Maroto shades off her colours

Tinashe Kusema
NATIONAL team call ups, multiple MVPs and a lot of championships.

Happiness Maroto wants it all.

And if the way her sophomore season, at Harare City Hornets, has unfolded is any sign of things to come, then the sky is the limit for this speedy point guard.

“Obviously, I’m ecstatic after having won yet another HBA title,” said the 20-year-old Maroto soon after Hornets clinched their second consecutive title a fortnight ago.

“Despite finishing undefeated, it has been a tough couple of months and we played some very tough games.

“Thankfully, we managed to prevail and I am very proud of the pedigree and teamwork we showed this season,” she said.

Maroto emerged as one of the top performers for the two-time champions and has since emerged as the dark horse candidate for the Most Valuable Player Award this campaign.

Her coach Andrew Chitauro best articulates her claim to the award.

“Happy (Maroto) has been one of our biggest signing at Harare City Hornets, and has been very instrumental in our back to back championship wins.

“She is gifted with unrivalled speed, aggression on the offensive front and also possesses a very high basketball IQ, well beyond her age,” he said.

It’s almost ironic now, but the Hornets playmaker did not have the best of starts to her career at the reigning champions, which she joined at the beginning of the 2017/18 season.

Her struggles included lack of game time, fighting for acceptance and the need to prove herself to her peers who included some of the biggest and most experienced names in Zimbabwe basketball.

“When I arrived here, from Greenstars, competition was tough given the calibre of players at the club.

“I was very young and so had to work my way up, first to prove myself and then to gain the acceptance and respect of my teammates,” said the Girls High alum.

And prove herself she did.

Maroto finished the 2018/19 season with 196 points and 62 assists on the offensive front.

On the defensive end, she made 69 steals and won 49 rebounds.

“Basketball is the same no matter who you are or where you play but I had to put in the hours and work on my game.

“Luckily my coach, Chitauro, and teammates were very helpful in helping me acclimatize and improve.

“I am also a believer of the saying that the toughest soldier often travels the hardest journey and that has been helpful in my steady progression from a rookie at the team and the new kid, “she said.

Buoyed by the numbers, Maroto views this as a starting point and hopes to shade off her old girl-next-door persona and grow.

“Greenstars as the team that gave me my first break will always have a special place in my heart, but I’m with Hornets now.

“The goal is to continue growing, work on my studies and hopefully take this sport to the finishing line,” she said.