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THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe is confident that Bulawayo will stage memorable Afro-Basketball and All-Africa qualifiers set for monthend following the city’s successful hosting of the December African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Games.
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Seychelles, Zambia, Botswana and Angola will participate in the joint qualifiers for men and women from February 21 to 28 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Halls. The top team in each category will earn a slot for the Afro-Basketball Championships to be co-hosted by Tunisia and Cameroon while the All-Africa Games will be held in Congo-Brazzaville later this year.
Joe Mujuru, the BUZ secretary-general is confident that basketball enthusiasts will come in their numbers for the qualifiers after a bumper attendance at the December African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.
He challenged the corporate world from Bulawayo to take advantage of the Games to market their products during the tournament.
“These joint Afro-Basketball and All-Africa qualifiers will certainly provide entertainment to the people of Bulawayo and we ask them to support the games just like they did during the regional youth competitions. We are banking on the support of the people of Bulawayo,” Mujuru said.
Angola men’s team by virtue of being defending champions have qualified for the Afro-Basketball finals and will be targeting the All-Africa Games. This means that South Africa will be Zimbabwe’s biggest threat for the Afro-Basketball finals.
In the women’s category, Zimbabwe are favourites to make it for both finals having been to the last edition of the All-Africa Games which were in Mozambique as well as the Afro-Basketball Championships.
Mujuru said the two national teams preparing for the qualifiers will use the weekend’s inter-provincial tournament in Harare to prepare for the continental competitions.
The inter-provincial tournament will also be used to select the national Under-16 teams that will compete at the Afro-Basketball qualifiers set for Botswana in April.
Bulawayo, Harare, Midlands and Manicaland have confirmed that they would send teams to the capital for the domestic competition.
“Obviously with a hectic continental programme on the cards, we want to make sure that the junior and senior inter-provincial tournament is a success,” Mujuru said.
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