All set for Afro-basket/Afro Can qualifiers

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

BASKETBALL Union of Zimbabwe (Buz) president Joe Mujuru says it is all systems go ahead of the Afro-basket/Afro Can qualifiers which start in Bulawayo tomorrow.

The two competitions get underway at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair’s Hall 4 and will end on 28 February.
“We are all but ready for the competitions. Mozambique are already in the country. Zambia and Angola arrive today (yesterday) with Zambia coming in on Monday. We have had delays with setting up the court but we expect that to be done by end of day today (yesterday). The local organising committee has been doing an excellent job to make sure the event is a success,” said Mujuru.
Zimbabwe successfully hosted the same tournament in 2015 at the ZITF. Five nations and 10 teams will converge for the Women’s Afro-Basket and Men’s Afro Can qualifiers.

Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, and hosts Zimbabwe will take part in the competitions, which are expected to run concurrently during the week-long basketball extravaganza.
In the men’s Afro Can Zone Six Qualifiers, Zimbabwe will slug it out with Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
The tournament, which is still relatively new, is a national team competition for players based in Africa. It is also specifically for nations that will not compete in the World Cup African Qualifiers.
Four teams the Democratic Republic Congo, Kenya, Angola and Morocco have already qualified for the finals of the second edition of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Afro Can by virtue of reaching the semi-finals of the last edition that was held in Bamako, Mali.

The host nation and dates for the 2023 Fiba Afro Can are yet to be determined.
Zimbabwe provisional squads

Men
Dyvonne Pfachi, Chris Tsvarai, Andile Chirinda, Tawanda Chitsinde, Tatenda Tswatswa, Tanaka Ndiyara, Irvine Manzini, Jordan Davids, Agrippa Masvisvi, Innocent Zhomwa, Tatenda Maturure, Noah Penduka, Manoah Ntini, Ben Nyatanga, Dexter Nganga, Davison Chivero, Panashe Kuduwa, Shonhiwa Ushe, Vitalis Chikoko, Alvin Madzedze

Women
Helena Machivaire, Nyasha Katsatse, Yollanda Matayataya, Francisca Sekete, Happiness Maroto, Emma Makoni, Kimberly Marembo, Ellen Chikoto, Thelma Goredema, Cynthia Mambo, Fadzai Manongo, Sharon Chamwarura, Mary Chawayipira, Tadiwa Mabika, Stabile Ngandini, Gertrude Mapiya, Kelly Mhembere, Nomusa Dzobo, Lopez Viki, Melissa Majonga
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