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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
A DELIBERATE, systematic and scientific sport development approach continues to bear fruit for Harare International School (HIS).
Exactly three months after their volleyball team won the International Schools Association of Southern and Eastern Africa (ISSEA) meet in Ethiopia, the Under-20 basketball boys’ team has followed suit.
The Gedion Chikopa-coached charges were in devastating form in the tournament held in Maputo, Mozambique, where they romped to victory over the weekend.
The win was wildly celebrated, especially given that the same team finished fourth in the last edition of the annual competition.
What made the win even sweeter for HIS was the fact that a couple of players in that team were also in the same volleyball side that won gold in Ethiopia last year.
And in the three-day basketball tournament held from Thursday last week in Maputo, the HIS were the only team to emerge from the fiesta without tasting defeat.
They were rampant in their matches against Ethiopia, beating the Eastern Africans 52-39, Uganda 33-10 and Kenya 36-25 with a 45-28 scoreline helping them overcome Zambia in the quarter-finals.
They would account for the hosts Mozambique 50-39 to book a date with perennial winners South Africa in the final.
Predictably, the final was super-charged with the South Africans threatening to disintegrate the Zimbabweans, especially in the opening phases of the game.
But once Chikopa’s boys settled, there was no way back for their rivals who they put to the slaughter in an impressive 39-28 victory.
Overall highest points scorer Tinotenda Kwande, Alex Thistle and Anders Jakob, who all made the All Stars Selection, were especially impressive in that game, just like they were in the entire tournament.
The Harare International School girls team finished sixth.
Chikopa, a veteran basketball coach in Zimbabwe, was impressed with his charges’ success.
“I am delighted with this achievement. I think, we were the only undefeated team the whole tournament, winning all our games by double margins.
“We had to overcome the hosts, American International School of Mozambique in the semi-finals then to conquer the American International School of Johannesburg in the final, perennial champions, was the cherry on top,” said Chikopa.
“It was a collective effort, from the unwavering support by the parents, the local schools’ well organised league and last but not least the players hard work, dedication and commitment in their relentless pursuit of excellence.
“Special mention to Todd Meyer the Activities Director, Andrei Tyoschin in Physical Education, school leadership, parents, including Erik Jakob and Sergio Martin Moreno who took time off their busy schedule to assist with coaching, and last but not least, our basketball mom, Amanda Haritatos, for her selfless act of love, tirelessly providing moral support, in what should be the epitome of the never die Warthog spirit.”
The school activities director Todd Meyer said HIS will continue in their pursuit of sporting excellence.
“As the Activities Director of Harare International School, I am incredibly proud of our Under-20 boys basketball team.
“Ten players representing four different countries travelled to Maputo, Mozambique, for the ISSEA (International Schools of Southern and Eastern Africa) basketball competition,” said Meyer. These are the traits that we seek to instil in our players.”
Online Reporter