starting five in place of Nkosi Sibanyoni brought stability in their defence. The win was the Johannesburg-based team's first in the BAL after losing two games at the weekend. 'Getting this win is almost like a full circle,' Vincent said. 'I first came to South Africa in 1999 and got involved with basketball. 'From coaching in South Africa, I got to the NBA and had a chance to coach. 'Having a chance 25 years later to come back and get this win, which is so important for what we're trying to do to get more exposure and promote basketball in South Africa, is important. 'So it's exciting, but more importantly, we have to keep our heads down and keep on working, and that's what we're going to do in the next few games.' The win was influential in boosting MBB's chances for the playoffs in Pretoria. The South African team have to win one game with a superior points difference or two games, depending on how other matches play out in the conference, to comfortably claim the last wild card spot. That berth is now occupied by FUS Rabat of Morocco, who have won two games but have a -19 points difference. MBB will next play Rwanda's Armée Patriotique at the same venue on Thursday.
TimesLIVE
20-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Prinsloo stars as SA's MBB snatch first Basketball Africa win at the death
Pieter Prinsloo and Robinson Odoch produced the magic as Johannesburg's Made by Ball (MBB) claimed their first win in the Basketball Africa League at the BK Arena in Kigali on Tuesday. Ugandan Odoch slotted a three-point dagger at the sound of the buzzer to usher in wild celebrations as MBB secured a come-from-behind 75-74 win over Nairobi City Thunder. Prinsloo is the main man that head coach Sam Vincent would have bought drinks for on Tuesday night. The Pretoria-born star scored 30 points, had 11 rebounds and an assist. Another standout performer for MBB was Teafale Lenard Jr with 20 points and Jovan Mooring, who added 10. The win over City Thunder now means the SA team either have to win one game with a superior points difference, or two games, depending on how other matches play out in the Nile Conference, to comfortably claim the last wild card spot.
The Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Prinsloo stars as MBB snatch first BAL win at the death
Pieter Prinsloo and Robinson Odoch produced the magic as Johannesburg's Made by Ball (MBB) claimed their first win in the Basketball Africa League at the BK Arena in Kigali on Tuesday. Ugandan Odoch slotted a three-point dagger at the sound of the buzzer to usher in wild celebrations as MBB secured a come-from-behind 75-74 win over Nairobi City Thunder. Prinsloo is the main man that head coach Sam Vincent would have bought drinks for on Tuesday night. The Pretoria-born star scored 30 points, had 11 rebounds and an assist. Another standout performer for MBB was Teafale Lenard Jr with 20 points and Jovan Mooring, who added 10. The win over City Thunder now means the SA team either have to win one game with a superior points difference, or two games, depending on how other matches play out in the Nile Conference, to comfortably claim the last wild card spot. That berth is currently occupied by FUS Rabat of Morocco, who have won two games but have a negative 19-point difference. Vincent reshuffled his starting five and brought in 2.13m tall David Craig in place of Nathi Sibanyoni, who had started the opening two games against APR and Al Ahly Tripoli. MBB showed positive intent just seconds from the tip-off as Lenard Jr drove through City Thunder to put in a layup for the team's first two points. Cheik Mbacke levelled matters with a two-point jump shot. The spirit in the MBB side was at a high — the bench would stand up and signal that a shot was in, even before it was released. This confidence from their teammates motivated the starting five, and they fired two three-pointers consecutively, courtesy of Mooring and Prinsloo. Then Craig made his huge presence felt in the paint defensively and offensively, getting rebounds. In the first six minutes of the quarter, MBB took an 18-6 lead but like in the first two games when Vincent brought on the bench, the tempo dropped. City Thunder managed to close the gap to 18-15 with two minutes remaining but Neo Mothiba and Dyvonne Pfach, with their layups, ensured the Joburg side took a 22-15 lead in the first quarter.
TimesLIVE
19-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
MBB attribute slow start to pressure of hosting Basketball Africa playoffs
The Basketball Africa League playoffs to be hosted in South Africa in June have put Made by Ball (MBB), the country's representatives in this week's Nile Conference qualifier in Kigali, Rwanda, under pressure, player Pieter Prinsloo admitted. MBB have suffered two opening losses in the competition and Prinsloo agreed with head coach Sam Vincent that the team were still finding each other after little preparation together. The Gauteng outfit squandered a first-half lead of 47-45 and ended up losing 103-81 to Armée Patriotique Rwandaise at the BK Arena on Sunday evening. With APR and Al Ahli Tripoli winning their first two games, MBB will have to beat Nairobi City Thunder on Tuesday and win another game or two in their last three encounters. That will increase their chances of a wild-card spot. Two of the best third-placed teams will make their way to Pretoria for the playoffs in June. The last spot is occupied by Morocco's FUS Rabat, who won two games in the Kalahari Conference with a points difference of -19. What an electrifying display of BAL action between APR and MBB 🔥. Roll back the tape with our @castlelitesa game recap to savour every game-defining play. #BAL5 — Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 18, 2025 'There could be a lot of pressure the guys might be feeling,' Prinsloo, who scored 13 points in the APR game, said. 'We play City Thunder on Tuesday. We have got better from game one and now we have to improve and get our first victory and we can progress from there. 'We are not trying to look too far now, we need to get better day-by-day and face the mistakes we made. 'We understand the playoffs are in South Africa and it is a big thing for us to qualify. Round 2 of the Nile Conference was something else! Here are your Top 5 plays from yesterday 👊 #BAL5 — Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 19, 2025 'Our first two games, we understand the mistakes we made. In game two, there are a lot of things we did better and we see that when we play our basketball. 'APR, we were able to beat them in the first half when we played the right way, but you have to play 40 minutes of basketball to be complete.' Vincent again bemoaned his team's inability to close out games but agreed APR's experience played a key role in the second half. 'Our guys played better. This is a new team, we haven't played a lot together. 'Every time we get onto the court we want to see improvement. In the first half we played well because we focused on moving the ball. 'We swung it from side to side. We were patient with our shots. In the second half, we were not as patient.'
