(Photos by Leshvince)

Jamaica’s Young Sunshine Girls have one last attempt to reach the quarterfinal of the of the INF Netball World Youth Cup in Bostwana.

This after going down  48-46 to the host nation in a fiery contest at the University of Bostwana Indoor Sports Centre today.

It was deafening inside the Sold out Centre …….the moment when Botswana won the contest, sending those on hand and others watching at home in a frenzy.

Jamaica took the lead early in the contest after going up 4-2  just 3 and a half minutes in the first quarter. Jamiaca wnet up by five at 13-8 and kept up the pressure throughout to end the quarter infront at 14-11.

The Janet Guy coached team continued where they had left off as center Tashai Pryce could do no wrong wth crisp centre passing, and splendid agility in transition and her team followed suit with good shooting and solid foot work as Team Jamaica ended the quarter with 25-20 lead.

So resolute were the Jamiacans that the thousands who had gathered went silent momentarily. The early defensive temperament proved too much for Botswana as  their Wing Defence Sarona Hans was quickly taken off after she collided with Jamaican Goal Attack Hasani Williams , while both went high for a lobbed pass from Jamaica’s Vice Captain and Wing attack Carla Lee Tinging.

However, the Jamaicans lost the momentun in the third quarter with numerous turn overs and poor shooting , after being outscored 9-13 in the period and by then Botswana had cut the gap to two points trailing 28-26. With the crowd now back in the game behid the host team and their goal shooter Boikanyo Selogetso on fire all elements fell in place for ‘Dinaletsana’ …or the little stars of Botswana as the third period ended 34-34 .

Then the host nation smelling blood and the Sunshine warriors holding on in the fight, it was battled to the finish, and with 50 seconds to go and the game locked at 46-all, Jamiaca lost posession through poor passingm and on the enusing steal Botswana capitalised, to go up 46-47, before converting on their centr pass to complete the two point triumph.

For the first time in this tournament Williams top scored for the young Sunshine girls with 20 goals converted from 26 attempts and Goal shooter Shimona supported with 16 of 21 tries for 76 percent shooting.

Mondiba Mbangiwa top scored for Botswana with 21 goals from 24 attempts for an 87.5 percent game average shooting.

Jamaica will face Uganda in a must win contest to have any chance of advancing, a win puts Jamaica, Uganda and Bostwana all on 6 points, at which goal difference would determine the two teams advancing to the quarterfinal from Pool C. A loss for Jamaica would see Bostwana and Uganda making progress. The game starts at 10 am Jamaica time or 5 pm here in Gaborone, Bostwana.