Tendai Gukutikwa
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe National Clubs Basketball Championship 2025 has come and gone, but the lessons learnt and memories created will linger in the minds of many, particularly avid followers of the game in the host city of Mutare for a long time.
The national championships concluded dramatically in Mutare, with the star-studded Harare outfit, Basket Hounds, delivering a dominant performance to defeat Mbare Bulls in a one-sided final, and claim the prestigious national title.
The final, held at Mutare Boys’ High School, attracted a passionate crowd eager to witness two of the country’s top teams battle it out.
Describing the Basket Hounds’ stellar performance, former Manicaland Basketball Association secretary-general Tonderai Sengai wrote:
“Basket Hounds from Harare have solidified their dominance by clinching back-to-back BUZ national titles. In the 2025 finals, they overwhelmed Mbare Bulls with a decisive 85–52 victory – a testament to their athleticism, transition offence, quickness, and tactical discipline. This is a team that plays to its strengths – lightning-fast on the break, suffocating on defence, and highly coordinated in execution. Hats off to coach, Russy Nemutambwe for crafting such a formidable unit. Leading the charge was Captain Zhomwa “Skiddy” and the unstoppable Clayton Chikwengo, who was deservedly crowned MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the tournament.”
From the onset of this year’s edition of the competition, it was clear that Basket Hounds came prepared to make a statement. With clinical execution, suffocating defence, and a fast-paced offensive rhythm, they quickly built a commanding lead and never looked back.
While the finals might not have lived up to expectations in terms of competitiveness, it served as a showcase of the Hounds’ tactical discipline and talent depth. Their journey through the tournament was consistent, and they saved their best for the last.
For starters, the presence of only two ladies’ teams in national competition of this calibre was just unacceptable.
Indeed, Sengai wrote: “Let us start with the elephant in the room – the women’s category. It is both shocking and disappointing that in a whole national championship, only two ladies’ teams showed up: Wolves (Manicaland) and Kushinga (Marondera). That is it. No Harare. No Bulawayo. Nothing from other provinces.
“Harare and Bulawayo teams pulled out, reportedly due to unresolved management and logistical issues within the basketball system. This should set off alarm bells across the board. If our two biggest cities cannot send teams to a national championship, are we really growing the game? What led to this? What should we do better? We must do better – as a basketball family, and as a nation. Period!”
The presence of five Harare teams and absence of other provinces was also a major cause for concern.
“On the men’s side, things were more vibrant with 10 teams participating. But here too, there were valid concerns. Of the 10, five were from Harare, and all were allowed to travel – raising serious questions of fairness and representation.
“Manicaland, the host province, was only initially represented by D Knights, until a technical meeting granted Villa Stars a wildcard entry at the last minute.
While a chance is a chance, throwing a team into the fire on short notice is hardly equitable preparation. The runner-up team from the host province deserved better. And what about the rest of the country? Bulawayo: one team, Midlands: one team, Matebeleland North: one team (shout-out to Victoria Falls Panthers who travelled over 1 000 km to be part of this event!). No teams from: Mash East, Mash West, Mash Central, Masvingo, and Mat South.
“This pattern reeks of a Harare-favoured structure, which contradicts the essence of national development. While Harare’s dominance (all four semi-finalists came from there and it has been 30 years in a row) might speak to the quality of their basketball, is it fair to allow one province to flood the tournament while others are barely represented?”
“There is a fundamental question we must confront: Do we want equal provincial representation, or are we chasing quality at any cost? Harare’s dominance shows better resourcing, exposure, and structure. But without building up other provinces, how will national basketball grow? Quality against quantity.”
Senga, however, paid tribute to Manicaland Basketball Association for a job well done under very difficult circumstances.
“Hosting the national championships was not just about courts and teams. Manicaland covered over 60 percent of the entire tournament’s costs, including:
“Hiring and preparing courts, feeding over 40 officials, providing logistics, all adding up to over US$5 000 and guess what? Winning teams got no prize money. If this is a BUZ programme, then a new funding and hosting model is urgently needed. A national tournament should not leave one province carrying the financial burden alone. Still, Manicaland pulled it off, and that is thanks in large part to the leadership.
“Special recognition goes to our Manicaland Basketball Association president, Justice Nyauchi, who went beyond the call of duty – from high-level decisions to personally running errands. That is dedication. Others like secretary general- Nash Majoni, games and competitions officer, Clive Wemba, Malcom Tuso and several behind the scenes warriors also deserve a round of applause. Against all odds, they made the national championships of 2025 happen — and in style.” However, after all is said and done, the tournament itself was a major success for the City of Mutare and the Manicaland Basketball Association, proving that high-level basketball can thrive outside the traditional powerhouses of Harare and Bulawayo.
As basketball players and fans across Manicaland take a brief pause, one thing is certain – the October restart of the MBA League will mark the beginning of a new chapter, fuelled by momentum, ambition, and the hunger to raise the standard even higher.
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