Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube | Zimpapers Sports Hub
LEGENDARY Highlanders winger Madinda Ndlovu is bouncing back into the spotlight, this time with a basketball in hand!
The former Zimbabwe international is on a mission to breathe new life into Highlanders Basketball Club, once a dominant force in the 80s and 90s.
“I want the club to get back to the top,” declared Madinda. “It starts with renovations to the facility where they train.”
At the heart of his dream is the Parirenyatwa Street basketball court, which he wants fully revamped to host league games and tournaments again.
But there’s a big block in his way — the ageing city court, which Ndlovu says is falling apart after more than 50 years of wear and tear.
“The court has outlived its shelf life. It now has cracks and is unplayable for serious competition,” he said.
Once a fortress for top talent like Bradley de Jongh, Archie Murumbedzi, Filaviasi Zharare, Vusa Ndlovu and Angela Chikomba, the court has become a ghost of its glory days.
Madinda is calling for a US$20 000 injection to replace the entire surface and transform the space into a multi-sport inner-city hub.
“This could benefit kids who want to play basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, do boxing or use the gym. The potential is massive,” said Ndlovu.
It’s game on for Madinda, from football fields to basketball courts, the man still dreams big.
