
Sunday, 19 January 2025, Kingston, Jamaica – The SPAR Proteas lost 55-47 to Jamaica in the first Test match of the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series on Saturday. Despite the loss, national coach Jenny van Dyk remains optimistic.
“The last time we played Jamaica, we lost by 18 points. This time, we only lost by eight. It’s progress, and we’ll be better prepared next time,” said Van Dyk after the match.
The game started off evenly, with both teams scoring goal for goal in the first quarter, which ended tied at 12-12. However, things took a turn in the second quarter when South African goalkeeper Nicola Smith suffered an arm injury and had to leave the court. Her replacement, Ane Retief, was briefly sent off for a foul, giving Jamaica the upper hand. The Sunshine Girls capitalized and won the second quarter 16-11.
In the third quarter, Jamaica extended their lead to 10 points at times, but the SPAR Proteas fought back to reduce the gap to seven (42-35). In the final quarter, Jamaica surged ahead, building a 12-point lead. However, strong shooting from Elmere van den Bergh and goal attack Kamogelo Maseko helped the SPAR Proteas close the match with an eight-point deficit.
Coach Van Dyk praised her team for their effort, especially given the challenging atmosphere in Jamaica’s packed National Indoor Stadium.
“We know how Jamaica plays on paper, but experiencing it in person is different. The noise and energy are incredible, but they can also be distracting. We learned a lot and now know what to improve,” she said.

Van Dyk acknowledged that the second quarter was particularly challenging. “Losing Nicola and dealing with Ane’s suspension disrupted our game plan. But setbacks like these are part of the game, and we need to handle them better.”
Assistant coach Zanele Mdodana agreed, saying, “The second quarter cost us the game. Losing Nicola changed the momentum, but the other quarters were very close.”
Earlier in the day, the SPAR Baby Proteas impressed with a dominant 61-31 win over Jamaica’s Under-21 team.
The SPAR Proteas will face Jamaica again in the second Test match on Thursday, 23 January 2025 (02:00 SA time) and the final Test on Sunday, 26 January 2025 (01:00 SA time).