Tendai Gukutikwa
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) 2025 national championships kicked off yesterday (Thursday) at Mutare Boys’ High and Mwenje Florida courts, promising thrilling clashes between Zimbabwe’s top basketball teams.
The game of basketball has enjoyed considerable following in Manicaland, and Mutare in particular, with consistent league matches being played around the city.
It is against this background that the national championships, coming to the eastern border city, will cheer up the spirits of the game’s followers and novices alike.
Manicaland Basketball Association publicist, Overseas Teererai Matibini said: “We are ready to host the national event, and everything is now in place. We are expecting to witness some exciting matches at the two venues.”
A total of 18 teams were divided based on the quality of play and geographical location, with teams from the same provincial league evenly distributed in pots for both genders.
Teams were picked from the pots and placed into the preliminary round – Groups A and B for both women’s and men’s teams.
General principles of the competition awarded automatic qualification to Harare-based men’s outfit, Basket Hounds as the defending champions. Qualification was also guaranteed for the top three teams in the Harare Basketball Association, and provincial champions from Bulawayo Basketball Association, Manicaland Basketball Association, Mashonaland Central Basketball Association, Mashonaland East Basketball Association, Midlands Basketball Association, and Matabeleland North Basketball Association.
Teams were divided into two groups, A and B.
For the 2025 BUZ national championships finals draw, defending champions, Basket Hounds were seeded in Group A as A1, and the host province’s champion was seeded in Group B as B1.
The two teams were placed in different pots, with Pot One comprising defending champions, Basket Hounds.
However, Basket Hounds were seeded in Group B as B1.
Pot Two had the host champions from Manicaland and Mashonaland Central champion as well. The host champions were seeded in Group B as B1, and MCBA was drawn into Group A.
Pot Three had qualified teams from Harare Basketball Association, HBA 2 and HBA 3.
The draw process allocated teams from Pots Four and Five into Groups A and B. From Pot Four, comprising teams from Bulawayo Basketball Association and Midlands Basketball Association, the first drawn team was placed in Group A, while the second team automatically joined Group B.
Similarly, Pot Five, featuring teams from Mashonaland East Basketball Association and Matabeleland North Basketball Association, followed the same allocation process.
The first drawn team entered Group A, and the second team went to Group B.
In the women’s category, automatic qualification was granted to defending champions, UZ Sparks, as well as the top two teams from Harare Basketball Association and Bulawayo Basketball Association.
Provincial champions from Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East basketball associations also secured automatic qualification.
Teams were divided into two groups, A and B.
Seeded positions were allocated to the defending champions, who were placed in Group A as A1, and the host champions, who was placed in Group B as B1.
The team allocation process used a pot system:
Pot One consisted of the defending champions and top-seeded teams from Harare Basketball Association.
UZ Sparks were seeded in Group A as A1, while HBA 1 was drawn into Group B.
Pot Two comprised the host champions and the third qualified team from Harare Basketball Association.
The host champions were seeded in Group B as B1, while HBA 2 was drawn into Group A.
Pot Three featured qualified teams from Bulawayo Basketball Association. The first team drawn from this pot joined Group A, and the second team automatically went to Group B.
Pot Four had qualified teams from Mashonaland Central Basketball Association and Mashonaland East Basketball Association. The first team drawn from this pot joined Group A, and the second team automatically went to Group B.
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