dyton mupawaenda
Innocent Kurira
THE Basketball Africa League Elite 16 Division East qualifiers will get underway today with Zimbabwean representatives JBC opening their campaign with a difficult assignment against regional powerhouses Ferroviario da Beira of Mozambique.
The qualifiers that are in Johannesburg, South Africa will run till Sunday.
Zimbabwean champions, JBC made history by becoming the first local team to reach this stage of the competition.
JBC have been drawn in Group B alongside Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique), City Oilers (Uganda) and COSPN (Madagascar).
Basketball Union of Zimbabwe president Joe Mujuru called on the nation to rally behind JBC as they seek to write their own piece of history.
“As Buz, we are really excited that JBC has managed to get to his stage. This can only be a signal of how much potential we have as a country to become a basket-ball powerhouse. At this stage, it’s no longer about JBC as a club but they carry the nation’s hopes and their success is a success for the entire country. Therefore, we call on everyone to show their support for the team as they go into this battle,” said Mujuru.
Bal is Africa’s premier men’s basketball division. It is also a collaborative effort be-tween the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Formed in 2019, it consists of 12 of the continent’s best teams. Qualification comes through winning respective domestic competitions.
Six teams qualify directly, while six others have to play in the Road to Bal.
Online Reporter