Early this month, TuksBasketball Women won the USSA Basketball 3x3 Championships, beating UJ 18-15 in the final played at Rhodes University.

In 2021, Tuks played in the USSA 5x5 final. It was the first time in 11 years they did so. They did not win. VUT won 65-49, but the die was cast. The Tuks players started to think like winners. Last year, they were second, and now they are the new champions under the headship of Thesline Davids.

The Tuks captain, Linette Ngulube, quickly credits the coaches as instrumental in their success.

Ngulube plays as a post. In short, it boils down to her having to create scoring opportunities. But it is her role as captain that she treasures. 

"Being the captain comes naturally. During a game when we were struggling, I got the ability to bring calmness to the team and get the players to refocus. It is essential to listen to one's teammates and to respect them. I speak to them as I want people to talk to me. Rudeness brings you nowhere.

"Being the captain does not stop for me once we leave the court. I also work hard to gain my teammate's confidence off-court because the camaraderie of the game attracted me to play basketball," explains the Information Science student. 

Aside from basketball and studying, baking excites Ngulube. She prides herself in being able to bake to-die-for chocolate brownies. According to her, the secret to doing so is baking with love. 

Being a top-class "master chef in brownie baking" has its advantages. Teammates will push themselves to the limit with just one bite.

3x3 basketball made its global competitive debut at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, it was part of the Senior Games.

Unlike the 5x5 game, it is played on half of the ordinary court with only a single hoop. There are only three players per team on the court at any given time, with one reserve on the bench.

The TukBasketball team at the USSA Basketball 3x3 Champs included Cleo Matheyse, Khanyisile Maphisa, Kamogelo Motaung and Ngulube. While on the Tuks men's team finished on the podium in third-place.