adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTHERN Mavericks swept most of the accolades at the Bulawayo Basketball Association’s 2014-15 season awards held on Saturday night at the Bulawayo Club for the Disabled (BCD). Southern Mavericks’ men and women’s teams were rewarded for winning the 2014-15 pre-season tournaments and the league championship.
Their coaches Joe Mujuru and Mxolisi Ndlovu won the Coach of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories.
Southern Mavericks’ Nyasha Ngove, who was part of the national team that took part in the Afro-Basketball Championships held in Tunisia last month, was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the men’s category while his compatriot Mellissa Majonga was the women’s MVP.
Crispen Ndebele was crowned Referee of the Year.
Milton High School’s Isaac Mbirimi was voted Rookie of the Year in the boys’ category while Nomqhele Mahlangu from the Dominican Convent secured the girls’ accolade. Mahlangu plays club basketball for Lakers.
Mzilikazi District emerged as the best in primary schools’ basketball while Nkulumane dominated the secondary schools’ awards in the Under-14 boys, Under-17 boys and girls as well as the girls’ Under-20 age-groups.
The girls’ Under-14 award went to Montrose High while Milton took the boys’ Under-20 prize.
BBA secretary-general Howard Phangwana hailed the awards’ ceremony as a success and said they were now planning for the new basketball season.
“We recognised all the players and technical staff from our province that made it into the national teams last season. The fact that we had people representing us at different categories within the national teams shows that we are really developing the sport and we are a force to reckon with as a province.
“We’re having our annual general meeting next week where we will come up with dates for the new season,” said Phangwana.
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