THE Baby Pearls Netball team have concluded their campaign at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar, securing an 11th place finish after a hard-fought victory against Malaysia with a score of 56-48.
Initially, the Baby Pearls placed third in their pool, with South Africa and Malawi taking the top two spots.
They progressed to the playoffs after defeating Gibraltar with a convincing score of 61-31.
In the subsequent 9th-12th place semifinals, the Baby Pearls faced Samoa but unfortunately fell short, leading them to compete for the 11th-12th place against Malaysia.
During the match against Malaysia, the Baby Pearls displayed a strong start with excellent interceptions and long passes.
However, Malaysia’s accurate shooting and rebounding skills kept them in the game. The first half ended with Fiji holding a slim 27-25 lead.
In the third quarter, Fiji’s defensive pressure and quick transitions created errors for Malaysia, allowing Fiji’s shooters to convert their chances.
In other matches, Samoa claimed the 9th place by defeating Wales 67-53, while Cook Islands settled for 8th place after losing to Malawi with a score of 54-61. Tonga secured 13th place in a close encounter against Singapore, winning 50-47.
The prestigious final between New Zealand and Australia ended with Australia emerging victorious with a commanding 63-48 scoreline, winning the Netball World Youth Cup trophy for the first time in 16 years.
