NASINU Secondary School is one step away from Vodafone Deans Trophy U18 final, but captain Maika Tuivaga knows his side must raise the intensity if they are to get past Lelean Memorial School in Saturday’s semi-final at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
Nasinu secured a hard-fought 28-26 victory over Cuvu College in their quarter-final at Garvey Park last week to book their place in the final four.
The narrow victory has given the side confidence, but Tuivaga believes there is still plenty of work to be done before they take on their Eastern Zone counterparts.
“We must lift up our preparation for the semi-final and improve on our weaknesses from the quarter-final.
“We also have to encourage my brothers on the field and make sure we stay together as a team,” Tuivaga said.
Reflecting on their quarter-final against Cuvu, Tuivaga said the match exposed areas of their game that needed attention.
“It was a good game in the quarter-final against Cuvu last week, but there are areas we need to improve on, and I know we will do better.”
Nasinu will be hoping to turn last year’s disappointment into motivation as they continue their campaign for the prestigious Deans Trophy.
The school reached the U18 final last year but fell short against defending champions Ratu Kadavulevu School.
With another opportunity now in front of them, Tuivaga believes the team must remain focused and disciplined as they chase a place in the final.
The clash against Lelean is expected to be another stern test for Nasinu, with both sides eager to secure a place in the championship decider.
For Tuivaga and his teammates, Saturday’s semi-final is not only about progressing to the final but also another opportunity to move closer to redemption after last year’s heartbreak.
