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Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Queens are the 2014 Inter-Provincial Basketball champions after edging Harare 42-40 in the final played at Bulawayo Courts of the Disabled (BCD) on Sunday.
The victory by Bulawayo Queens saw them break a six-year jinx against the Harare side who have been dominant in all competitions.
Howard Phangwana, the Bulawayo Basketball Association secretary-general was full of praise for the champions who he said had a “fine display during the tournament.”
“This victory was not a surprise at all as we saw it coming. If you may recall, it was an all Bulawayo affair in the Bob90 Cup final between Southern Mavericks and Lakers. The girls from the City of Kings had managed to knock out their Harare counterparts in the tournament meant to celebrate President Mugabe’s birthday and we were geared up for the inter-provincial championships.
“The winning team was drawn from Southern Mavericks and Lakers and logically, both having done well in the Bob90 Cup, they were bound to win this competition. We are really happy with this victory and it’s sweet because it came after a long time,” said Phangwana.
Harare scooped gold in the men’s category and also came first in the boys’ and girls’ Under-20 categories.
On their way to lifting the men’s title Harare beat Midlands 80-64 and went on to hand Bulawayo a 66-71 defeat.
Bulawayo’s Under-20 girls lost in the final 37-47 to Harare with Mashonaland West, playing in their first ever final, also going down to Harare 34-44.
Bab was happy that they managed to stage a good tournament with limited resources at their disposal.
Sports and Recreation Commission’s Bulawayo provincial coordinator Sam Dzvimbu praised the Baz for giving the Under-20 teams a platform to prepare for their Region Five Games set for the Bulawayo in December.
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