Chronicle EditorInnocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Basketball Association (BBA) League has lauded schools in the city for engaging in schools basketball leagues as they aim to build a vibrant junior policy in the city.
Bulawayo has two separate running schools basketball leagues, one under the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) and the other for private schools.
Teams under the Nash league are Nkulumane, Northlea, St Columbus, Milton, Hamilton and IHlathi High schools.
Petra, Christian Brothers College and Falcon are in the private schools league and because there are a few teams in that league, Northlea, Ihlathi and St Columbus were invited to participate in the league.
“We decided to work closely with the schools because this is where the raw talent is found. The aim is to have more schools coming on board. The growth of schools basketball depends on spotting and nurturing talent at a young age.
The creation of a vibrant junior policy is key to the growth of the game in the country but we need to have financial support. Our main cry in 2018 will be to get sponsors. The youth are the future of basketball, not only in Bulawayo but the country as a whole. We want to see the development of basketball from here on,” said BBA competitions head Charmaine Chirinda.
The basketball association has also selected a technical team that will come up with strong teams at provincial tournaments.
“As BBA we should come up with a provincial team for both the boys’ and girls’ category in the open age group and the Under-18 category that will compete in the inter-provincial tournament scheduled for end of February in Marondera. The schools give us the perfect opportunity to come up with strong sides. We hope to go there and make the province proud,” she said.
Bulawayo Province has already commenced the preparations for the inter-provincial tourney. — @innocentskizoe
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