Top schools basketball tourney begins

Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
TOP basketball playing schools from across Zimbabwe will today converge at Falcon College and Umzingwane High School in Matabeleland South Province for the National Association of Secondary School Heads Under-20 Championships.
The event was first held in 1999 at Chinhohyi High with Milton winning the boys section while Townsend were crowned the girls’ champions.
Tournament director Simon Lawson said 12 boys and an equal number of girls’ teams will take part in the tournament that reaches its climax on Sunday.

“We are starting the competition with the technical meeting for the teams on Friday evening and then the games will be played on Saturday and Sunday.
“The format of play is a round-robin from the groups and the top teams will qualify for the knock-out quarter-finals,” said Lawson.

Lawson said Prince Edward are coming in as the defending champions in the boys section while Harare’s Girls High ruled the roost last year.
“I am sure we will get some exciting matches as Prince Edward and Churchill teams have got the bulk of the players who formed the dominant Harare Youth Games team.

“Basically, most of the players had been at the Youth Games early this month but playing for their provinces and now they are in their schools teams.
“Of interest, would be Cornway College who are coming from Mashonaland West Province,” said Lawson.To qualify for the NASH Top Schools, teams battled at their districts competitions before proceeding to the provincial finals.

“Unfortunately, we do not have a major sponsor for this year although we used to have Sprite,” said Lawson.
Schools

Boys: Prince Edward, Mzingwane, Gloag, Milton, Shungu, Serima, Dangamvura, Churchill, Goromonzi, Cornway, Chipadze, Churchill
Girls: Empandeni, Harare Girls High, Minda, St James, Nkulumane, St Anthony, Loreto, Murate Girls, Roosevelt, Goromonzi, Cornway, Chipadze