Basket Hounds eye continental glory

Tinashe Kusema

Zimpapers Sports Hub

IN just three years, Basket Hounds have gone from unknown upstarts to Zimbabwe’s basketball royalty.

Their gaze is now fixed on conquering Africa.

Fresh from completing a league and cup double, the Harare-based outfit is preparing for a return to the Road to BAL, the qualifying pathway for the prestigious Basketball Africa League (BAL).

The BAL, a landmark partnership between the NBA and FIBA, is Africa’s premier club competition, featuring 12 of the continent’s elite teams.

Now in its fifth season, the tournament represents the NBA’s first foray into managing a professional league outside North America.

Yet, despite the prestige and opportunity the BAL presents, Zimbabwe is still waiting to make a meaningful impact.

Since the league’s inception in 2019, three Zimbabwean clubs — Mercenaries, JBC and Basket Hounds — have participated in the qualifiers, only to fall short.

A fourth — Foxes — opted out altogether due to financial constraints.

But Basket Hounds are back for another bite at the cherry.

“We really wanted this,” said co-owner and head coach Tawanda Nemutambwe moments after clinching the BUZ National League title in Mutare last weekend.

“The boys and I made a vow to retain our title, and we worked relentlessly to get here.”

The victory marked the team’s second national title in as many years and capped off an unbeaten season that also saw them lift the Harare Basketball Association (HBA) Super Six championship.

Basket Hounds were born out of a simple conversation between childhood friends: Nemutambwe and Zimbabwe’s international basketball star Vitalis Chikoko.

What started as an idea has since become one of the most formidable projects in local basketball.

In just their third year of existence and only their second season in the HBA Super Six, the Hounds have transformed from league debutants to a domestic powerhouse.

Their inaugural 2023 campaign began in the HBA “A” Division, where they went unbeaten and earned promotion.

Although they narrowly missed out on the Super Six title in their first top-flight season, they still managed to win the national championship and earned a spot in the BAL qualifiers.

That first taste of continental competition ended in heartbreak, with Hounds narrowly missing out on qualification on the final day of the tournament.

But for Nemutambwe, the defeat was a lesson, not a failure.

“Last year was our first time, and I am happy to say that we really did well,” he said.

“We only failed to qualify on the last day; that is how tough our group was. But the boys put up a fight.”

That hard-earned experience has shaped the Hounds’ approach to their next continental push.

According to Nemutambwe, preparations for the BAL qualifiers are already underway, with changes both on and off the court.

“Firstly, we need player development and discipline. Our players must stay away from alcohol and drugs; that is something we have managed to hammer home at our club,” he said.

“Coaches also need to step up. We need to move with the times and spend more hours on the court. Both coaches and players must work harder.”

But even with the best tactics and talent, the coach admits there is a more formidable challenge looming, that of money.

“Running a team in the Super Six has become more expensive,” he said bluntly.

“You need a solid plan, sponsors and donors. Without that financial backing, it’s hard to build consistency.”

Still, the dream is very much alive.

“Our goal is to become the best club in the country and on the continent,” said Nemutambwe with conviction.

That vision includes strengthening the squad with players who have BAL experience.

Recruitment and team chemistry will be key pillars in their upcoming campaign.

“We have already started scouting and identifying players we hope to bring in,” said Nemutambwe.

“The idea is to get them game time and build chemistry with the rest of the team.”

After a short two-week break, the squad will regroup to kickstart their preparations.

In many ways, Basket Hounds are chasing more than just wins; they are chasing legitimacy for Zimbabwean basketball on a continental stage.

Their success story, forged from friendship and fuelled by ambition, could be the spark that changes the country’s fortunes.

It is no longer just about competing; it is about earning that elusive seat at Africa’s basketball table and staying there.

As the countdown to the Road to BAL begins, Zimbabwe’s hopes rest on the shoulders of a team whose hunger matches its name.

Basket Hounds are no longer sniffing around the edges; they are ready to bite.